Ducks Host 15th Annual Reading is the Goal Day at Betsy Ross Elementary in Anaheim

It was a celebration of literacy and hockey at Betsy Ross Elementary in Anaheim this week as the campus welcomed the Anaheim Ducks for the club’s 15th annual Reading is the Goal Day.

The festivities began in the morning as 45 volunteers from the Ducks organization, including Ducks staff members, Power Players and Street Team members, visited each of preschool through sixth grade classrooms. The visits included reading to the students and sharing the importance of literacy and education through question and answer sessions. The students also received Ducks-themed giveaways such as t-shirts, beanies and rally towels.

As a participant in the Ducks S.C.O.R.E. (Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation & Education) Program for more than a decade, Betsy Ross Elementary was rewarded with the daylong event as a result of the school’s longtime partnership with Ducks S.C.O.R.E. and their continued commitment to the Reading is the Goal initiative.

With 900 students, Betsy Ross Elementary is the largest school in the Anaheim Elementary School District and is also home to Special Day Classes (SDC) and Dual Language Immersion (DLI). Principal Shawnna Derache said there was so much excitement surrounding the event that Reading is the Goal Day produced the highest student attendance rate so far for the school year.

“It’s just been fantastic,” said Derache. “They love the hockey and they love the reading. There’s a whole new generation of Ducks fans at this school.”

Provided to more than 10,000 students across 350 Southern California classrooms during the 2023-2024 academic year, Reading is the Goal is a free program designed to encourage and reward fourth grade students for the commitment to reading over a 30-day period.

“As a principal and in education, we want our kids to be lifelong readers and lovers of reading,” Derache said. “So anything that we can do, anything that we can bring in from the community to support that, is fantastic. And what better way than a sports team to be showing that. It’s just one more way to get kids excited about reading.”

During lunch recess, the Betsy Ross Elementary playground was transformed into two street hockey rinks as the Ducks Hockey Development C.R.E.W. (Community, Recreation, and Educational Workforce) gave the students an opportunity to play some street hockey. The school is also a participant in the Ducks S.C.O.R.E. Street Hockey Program, so the Roadrunner fourth graders got a chance to work on their skills.

“Everything has been phenomenal, and they’ve been beside themselves,” said fourth grade teacher Sandra Gonzalez. “I'm so thankful that the Ducks have been able to do this. Events like this make the students feel seen and heard.”

The festivities culminated with an afternoon assembly, where fourth through sixth graders gathered as Anaheim Ducks players Sam Carrick and Ryan Strome read to the students. Wild Wing warmed up the energetic crowd as Ducks television play-by-play announcer John Ahlers welcomed the Ducks forwards to the stage to read from, “Brady Brady and the B Team,” a hockey-themed children’s book about the importance of balancing academics and athletics.

Carrick and Strome shared about their own love for literacy and their commitment to read to their young children. The two then fielded several questions from the students on topics ranging from their favorite moment as a Duck to how to regain confidence in both school and sports. The concepts of dependability, perseverance and never giving up were at the forefront.

“Education comes first…that was big in my family,” Carrick said. “I think it teaches you a lot of life lessons…and as you get older, a lot about hard work and what it takes to get to where you want to go. This program is great. Reading is obviously very important, and we do it every day. So everyone needs to be a good reader.”

Betsy Ross sixth grader Enrique was appreciative of Carrick, Strome and the entire Ducks organization for selecting his school for Reading is the Goal Day.
“I’m grateful,” said the 11-year old. “It’s so kind for them to come to our school. Out of all the schools, they chose this school because we were hardworking. And hardworking means something good comes back to you if you do something good.”

Enrique’s classmate, 11-year old Alexis, has been a longtime Ducks fan and was thrilled her favorite hockey team came to visit her school. “I was so happy because I love the Ducks and I watch them all the time,” Alexis said. “I'm very grateful that they got to take some of their time to come see us.”

At the close of the assembly, Carrick, Strome and Ahlers presented Derache and the school with upgraded street hockey equipment, a collection of books for the school’s library and an Anaheim Ducks 30th anniversary framed pennant autographed by team.

“I had a blast,” Carrick said. “The kids were energetic. It's always fun to feel the energy in an assembly like that. It's gives you a little boost to your day for sure.”

Strome added, “It’s cool to see this so close to Honda Center. And when you walk up and see all the Ducks posters, this was nice to see.”

Betsy Ross Elementary fourth graders will be taking on the Reading is the Goal challenge during the month of December, but school-wide, the day of celebrating literacy will leave a lasting impact.

“We are incredibly grateful,” Derache said. “The Ducks have been incredibly generous to us, between bringing hockey to us and tickets and the reading and all the things they've done. But more than that, it's just so important these days to have community involvement in the schools, especially post-COVID. We're still feeling the effects of that, so I think the more that we get the community involved, the better off it is for our kiddos. We're very appreciative of the Ducks and everything they've done for us.”

For more information about the Anaheim Ducks S.C.O.R.E. Program, visit ducksscore.com.