Pre-K Pow Wow Reading Program Enables Hometown Heroes to Have Impact on Johnson Elementary's Youngest Students
By Julie Perine on October 11, 2019 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Senior members of the Bridgeport High School football team have stepped out of the Friday night lights into the preschool classroom of Johnson Elementary School.
Each Thursday, a member of the Tribe visits the classrooms of Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Henderson to read to the young students.
But it’s about much more than reading, said Assistant Principal Heather Horne Holbert.
“This really shows the other side of these boys’ character – that they know life is more important than just a game,” Holbert said. “They tell the kids it’s important to listen to their teachers, so it’s helping with behavior, too.”
The students’ hometown heroes are becoming role models – and their friends.
“The football players know these little ones by name – and the little ones know them by name. It’s just energizing for them. They were excited to see them in the parade and want to go to the games. 
They are excited that they know them.”
They are excited that they know them.”
It started when Mrs. Henderson asked her son, Brian Henderson – who wears Jersey No. 11 for the Tribe – to be a guest reader in her class.
“It just snowballed and now a different player comes every Thursday,” Holbert said.
The weekly event has become known as the “Pre-K Pow Wow.”
“Pow wow means different tribes coming together to celebrate,” Holbert said. “They are the Indians and we are the Little Chiefs.”
The athletes make their reading sessions fun and interesting, choosing titles that entertain. It’s become a theme for the players to choose books that reflect their own names.
No. 36 Carson Winkie read “Winkie's World” and No. 40 Trey Pancake read “If You Give a Pig a Pancake.”
J.R. Coburn, who wears No. 55 for the Indians, has also served as a guest reader.
Holbert hopes other BHS teams and organizations will get on board with the weekly reading program.
“Some of these seniors don’t have class in the afternoon and they just volunteer their time to come over to JES,” she said.
It’s really touching to see the relationships form, Holbert said.
“You know, some people complain about the three schools (BHS, Bridgeport Middle and JES) being so close together and creating traffic situations,” she said. “But it’s the close proximity of our schools that enables us to do programs like this.”
Editor's Note: Photos are courtesy of Heather Horne Holbert. See more images in the gallery below.
