For some students, reading is a chance to learn about the amazing world around them or escape to a far away fantasyland. But for some second graders in Madison, reading is a chance to create lasting positive memories with Badgers football players.
Student athletes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have visited second grade classrooms in the Madison school district every Monday since September 2024 as part of the Role Model Reading Program, a partnership between the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and the 2nd & 7 foundation created by Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell.
The Role Model Reading Program is just one aspect of MMSD’s Mad About Reading initiative, which is trying to build off the momentum of a 9% increase in literacy rate since last year.
Visits typically happen in the morning and rotate between classrooms each week, according to Adam Clausen, MMSD director of engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion. There, student athletes meet with the second graders, read books to them and teach them the value of learning.
“For Coach Fickell to support and align with that, give students a book and to be able to have these incredible role models come out to spend time and invest in our earliest learners to see that reading is not just essential, but it can be fun,” Clausen told The Daily Cardinal.
Fickell is no rookie when it comes to getting students excited about reading. He created the 2nd & 7 foundation in 1999 along with former college teammates Ryan Miller and New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel. The three Ohio State Buckeyes wanted to give back to their community and provided free books to every second grader in seven different elementary schools, giving the foundation its name. Since then, 2nd & 7 has donated more than 800,000 books to schools across the country.
“For some of [the second graders], it’s their first time learning about the Wisconsin Badgers, it's their first exposure to what a university is, what college is. I [thought] it would fit great, because we as a district have a priority for early literacy, and have invested heavily in those efforts,” Clausen said.
Fickell’s community engagement has inspired his own players to give back.
“[Coach] and Mrs. Fickell, they're great people. They teach us to be grown young men and be good adults and always give back to the community,” junior kicker Nathanial Vakos told the Cardinal. “Being able to give back to schools and hospitals and other associations is really good.”
Vakos has participated in the Role Model Reading Program several times. He said his main goal was to make sure the students had a positive and fun experience, from “popcorn” reading to playing “freeze tag” at recess.
“I think it's good for them to see older guys that they might look up to, that we don't even know them very well, but that might be a day that stood out in their week,” Vakos said, adding that he hopes the second graders remember having fun with him, reading, socializing and playing on the playground.
Badger defensive lineman Will McDonald reading to students in a second grade classroom. Courtesy of UW Athletics
Clausen said the program has also been well received by teachers.
“It's been fun for our teachers — many of whom are alumni — to get to sport their Badger gear, alumni gear and have Bucky Badger coloring pages,” he said.
Teachers select from a wide variety of books donated from UW Athletics for the football players to read. At the end of each book is an activity, which students and football players do together, according to Clausen.
The program has already gone to six of MMSD’s community schools, which are schools with higher concentrations of low-income students that provide holistic services to the entire community, according to Clausen. The program has been so successful that there are already plans to expand it across the district.
“I think there’s a desire to explore what the future could look like,” Clausen said. “What's been a joy for both sides is we're doing it together.”
