Saluki Student-Athletes and Coaches Participate in MVC's Just Read Program
 |  Stetson Hairston reads to a student at Lewis Elementary School as part of the MVC's "Just Read" Program |
Oct. 24, 2003
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill.-- Head coaches Dan Callahan and Cameron Wright, along with student-athletes from 11 sports visited Lewis Elementary School Thursday as part of the Missouri Valley Conference's "Just Read" Program.
The Saluki coaches and student-athletes spent most of the day reading books to fourth and fifth graders. Some of SIU's student-athletes who participated included Josh Joiner (baseball), Royal Whitaker (football), Kelly Gerlach (women's golf) and Stetson Hairston (men's basketball).
The "Just Read" program is a community outreach effort between the Missouri Valley Conference, its member schools and student-athletes, and the State Farm Insurance Company and its agents. The primary goal of the program is to promote the importance of reading at an early age to stimulate educational growth, while utilizing MVC student-athletes as positive role models.