The Sioux City Musketeers hockey team read to third graders recently to motivate students toward literacy. Two players visited Mrs. Wilson’s class last week and read to them.

“Books are fun and you learn things,” said student Sydney Nelson.

Musketeers Chase Drake and Adam Janecyk were two of the athlete-readers who shared their “Reading is Cool” program with Dakota Valley elementary. “Reading is good for the kids and I want them to read,” said Janecyk. The Musketeers not only shared their love of books with pupils, but they also showed the class how to put on hockey gear.

The Musketeers organization will have all third grade reading teachers from around Siouxland eventually choose one student in March who they feel has shown the most reading improvement since the beginning of the year. One of those students will be chosen to be brought out onto the ice during a hockey game to be rewarded for their efforts.

Grade school teachers love the “Reading is Cool” program. Paula Wilson said that she brought the team in because members promote reading and also the traits of the Character Counts program, which she directs.