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CHARLESTON, SC – In an effort to encourage and improve literacy in the local community, the Charleston RiverDogs and Charleston County School District (CCSD) will partner in “Reading Around the Bases,” a baseball themed reading program for local students.
Starting on Thursday, January 19, 2017, schools from all over CCSD will start “Reading Around the Bases”, a 12-week baseball-theme incentive program. Each student will receive a Reading Challenge packet that includes a score card, tracking sheet, and their very own personal baseball card.
“Literacy has long been a community initiative of the Charleston RiverDogs,” said Dave Echols, RiverDogs President and General Manager. “We are excited to partner with CCSD in bringing our ‘Fun Is Good’ approach to reading to Lowcountry 2nd graders.”
To move around the bases on the score card, a student must read a certain number of pages: 100 pages for a single, 200 pages for a double, 300 pages for a triple, and 500 pages for home run! Students also earn points for their class depending on how far they advance on the score card.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our district’s second graders. Hopefully, the competition between classes in each school will motivate students to read more than they have in the past,” said Terri Nichols, CCSD Associate Superintendent of Schools. “More importantly, we believe this program can enhance literacy, and lead to a lifetime of reading for fun and expanding each student’s world.”
During the program, special guests from the RiverDogs will visit schools in the district to provide encouragement, fun, and serve as volunteer readers with second grade classes each month.
The winning second grade class from each participating school will receive special seating at the Education Day game at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on May 31, 2017, and participate in special events before and during the contest.
For more information on “Reading Around the Bases,” please contact Jessica Richards with CCSD at (843) 937-6300, or Zana Bowens with the RiverDogs at (843) 723-7241.
About the Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District (CCSD) is the second largest school system in South Carolina representing a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools that span 1,000 square miles along the coast. CCSD serves more than 50,000 students in 86 schools and several specialized programs. With approximately 6,100 employees district-wide, CCSD is the fourth largest employer in the region.
CCSD offers a diverse, expanding portfolio of options and specialized programs, delivered through neighborhood, charter, magnet, IB (international baccalaureate), and Montessori schools, and is divided into three Learning Communities led by associate superintendents. Options include specialized programs in science, engineering and mathematics; liberal arts; music and other creative and performing arts; career and technical preparation programs; and military and other public service enterprises.
About the RiverDogs
The Charleston RiverDogs, the Class A affiliate of the 27-time World Champion New York Yankees, are Charleston’s leader in affordable sports entertainment. With a “Fun is Good” mentality, Charleston has impressed off the field with zany promotions and consistently are one of the top drawing teams in the South Atlantic League. The RiverDogs develop the next major league stars for the Yankees at one of the finest ballparks in Minor League Baseball, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park and just celebrated their 20th season in the storied venue. The RiverDogs had a record-setting year in 2016, filling the stands and having even more fun along the way, drawing more than 293,000 fans to 68 home games.
RiverDogs season tickets, half-season ticket packages and mini plans are now available for the 2017 campaign. The RiverDogs begin the season on April 6 when they host the Lexington Legends at Joseph P Riley, Jr. Park. Ticket information can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Tickets for the RiverDogs 13th Annual Hot Stove Banquet featuring Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine on January 27 are still available on rileyparkevents.com.
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