Post by dogcatcher on Nov 22, 2007 8:13:08 GMT -4
Sea Dogs take reading message to kids
Education Junior hockey players stress importance of literacy skills during visit to Rothesay school
Dave MacLean
Telegraph-Journal
Published Thursday November 22nd, 2007
Appeared on page C5
ROTHESAY - The Saint John Sea Dogs were earning rave reviews again on Wednesday, but it was their efforts off the ice that led to enthusiastic applause from their fans.
Sea Dogs forwards Ryan Sparling and Keven Guérette-Charland visited Rothesay Elementary School as part of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team's 'Read To Succeed' program, while several of their teammates visited other schools in and around the city, spending time with children and showing off their reading skills.
"It's something we enjoy doing and I know it means a lot to the kids," said Guérette-Charland, who grew up in Victoriaville, a city of 40,000 located midway between Montreal and Quebec City. "There's a (QMJHL) team in Victoriaville - the Tigres - and I remember how happy I was and the other kids were when the Tigres came to visit us at school.
"I know what it means for them to meet us and you can see it by the look on their faces.
Sparling, a native of Sydney, N.S., also enjoyed school visits from hockey players when he was growing up in Cape Breton.
"It's not just important to do it and to try to tell the kids how important it is to learn to read and write, it's also a lot of fun - I have fun doing it," said Sparling, moments after being mobbed by a group of fourth- and fifth-graders asking for autographs in their notebooks, on their running shoes and on their clothing. "I remember when I was younger, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles used to come to my school, so it feels nice to give back.
"Hopefully, this will help lead to some kids doing more reading - that's the goal of this program to help the kids learn to read more and to enjoy doing it."
Marcia Crossman, the school's vice-principal, said the students get excited about the visits, which tend to enhance the learning experience.
"One of the big focuses for our district and this school is boys and literacy, so to bring in hockey players - who many of the boys see playing sports and having fun on the ice - to see them actually reading and talking about how important school is to them," she said. "It reinforces what we've been teaching them - about the importance of reading and finishing school.
"The teachers often take it a step further when they get back to class, either sending a thank-you note, for example, or talking more about the book that was read."
Sea Dogs team president Wayne Long said the team is committed to helping make a difference in the community and the players enjoy the interaction with the fans.
"Last year we did more than 1,000 hours of community work and we're well on our way to matching that this year," said Long. "We obviously feel we have an obligation to give back to the community and we want to work with the kids. We do a lot of work with the schools - with the Read to Succeed program and the LNG Get Fanatical About Math program. It's a great way to give back."
The team's community service efforts extend far beyond the reading and math programs, though. Jacques Beaulieu, the team's coach and general manager, is again serving as the honorary chairman of the Salvation Army's annual Kettle Drive. The team raised $5,000 for breast cancer research through an auction of pink jerseys worn by the players. They also make regular visits to hospitals in the area and work together with the Junior Achievement program.
Long says team officials work hard at finding a balance among community work, hockey and the players' own studies.
"Our players all go to school and they play a 70-game schedule and they have a lot of travel, so we're careful not to overdo it and tax them too much," he said. "But part of what we're trying to do here is develop hockey players and men.
"It's great branding for us, as well. It's a way to market our team and to build loyalty. It's a privilege to play in Saint John because it's such a great hockey town and we feel it's our duty to give back."
Education Junior hockey players stress importance of literacy skills during visit to Rothesay school
Dave MacLean
Telegraph-Journal
Published Thursday November 22nd, 2007
Appeared on page C5
ROTHESAY - The Saint John Sea Dogs were earning rave reviews again on Wednesday, but it was their efforts off the ice that led to enthusiastic applause from their fans.
Sea Dogs forwards Ryan Sparling and Keven Guérette-Charland visited Rothesay Elementary School as part of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team's 'Read To Succeed' program, while several of their teammates visited other schools in and around the city, spending time with children and showing off their reading skills.
"It's something we enjoy doing and I know it means a lot to the kids," said Guérette-Charland, who grew up in Victoriaville, a city of 40,000 located midway between Montreal and Quebec City. "There's a (QMJHL) team in Victoriaville - the Tigres - and I remember how happy I was and the other kids were when the Tigres came to visit us at school.
"I know what it means for them to meet us and you can see it by the look on their faces.
Sparling, a native of Sydney, N.S., also enjoyed school visits from hockey players when he was growing up in Cape Breton.
"It's not just important to do it and to try to tell the kids how important it is to learn to read and write, it's also a lot of fun - I have fun doing it," said Sparling, moments after being mobbed by a group of fourth- and fifth-graders asking for autographs in their notebooks, on their running shoes and on their clothing. "I remember when I was younger, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles used to come to my school, so it feels nice to give back.
"Hopefully, this will help lead to some kids doing more reading - that's the goal of this program to help the kids learn to read more and to enjoy doing it."
Marcia Crossman, the school's vice-principal, said the students get excited about the visits, which tend to enhance the learning experience.
"One of the big focuses for our district and this school is boys and literacy, so to bring in hockey players - who many of the boys see playing sports and having fun on the ice - to see them actually reading and talking about how important school is to them," she said. "It reinforces what we've been teaching them - about the importance of reading and finishing school.
"The teachers often take it a step further when they get back to class, either sending a thank-you note, for example, or talking more about the book that was read."
Sea Dogs team president Wayne Long said the team is committed to helping make a difference in the community and the players enjoy the interaction with the fans.
"Last year we did more than 1,000 hours of community work and we're well on our way to matching that this year," said Long. "We obviously feel we have an obligation to give back to the community and we want to work with the kids. We do a lot of work with the schools - with the Read to Succeed program and the LNG Get Fanatical About Math program. It's a great way to give back."
The team's community service efforts extend far beyond the reading and math programs, though. Jacques Beaulieu, the team's coach and general manager, is again serving as the honorary chairman of the Salvation Army's annual Kettle Drive. The team raised $5,000 for breast cancer research through an auction of pink jerseys worn by the players. They also make regular visits to hospitals in the area and work together with the Junior Achievement program.
Long says team officials work hard at finding a balance among community work, hockey and the players' own studies.
"Our players all go to school and they play a 70-game schedule and they have a lot of travel, so we're careful not to overdo it and tax them too much," he said. "But part of what we're trying to do here is develop hockey players and men.
"It's great branding for us, as well. It's a way to market our team and to build loyalty. It's a privilege to play in Saint John because it's such a great hockey town and we feel it's our duty to give back."