Step Up to the Plate: FirstEnergy and Akron RubberDucks Leverage Spring Baseball to Encourage Kids to Read
Recognizing that the more books a child reads in elementary school, the brighter their future becomes, FirstEnergy is collaborating with Akron RubberDucks again this year to motivate students to “Quack Open a Book and Read.”
Students in grades 3-6 across northeast Ohio have until April 7 to read and log four books to be rewarded with a free ticket to a RubberDucks game. Sign up to “Quack Open a Book and Read” on the RubberDucks' website
“We’re leveraging our RubberDucks sponsorship to directly impact the communities we serve,” said Torrence Hinton, President of FirstEnergy Ohio. “By promoting literacy programs and encouraging a love for baseball and teamwork, FirstEnergy is investing in the growth of our future leaders and empowering the community with the tools they need to succeed.”
Throughout February and March, the RubberDucks mascot, staff and FirstEnergy employees – often joined by Louie the Lightening Bug – visited various northeast Ohio schools to read to students and encourage them to read.
To help kickstart the students’ reading journey, FirstEnergy provided an activity book filled with dozens of electrical safety tips, games and coloring activities to remind them how to keep themselves and their loved ones safe around electricity.
Young readers who complete their reading goal will be honored during select home games in April with a pre-game parade to celebrate their reading achievements. The dates of the upcoming games include:
April 9 for Summit County students
April 13 for students in Tuscarawas and Wayne counties
April 22 for Stark County students
April 23 for Portage County students
April 27 for Medina County and homeschool students
Students unable to attend on their county’s designated date are welcome to choose any April game to celebrate their accomplishment. Family members can also purchase discounted tickets.
For more information or to participate, please contact the RubberDucks at reading@akronrubberducks.com.
Media Contact: Hannah Catlett 440-554-5346