Greyhounds Instill Dreams at Cops ‘n’ Kids Literacy Program

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.