Gallery
BALTIMORE, Md. (March 7, 2023) — Morgan State football players read to elementary kids Monday to promote literacy while building connections between youths of different ages in the community.
"Our DFO (Director of Football Operations), Ms. Rasheda Spratley reached out to Northwood Elementary School as a part of my philosophy on the importance of our football team having a presence in the community," said Morgan head coach Damon Wilson. "It's important to positively impact our youth early so we can instill the importance of an education. We believe that if we show them, they will believe it is attainable."
"We want to encourage our youth by showing them the student side of our student athletes," said Wilson. "This age is an impressionable age and it is our hope that we can provide a positive influence for them to model after."
25 football players were at Northwood Elementary School on Monday, March 6, to read with the students. Wilson hopes to expand the initiative over the years to read to other elementary school students.
"We will continue to serve our Baltimore community first but will also spread our "Bear Print" to other areas," added Wilson. "The main objective with activities like this is to have our current student-athletes pour back into the community. Our students and coaches were just as excited to be there as the students of Northwood Elementary were to have us in their school.
For the student-athletes, it was a rewarding experience and an opportunity to give back.
"The kids treated us with such kindness and they looked at us as role models, even though we just met them," said sophomore defensive end Elijah Williams. "It shows the type of influence we have on youth."
"I hope they understand how important reading is," said wide receiver Javante Joseph. "Education is key."
"We want to show them that giving back to the community is something we should all do," said junior offensive lineman Dexter Carr Jr. "And that hard work makes you successful in any sport or career."
The Morgan State football team will be hosting its annual Spring Game Saturday (April 15) at Hughes Stadium.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
