Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Creative Minds Publications announced that they have teamed up with the NFL for the 8th annual Tackle Reading event. Tackle Reading events are assembly-style celebrations held during the week of Dr. Seuss’s Birthday, and are designed to inspire children at underserved schools to fall in love with reading. At each of the events a current or alumnus NFL player will read a beloved Dr. Seuss book at a school-wide assembly. As part of the event, students will have the opportunity to hear motivational messages directly from the NFL athletes. Every school will receive a diverse collection of Random House Children’s Books titles for their library, each student will receive their own Dr. Seuss book from Random House Children’s Books, and teachers will receive Cat in the Hat style hats donated by Fun.com. The event will also feature other fun elements such as NFL team mascots, cheerleaders, and more.
This year, NFL legend and Super Bowl XXXIV Champion Torry Holt will join as a spokesperson in support of the program and will participate in the festivities by doing a reading at his childhood elementary school, Gibsonville Elementary, in North Carolina on March 1st. NFL teams participating this year include the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kathryn Starke, Founder of Creative Minds Publications, said, “We’re thrilled to team up again with the NFL and Dr. Seuss Enterprises to inspire a love of reading with children across the country.”
Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said, “It is a true honor to help support the Tackle Reading program and the NFL teams’ efforts to spread the joy of reading in their local communities in honor of Dr. Seuss’s Birthday. We look forward to seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as the players take the stage to read our timeless books.”
Torry Holt, NFL Legend, said, “It’s incredible what Creative Minds Publications and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are doing with this year’s Tackle Reading program, and I’m so honored to take part in this year’s event. Bringing this event back to my hometown and my elementary school is special, and I look forward to sharing what it means to enjoy the journey with the students and staff. There is no doubt that every student who attends will be positively impacted and introduced to all the creative and imaginative places they can go within the pages of a book.”
This year marks the 8th annual Tackle Reading event produced by Creative Minds Publications. Over the past seven years, the organization has partnered with athletes representing all 32 NFL teams and Hall of Fame members including Roger Staubach, Charles Haley, Drew Pearson, Willie Lanier, and Coach Mike Munchak.