In celebration of Read Across America Day, the Los Angeles Rams joined Dr. Seuss and Creative Minds Publications for the ninth annual Tackle Reading event in celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday at Frank D. Parent Elementary School. The event featured special appearances from Rams safety Kamren Kinchens, defensive end Larrell Murchisonand linebacker and 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Versewho read the Dr. Suess books "Oh The Places You'll Go" and "Fox in Sox" to over 150 students and six classrooms.
"A lot of these kids are learning how to read, so for us to come in and show them we can do it and read with them, it's an amazing feeling," said Verse.
The team's mascot Rampage and the Cat in the Hat also visited classrooms throughout the reading sessions and each student received a copy of the Rams children's book Ride with Rampage as well as Rams bookmarks. Rams in-stadium announcer Sam Lagana, Rams Cheerleaders and staff members also participated in the reading sessions.
"It's an amazing partnership between the Rams and our school," said Frank D. Parent Elementary School Principal Sylvia Branch. "The kids light up and it just helps us create more college-bound scholars because they get so excited to read when they see the players and especially Rampage."
Jared Verse, Kamren Kinchen and Larrell Murchison join Dr. Seuss and Creative Minds Publications for the ninth annual Tackle Reading event in celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday at Frank D. Parent Elementary School.
Tackle Reading is a league-wide celebration held during the week of Dr. Seuss's Birthday, designed to inspire children at underserved schools to fall in love with reading. At each of the events throughout the country, a current or alumnus NFL player reads a beloved Dr. Seuss book and students have the opportunity to hear motivational messages directly from the athletes. Pro Football Hall of Famer and Rams Legend Isaac Bruce joined as a spokesperson in support of the program and participated in the festivities by doing a reading at a school in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, FL. As part of the event, every school received a diverse collection of Random House Children’s Books for their library and each student received their own Dr. Seuss book from Random House Children's Books.
"Giving back during the offseason and just coming here, interacting with the kids, hopefully [we're] making their day because it definitely makes mine," said Kinchens.
In addition to celebrating Read Across America Day, the Rams will continue to celebrate National Reading Month throughout March by hosting Rams Readers assemblies and reading Ride with Rampage to students throughout various school districts.
The Rams kicked off the Rams Readers literacy program and released Ride with Rampage in 2022 and since launching the program, have visited more than 90 schools and distributed over 17,000 copies of Ride with Rampage to first through third grade students in Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Copies of Ride with Rampage can be purchased at www.ramsfanshop.com, Amazon, and in select Barnes & Noble locations across Los Angeles. All proceeds from retail purchases will benefit the Los Angeles Rams Foundation.
To learn more about the Rams' community efforts, please visit www.therams.com/community.
