Ryan Moran reads a book while Parker, the Fresno Grizzlies mascot, acts out the story during a Wild About Reading school assembly. (Photos by Tracy Correa.)
By Tracy Correa
CLOVIS – The screams are deafening inside the Sierra Vista Elementary School cafeteria where children sit — legs crossed — on the floor and cheer for Parker, the yellow bear mascot of the Fresno Grizzlies Triple-A baseball team.
You’d think it was a rock concert with all the excitement in the air, but it’s a program to get children pumped about reading.
The premise is simple: Use Fresno Grizzlies tickets and the star power of Parker to motivate and entice children to read. The minor league team is affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. And the reading program appears to be working.
Some 92,000 Central Valley children – from Merced down to Hanford — have enrolled in the “Wild About Reading” program since it launched in 2005. Together they’ve read more than 700,000 books.
PG&E has supported the program with a three-year, $10,000 grant (for a total of $30,000) since 2010 because of its educational value.
“We are proud to partner with the Fresno Grizzlies in this worthwhile effort to share the importance of reading with children throughout the Valley. Programs like this get students excited about books and can help push them to realize their full educational potential,” said Cindy Pollard, manager of government relations for PG&E in Fresno.
Each year, the program launches with a road show that visits schools from January through March to explain the program and issue the reading challenge. It’s a stage performance that includes Ryan Moran (Grizzlies community relations manager), Eddie the Owl (mascot for Fresno-based Educational Employees Credit Union) and of course, Parker.
Students at Sierra Vista Elementary in Clovis and other Fresno-area schools have been challenged to read 10 books in five weeks.
At the recent Sierra Vista Elementary School assembly, Moran got the K-6 students riled up: “Are you guys ready for an awesome assembly?” To which the children shout: “YES!” Then Moran asked: “Do you know who is here today?” The children scream so loud that teachers cover their ears: “PARKER!”
Moran, Eddie the Owl and Parker don hats and use props as they act out a story about a trip to Yosemite National Park. Moran reads the story from a book. The props include a gigantic pair of Parker’s underwear which generates huge laughter from students.
At the end of the assembly, the reading challenge is issued: Students are asked to read 10 books in five weeks. If they do so, they will receive two free Grizzlies game tickets and are eligible for prizes including iPods and two laptops for their school. Bookmarks are handed out to teachers so that students can track their book titles and progress.
This is the second year Sierra Vista Elementary has taken part and Principal Cathy Dodd said the program works.
“The kids are excited and motivated to read a little bit more,” she said.
The incentive of free Grizzlies tickets has helped to push students, said Dodd.
“We have had a lot of reading to get the tickets,” she said, adding that everyone wins with the program.
PG&E has been a community partner of the Fresno Grizzlies and education initiatives throughout the Fresno area. Last year, the utility hosted an event at the downtown Fresno ballpark and provided Grizzlies tickets for students and families to attend.
PG&E is a strong supporter of youth education programs throughout Northern and Central California.
E-mail Tracy Correa at Tracy.Correa@pge.com.
