Super Bowl Champ-Turned-Reading Advocate Visits Area Schools To Spotlight Literacy

HAMPTON ROADS

New England Patriots Super Bowl Champion Malcolm Mitchell has teamed up with E3: Elevate Early Education of Norfolk to bring his READing Rallies to five schools from Hampton Roads to Richmond on Nov. 20 and 21. The READing Rallies allow a book author to read aloud their book to students and combine it with a pep rally. The goal is to ignite a love of reading and get books in the hands of children.

Mitchell will hand out over 2,000 copies of his book The Magician’s Hat, as he talks about the importance of reading and how he overcame his struggle to read.

Forty percent of third graders in Virginia cannot read, and in some communities, it is even worse

Throughout his life, Mitchell struggled to read. During his freshman year in college at the University of Georgia, he developed a love of reading. Books became an avenue for him to expand his curiosity, creativity and learning.

He graduated with a degree in Communication Studies in 2015 and was drafted by the New England Patriots. Mitchell authored and published his children’s book, The Magician’s Hat, and created a youth literacy initiative called Read with Malcolm. A year later, he went on to establish the Share the Magic Foundation with a goal to transform children’s lives through literacy.

E3: Elevate Early Education and The New E3 School raise awareness, advocate and create innovative initiatives to give children equitable access to a quality education for the first eight years.

Lisa Howard, President and CEO, stated, “When children cannot read, they cannot learn. They will struggle in school, the workforce and life. E3 is working with strategic partners to increase public-private investment for early literacy initiatives and implementation of the Virginia literacy Act to help every child read by third grade.”

Mitchell will host a Reading Rally at the following schools: The New E3 School in Norfolk; Park View Elementary in Portsmouth, Ecoff Elementary School in Chesterfield; Sedgefield Elementary in Newport News; and Newsome Park Elementary in Newport News.

As part of the reading tour, Mitchell will deliver a keynote address and Conversation with Literacy Experts at the ODU SB Ballard Football Stadium.

E3: Elevate Early Education and The New E3 School raise awareness, advocate and create innovative initiatives to give children equitable access to a quality education for the first eight years.