Dunk City’s Men’s Basketball player Eric McKnight delivered a powerful message to young students, appearing on behalf of K is for Kids.
“Use reading as a tool to success in school and in life,” McKnight told the packed room of youngsters and their families at Sabal Palm Elementary’s Literacy on the Lawn event, “….use it to get to where you want…in life.”
Although the 6’9″ basketball player was on hand to congratulate the winners of the school’s “battle of the books” contest, Eric took extra time to sign autographs for young fans, putting them at ease with his light-up-the-room-smile and warm manner.
K is for Kids’ Rising Readers program sponsored Eric’s appearance. The program donates books directly to students and recognizes school’s top readers.
A special thank you goes to Ken Kavanagh, Director of Athletics at FGCU, for facilitating Eric’s participation.
Photography by Abby Tierney, student at Barron Collier High School.
Below: Winners of the Scholar Bowl competition at Sabal Palm Elementary. Well done, kids!
Eric signed autographs on paper, t-shirts, and even a couple arms!
Eric posed for pictures with the kids and families.
Eric next did a Q&A session for the audience with Abby Day, an Australian exchange student completing her junior year at Gulf Coast High School. Eric told the kids how tall he was, what schools he had attended and what his own personal aspirations are.
He also encouraged them to never give up on their dreams.
When Abby asked him, “What would you like to tell the kids here today?” Eric addressed the importance of studying hard and using reading as a tool to success in school and in life, urging the kids to “….keep on reading while its fun and to use it to get to where you want…in life, because you really need to learn to read efficiently so you can pass the tests and get into the good colleges and schools [and] broaden your education.”
Finally, it was time to congratulate the school’s top readers: McKnight joined principal Angela Lettiere and media specialist Jennifer Barber on stage to congratulate each of the awardees as they received their Scholar Bowl trophies.
Finally, it was time to raffle two signed basketballs by Eric, compliments of K is for Kids, one each for a girl and boy from the winning team.
Also joining in the celebration were FGCU students volunteering for the Foundation who were inspired by the event to do more themselves to get kids reading.
All the kids were so excited to meet Eric and K is for Kids thanks him profusely for making this awesome event at Sabal Palm Elementary even more memorable!
After hearing of the student’s excited conversations long after the event from Jennnifer Barber, Media Specialist, K is for Kids posted this thank you on Eric’s Facebook page,
“Thank you again, Eric, for attending Sabal Palm Elementary’s “Literacy on the Lawn” event on behalf of K is for Kids Foundation. You inspired so many kids to set their dreams high & to never give up. Everyone loved meeting you and “battle of the books” scholar bowl winners were totally awestruck that you came to congratulate them. You rocked their world! Thank you!”
Catch the video of Eric’s interview by Timothy Gage Burghardt, a student at Cypress Palm Middle School on YouTube at http://youtu.be/WhQE2McKrU8.