Photo by: Rich Gagnon/Boston University At
Terriers Launch Online Reading Program For Kids
June 4, 2020 | Women's Basketball
As schools across the country remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Boston University women's basketball team continued their commitment to community service by launching an online reading program for kindergarten students via the audio-conferencing system Zoom.
The Terriers read books live on Zoom to kindergarten students from the Peter Noyes Elementary School in Sudbury once a week through May and into June. Student-athletes used books from the subscription website Epic, a digital library for kids 12 and under. The program provided the Terriers with a large database of approved children's books and allowed the kids to clearly view illustrations and words by sharing their home computer screens.
"Having this opportunity to connect with student-athletes from BU through this online reading program has been a wonderful experience for my students," said Noyes Elementary School teacher Faith Chen who hosted the reading program. "They not only enjoyed being read to by some fabulous basketball players, but it gave them the opportunity to meet new people and make connections with them, while sharing in the joy of story time."
After the reading, students were encouraged to comment on the meaning of the story, share their thoughts and later ask questions about college life.
"I truly enjoyed reading "The Thank You Letter" to Ms. Chen's kindergarten class and being a part of this program," said rising senior Tenisha Pressley. "The children were so polite and full of energy. Some asked questions about basketball, some shared their experiences, while others showed off their amazing art projects. I hope the children enjoyed this experience as much as I did."
Boston University Athletics hopes to continue the program with other area schools and recently invited Boston Public Schools to sign up for similar readings in the future.
"I am incredibly proud of the women in my program who have participated in this online reading project," said women's basketball head coach Marisa Moseley. "Their willingness to spark a love for reading in the next generation is truly inspiring. In a world that feels very broken right now, it is refreshing to know that books and reading can serve as a common denominator."
The Terriers read books live on Zoom to kindergarten students from the Peter Noyes Elementary School in Sudbury once a week through May and into June. Student-athletes used books from the subscription website Epic, a digital library for kids 12 and under. The program provided the Terriers with a large database of approved children's books and allowed the kids to clearly view illustrations and words by sharing their home computer screens.
"Having this opportunity to connect with student-athletes from BU through this online reading program has been a wonderful experience for my students," said Noyes Elementary School teacher Faith Chen who hosted the reading program. "They not only enjoyed being read to by some fabulous basketball players, but it gave them the opportunity to meet new people and make connections with them, while sharing in the joy of story time."
After the reading, students were encouraged to comment on the meaning of the story, share their thoughts and later ask questions about college life.
"I truly enjoyed reading "The Thank You Letter" to Ms. Chen's kindergarten class and being a part of this program," said rising senior Tenisha Pressley. "The children were so polite and full of energy. Some asked questions about basketball, some shared their experiences, while others showed off their amazing art projects. I hope the children enjoyed this experience as much as I did."
Boston University Athletics hopes to continue the program with other area schools and recently invited Boston Public Schools to sign up for similar readings in the future.
"I am incredibly proud of the women in my program who have participated in this online reading project," said women's basketball head coach Marisa Moseley. "Their willingness to spark a love for reading in the next generation is truly inspiring. In a world that feels very broken right now, it is refreshing to know that books and reading can serve as a common denominator."
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