Click here for a photo gallery of the Cops 'n' Kids Literacy Program at Fountain Hill Elementary School.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For many Moravian College
student-athletes, going to college and playing a sport at the NCAA
level is a dream come true.
On Friday, a group of Greyhounds shared their dreams with young
students in kindergarten through the fifth grade at Fountain Hill
Elementary School, and illustrated how reading every day can help
anyone achieve your dreams as part of the Cops 'n' Kids Literacy
Program.
Members of the Moravian College men's soccer, women's soccer,
volleyball, women's tennis and women's basketball teams read to the
students in their classrooms after an assembly where the Greyhounds
introduced themselves to the school. During the assembly, the
student-athletes passed the microphone to share their biggest
dreams growing up and named their favorite children's book. Without
fail, the Dr. Seuss classic One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
received a rousing round of applause at every mention.
"You put a face on Cops 'n' Kids," said Beverly Bradley,
President of the Literacy Program, to the Greyhounds before the
assembly. "We have kids who have never heard of college here. You
can share with them the dream of a bright future. When you're
dreaming, you're moving forward. Today, you are their connection to
reading and dreaming."
Air Products provided 588,000 books for the Cops 'n' Kids Literacy
Program this year. The Moravian student-athletes wrapped up their
classroom sessions with the Fountain Hill students by signing
autographs in the books that each student selected to keep from the
heap of free books provided by Air Products. The Greyhounds also
aided in making bookmarks commemorating the event for the
children.
The Cops 'n' Kids Children's Literacy Program is a national
initiative founded by Julia Burney Witherspoon, a police officer
from Racine, Wisconsin. In 2003, the program was formally adopted
by Quota International of Bethlehem, establishing the Quota
International of Bethlehem Charitable Trust Cops 'n' Kids
Children's Literacy Program.
Cops 'n' Kids ensures that every child has access – in his
or her home – to books and the knowledge, inspiration and
hope that such access can provide. The program also encourages
positive relationships between children and police while inspiring
creative learning for children and families by providing meaningful
literacy-based experiences.