SMU, Coaching For Literacy Partner For Third Consecutive Year
Dec 15 | Men's Basketball
SMU To Hold Coaching For Literacy Awareness Game Dec. 19 Against Stanford
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (December 15, 2016) - Coaching for Literacy (CFL), head coach Tim Jankovich and the SMU Mustangs partner together in the nationwide Fight for Literacy for the third consecutive year.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 64% of 4th graders in America are not reading at or above the proficient level. Coaching for Literacy works with sports teams nationwide to generate awareness about the importance of literacy and its impact on social issues such as employment, crime, poverty and the economy. Â
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SMU will host a Coaching for Literacy Awareness Game on December 19th when the Mustangs take on the Stanford Cardinal. The staff will wear Coaching for Literacy's green apparel to promote the Fight for Literacy. SMU Athletics invite all Mustang fans to join the effort by following Coaching for Literacy on Twitter @coachingforlit and using the hashtag #Mustangs4Literacy in social media posts.
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"SMU is honored to be a part of such an important cause,"Â said SMU head coach Tim Jankovich. "We have seen the impact our partnership has made on children in Dallas and we are honored to continue our work in the Fight for Literacy."
Thanks to the support of sports teams and generous donors, Coaching for Literacy has funded over 50 literacy projects across 20 communities in 11 states, benefiting over 7,600 kids.
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"Last year funding from CFL donors helped identify and meet the needs of six high-risk students," said Regina Nippert, executive director of the Budd Center. "We are incredibly grateful for CFL's support as they work to bring attention the overwhelming problem of illiteracy."
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"The SMU Athletic Department sets a high bar for the involvement and impact an athletic organization can make in the Fight for Literacy," said Gray Blocker, program director of Coaching for Literacy. "CFL is excited to continue positive work in the Dallas community."
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To learn how you can join the Fight for Literacy in your community, visit www.coachingforliteracy.org.
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