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Jim Meyer

WSU volleyball players Carrie Gerth, above, and Sarah Ramey, bottom left, read to students at Cleaveland Traditional Magnet School as part of the Missouri Valley Conference’s Just Read! program in which student-athletes visit area schools to promote reading.

Wichita State student-athletes have been visiting area elementary schools, promoting the importance of reading through a program started a year ago.

Volleyball players Sarah Larson, Carrie Gerth and Sarah Ramey were the latest athletes to visit a Wichita-area school. They visited two first-grade and one second-grade classroom at Cleaveland Traditional Magnet School Nov. 9.

Last month, four athletes from various sports read to students at Gammon Elementary.

In November 1998, the Missouri Valley Conference began a community outreach program, co-sponsored by State Farm Insurance, called Just Read! The program promotes the importance of reading at an early age, using student-athletes as positive role models.

Student-athletes read books suggested by a teacher or principal and talk about how important reading is to their lives.

The athletes will continue their visits to the classrooms in January, February, March and April.