Photo by: Matt Woolverton
Terriers Visit Local Schools for 25th Annual Holiday Reading Program
December 21, 2021 | General, Community Service
BOSTON – For the 25th straight December, the Boston University Department of Athletics celebrated its Holiday Reading Program with student-athletes and staff visiting Boston Public Schools.
The annual event, which dates back to 1997, brought over 75 Terriers from 18 varsity teams out into the community to interact with Boston Public School children. The two-day event, held this year on Dec. 10 and 13, took place at schools in Dorchester, Allston and the South End and marked a return to local classrooms after last year's program was held virtually.
In conjunction with BU's Government and Community Affairs Department, the athletes read to elementary classes and then presented each student with a book purchased by Boston University. In addition to each student receiving a book, each classroom was also given a book donated by BU for the teacher's permanent collection.
"The Holiday Reading Program is certainly an annual highlight for our department, and it was great to both return in-person to local classrooms and also hit a significant milestone," said BU director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "We stress our roles as mentors and role models to the youth of Boston and our students always come away enjoying this as much as the children."
This year, student-athletes visited classrooms in four Boston schools and read to hundreds of children. After making the short trip to Jackson/Mann K-8 School and Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on Dec. 10 the department spread across the city on Dec. 13 with visits to Gardner Pilot Academy (Allston), Trotter Elementary (Dorchester) and the Blackstone School (South End).
"We are thrilled that for the 25th year of Holiday Reading, we were able to visit Boston Public School students in person after hosting the program virtually in 2020," said Cecilia Nardi, director of community relations in BU's Office of Government and Community Affairs. "We are grateful to the student-athletes for taking time during this busy season to be in the community and bring joy to local elementary school students. Holiday Reading wouldn't be possible without their participation and enthusiasm!"
The annual event, which dates back to 1997, brought over 75 Terriers from 18 varsity teams out into the community to interact with Boston Public School children. The two-day event, held this year on Dec. 10 and 13, took place at schools in Dorchester, Allston and the South End and marked a return to local classrooms after last year's program was held virtually.
In conjunction with BU's Government and Community Affairs Department, the athletes read to elementary classes and then presented each student with a book purchased by Boston University. In addition to each student receiving a book, each classroom was also given a book donated by BU for the teacher's permanent collection.
"The Holiday Reading Program is certainly an annual highlight for our department, and it was great to both return in-person to local classrooms and also hit a significant milestone," said BU director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "We stress our roles as mentors and role models to the youth of Boston and our students always come away enjoying this as much as the children."
This year, student-athletes visited classrooms in four Boston schools and read to hundreds of children. After making the short trip to Jackson/Mann K-8 School and Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on Dec. 10 the department spread across the city on Dec. 13 with visits to Gardner Pilot Academy (Allston), Trotter Elementary (Dorchester) and the Blackstone School (South End).
"We are thrilled that for the 25th year of Holiday Reading, we were able to visit Boston Public School students in person after hosting the program virtually in 2020," said Cecilia Nardi, director of community relations in BU's Office of Government and Community Affairs. "We are grateful to the student-athletes for taking time during this busy season to be in the community and bring joy to local elementary school students. Holiday Reading wouldn't be possible without their participation and enthusiasm!"
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