Hickory Creek Middle School students meet author Tim Green

Hickory Creek Middle School sixth through eighth grade students and staff welcomed author Tim Green to the school recently. His two presentations were funded through a grant from the District 157-C Education Foundation. He has visited over 1,000 schools and spoken to nearly a half million students across the United States about the importance of education and character, in addition to the joys and benefits of reading.

He thanked the Hickory Creek staff for its commitment to reading saying that he came to the school to help the teachers in their mission to make the students better. He told the students that hard work in school would pay them back the rest of their lives. He stated, “This is your decision, you make the choice. I don’t tell students what to do but what they can do, it is your choice.”

Speaking to the students about how we can make our dreams come true, Green said his career goes back to when he was their age. He had two dreams, playing in the National Football League (NFL) and becoming a best-selling author. After studying writing at Syracuse University where he was an All American football player, Green was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons where he was a top defensive player for eight years. While he played in the NFL, he also studied law and began his writing career. After writing more than a dozen books for adults, Green began writing a series of novels for young readers set in a world of sports taken from his own experiences as an athlete and a coach. He made both of his dreams come true.

Green said that he loved sports but he was just as passionate about books, stating “You can get lost in books. There’s a book out there that will keep you turning the pages.” He encouraged the students to participate in Hickory Creek’s program of reading for 20 minutes a day. He said, “The reading has to be enjoyable, it is the only way it works. Don’t say you are not a reader…find another book!” He explained that the reason he and the teachers encourage them to read 20 minutes a day is because it boosts performance in every subject.

He went on to emphasize that the most important things in life are having good character, heart and kindness. He explained that reading not only enhances academic performance but also makes you a kinder and more compassionate person. This is because reading and getting involved in the story puts you in someone else’s shoes. He asked the students to use the next 24 hours to find someone different than themselves because of the color of their skin, their clothes, religion, being sick, disabled or different in some other way. He then challenged them to do or say something kind to them. He stated, “By being kind to someone different than you, you can start a chain reaction.”