White Plains Youngsters Embrace Books, Inclusion, Patience
By Jon Craig
About 200 elementary school children at Friday’s summer reading event in White Plains got a lesson in reading, inclusion and patience.
At George Washington Elementary School, Knicks alumnus John Starks and White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach read along with children during Optimum’s eighth annual Knicks Summer Reading event. They read from Allie’s Basketball Dream, a book by Barbara E. Barber.
The White Plains youngsters, who are in kindergarten through fourth grade, attend Camp Panawok, run by the City of White Plains Recreation and Parks Department. Cablevision anchor Shawna Ryan served as the event’s emcee.
“We really believe in the power of reading, especially summer reading,” Ryan said.
Every camper was given a t-shirt and book to keep and read at home. “Start your own home library,” Ryan said.
Starks played professional basketball as a guard for the New York Knickerbockers from 1990 to 1998. He was named an NBA All-Star in 1994. He also played for the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz.
“I’m 49 years old and I stumble over words, too,” Starks told the children.
Starks, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, recalled how his mother’s gift of a pleather basketball helped shape his interest in sports and dreams of playing professionally. For women athletes, the chances of playing professional basketball with the WNBA didn’t materialize until 10 to 15 years ago, Starks said. “It was tough.”
Starks and Mayor Roach later tested the children’s reading aptitude with an open book pop quiz in which pupils used remote control “clickers” to punch in their answers to questions about “Allie’s Basketball Dream.”
The book helped teach youngsters that girls could be competitive in sports. Friday’s event started 30 minutes behind schedule, giving the school children from five different elementary schools in White Plains a lesson in patience.
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.