PHOTOS: Football and Story Times

Students at an Ankeny elementary school recently were treated to a special kind of story time.

Thirteen Iowa State University Cyclone football players were on hand at Monday for the school’s Summer Reading Celebration. The football players spent an hour in the school’s classrooms, reading to students and teaching them about their roles as student athletes.

“Overall, the celebration was a huge success; students thought it was awesome to meet the Cyclone players,” said Michelle Pilcher, literacy leader at Westwood. “The teachers said their guest readers were amazing.”

The event concluded the school’s summer reading program, which kicked off when the students went on summer vacation in June.

The celebration also included a “read-in” in which students could read books of their choice. During the last 15 minutes of the read-in, the Cyclone football players joined the kids on the playground for some football, basketball and other games.

Many students also used it as an opportunity to get the autograph of their favorite Cyclone player.

Westwood staff members worked together last spring to develop the reading program for students. The program required students in each grade level to read a certain amount of minutes each week during their summer vacation.

More than 70 students were sent home for the summer with a bag of books, many of which they were allowed to choose themselves, Pilcher said. The Westwood Parent-Teacher Organization purchased the books.

Student and parents then recorded the books and number of minutes read for June, July and August.

As part of the celebration, students returned to the classrooms they were in last school year for a “class reunion.” Their former teachers then awarded students with a gift certificate from Texas Roadhouse and restaurants.