A different type of Super Bowl has North Penn High football players reading to elementary students
LANSDALE, Pa. (CBS) - It's Super Bowl week, and football fans are looking forward to watching the big game Sunday on CBS. But did you know that for nearly 20 years, North Penn School District students have been looking forward to a different Super Bowl - one centered around a love of literacy?
Since 2005, football players at North Penn High School have spent a morning in February reading to elementary school students as part of what they call their "Reading Super Bowl." The program recently took a three-year hiatus because of COVID-19, but they've brought it back this year and the kids couldn't be more excited.
"I was probably pretty nervous. Honestly, I didn't really read in front of anyone at that point," said Brandon Turner while reflecting on his time as a North Penn player and student reader. "And to think that younger kids would kind of want to hear from us or that would be a big deal to them, I think that was something that we thought was cool."
Turner is currently a school counselor and a coach at North Penn High, but he still remembers reading to younger students during the district's first-ever Reading Super Bowl in 2005.
"I remember kids coming up with T-shirts and wanting autographs," Turner said. "So that's the thing I remember the most, being 17 and having sixth graders or second graders kind of swarm you after you read a book to them was definitely an experience I hadn't had before."
Today, the tradition is carried on by current players like Amir Major, a senior running back on the team, who's looking forward to inspiring the next generation of student-athletes and capitalizing on his newfound football fame.
"I imagine they'll be pretty excited because, yeah, I just know how that would be if I was their age," Major said.
Major's teammate, Michael Cliver, said he still remembers getting read to when he was in elementary school. Now, he can't wait to return the favor and, pardon the pun, be an open book to young kids.
"Any questions that they have about how my season went, what position I played, all the experiences I've gone through, anything," Cliver said. "I mean reading is cool, but experiencing that with them is going to be the best part."
Cheryl Neubert helped organize the district's first ever Reading Super Bowl. Back then, she was just a passionate parent eager to see her son give back. But today, she's a reading specialist with the district who sees firsthand how beneficial the event is for everyone involved.
"It's give and take on both sides. It does great for the little ones to see the boys read to them," Neubert said. "And it's great for the boys to go and read to the little ones and come back with stories of signing autographed cards or being asked if they're playing in the Super Bowl. It's just a wonderful experience for everybody."
Wednesday, Feb. 7 is the big day for this year's Reading Super Bowl. Around 9:30 a.m., 80 North Penn football players will board some buses and travel to 13 elementary schools in the district to read to more than 6,000 students.