CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State Athletic Department has launched a new program, Reading with the Hillcats, to stay connected and engaged with elementary school students.
 
In pre-recorded videos Hillcat student-athletes and coaches read children's books for elementary aged students that can be played on-demand.
 
The program is designed to assist teachers and parents in continuing to create a fun and engaged learning environment for children, despite the difficulties created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
"With in-school interaction for our student-athletes and local students all but stopped due to the pandemic, the Reading with the Hillcats program provides our student-athletes a chance to continue working with our local youth and continue to build relationships with these students in a safe, socially-distanced manner for all involved," said Sara Braun, the program's organizer and Rogers State's Associate Athletic Director for External Relations.
 
Rogers State Athletics typically completes over 5,000 hours of community service in an academic year, with a considerable amount of that time spent in the classrooms of local elementary schools as Hillcat student-athletes interact and work with Claremore-area students.
 
With the program's digital and on-demand platform, the program creates a new opportunity for RSU student-athletes to make an impact on students in schools and communities outside of Claremore.
 
"Reaching communities and classrooms outside of Claremore is much harder logistically when planning in-person readings as we have done in the past," added Braun. "Now our Hillcat student-athletes could theoretically be reading to students throughout our community, our state and even the world all at the same time."
 
The initial installment of the program features 14 books that have been read by student-athletes and coaches. The videos are free-to-view and can be accessed at any time by visiting: http://www.rsuhillcats.com/reading
 
For the latest information on the Rogers State Athletic Department, as well as all RSU athletic programs, be sure to visit rsuhillcats.com or @RSUhillcats on social media.