CALGARY -- The Flames asked some of their youngest fans to try a different kind of shot Monday, when a trio of players and Harvey the Hound paid a visit to students at St. Phillip School in Calgary to preach the joy of reading.
Give it a Shot is a program that encourages students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 to develop a love of reading, improve their reading skills and collect special edition hockey cards.
The literacy initiative, launched in 1995 in partnership with the Educational Partnership Foundation, took Flames D-man Michael Stone, Dylan Dube, and Andrew Mangiapane to the school in southeast Calgary, where kids greeted them with a rapturous welcome. They are the latest participants in a program that has seen as many as 500,000 students take part.
The blend of hockey stars, the team's beloved mascot and a message about the power of reading sends a powerful message that connects with kids, said EPF CEO Barb Simic.
“There are a lot of ESL students and then there are reluctant readers," Simic said. "And when they see other kids reading and celebrating the Give it a Shot program, they want to participate (too).”
Students are rewarded for reading by keeping track of their reading minutes and can collect 24 Calgary Flames player or Canadian wildlife collector cards.
The value of literacy wasn't lost on Flames defenceman Stone, either.
"It's awesome," he said. "I've got three kids, and all three of them love to read.
"It's big to develop that kind of skill."
After two decades spent turning over a half million schoolkids onto reading, Simic said the partnership has helped inspire thousands of kids to pick up a book.
“They see that the Flames read and Harvey is there and we are all saying how important it is to read and so it connects with them," she said.
"They feel excited and honoured to be part of the celebration."
