October 1, 2008 -- BIG GREEN READERS
by Jeff Friedman, Jaeger Civic Intern
Each Tuesday morning Big Green Readers (BGR), a group of twenty Dartmouth athletes, travel to Mt. Lebanon Elementary School in West Lebanon to read to students. Around 8am BGR meet young students in their classroom and help teach them how to read better and faster. The children range in age from kindergarten through second grade. As relationships form the children start to look up to the athletes as role models.
Chuck Zodda, an '09 member of the football team, is very involved in BGR and said, “It is valuable to both the students and the Dartmouth athletes because it lets us help kids with their education and they love to read with us so it really gives them a fun time for a small part of their days.”
Many of the athletes enjoy the program so much that they return from year to year. In doing so, the students are able to form great bonds with the kids as they grow up.
Jesse Adler, a '10 on the women's tennis team is one of the coordinators of the Big Green Readers program and has been involved for two years. Jesse states, “BGR is a great way to use being a Dartmouth athlete to the benefit of others and connect with little kids in the community.” Georgiana Smyser, '11 a member of the tennis team, also agreed with Adler that the program is a “great way for the kids to interact with people they view as role models and see the emphasis on education in our own lives. It's really special when a kid recognized an athlete from a game they watched or a media guide. I am so proud to be able to represent Dartmouth as an athlete and I love being able to show what Dartmouth means to me by giving back to the community.”
These students look up to Dartmouth athletes so fondly that they frequently attend Dartmouth athletic events. Ultimately, Big Green Readers is a great way that Dartmouth athletes have been able to embrace the surrounding community by helping kids learn in a fun, high-spirited atmosphere. In addition to Zodda, Adler, and Smyser, Rob Henley and Alex Olshonsky, both members of the class of 09 and on the men's golf team, have continuously stayed active in the program during their time at Dartmouth. Looking to the future, they hope more student-athletes will continue to become members of this great program.
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