Kennedy Middle School welcomed Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach Paul Hewitt as the special guest to help launch the school’s participation in the national Ticket to Reading Rewards project. Hewitt stressed the value of reading as the foundation for any education track students may choose, and reflected on his growing appreciation for reading as a budding teenage athlete before his coaching career.
Kennedy’s media specialist, Nikki Bivins (pictured above, right), explained the program for students, who can win awards for reading a certain number of books by mid-April. The prizes range from a subscription to Sports Illustrated all the way up to a water bottle (for reading 25 books). Middle schools within APS will all compete for a district-wide trophy to be awarded in May. To inspire students, Hewitt offered complimentary tickets to a select number of students for upcoming games against Florida State and Kennesaw State. Monishae Mosley-O’Neill, APS director of literacy and world languages, also stressed the value of reading to the students.