Story by Jennie Trejo. Photos provided by United for Dallas.
Two beloved summer pastimes—catching a football and diving into a great book—came together at the recent United for Dallas football camps. Hosted by Champions for Literacy in collaboration with SMU quarterback and Dallas-native Preston Stone, these camps brought excitement, athleticism, and a passion for reading to Dallas youth.
Champions for Literacy, founded 11 years ago, continues to provide unique opportunities for athletes to make a significant impact on childhood literacy. By using their status to drive resources and inspire kids to become great readers, athletes play a crucial role in meeting local literacy needs. This initiative is particularly significant in areas where over 80 percent of students are below the poverty level and struggling with reading proficiency.
“Childhood literacy requires holistic community support, and we’re thrilled to have partnered with Preston, Behind Every Door, and Mercy Street on these camps,” says Jason Baker, Executive Director of Champions for Literacy, when describing the additional community partners that came together for this two-day camp.
Jason believes that top athletes, like SMU quarterback Preston Stone, can play a big role in inspiring lifelong readers and driving positive change in communities.
Preston is a 2020 Texas High School State Champion and current SMU quarterback. He expressed his excitement about the successful camps.
“Bringing together young athletes from different backgrounds across Dallas and sharing my passion for both football and literacy was an incredible experience,” Preston says. “Seeing these students equipped and inspired was truly rewarding.”
The camps featured participants from Behind Every Door and Mercy Street programs on July 9, followed by a public camp on July 10, open to boys and girls ages 11-18. With a camper-to-player ratio of ten to one, over 140 kids received high-level attention and resources typically reserved for private school settings.
“We had kids so locked in and so excited to be there that we didn’t have to tell kids to get back in line or stop horsing around, which speaks to how much the experience meant to them,” Jason explains. “They were focused and were getting the best of the best. We had a lot of parents who wanted to stick out and watch.”
Darrion Lewis, President & CEO of Behind Every Door, highlighted the significance of these camps.
“These camps are a great example of how organizations can work together to build pathways of hope in our community, and leveraging our new Cedar Crest Community Center in this way was fantastic,” Darrion says. “We are grateful for the support of Champions for Literacy as reading is a significant focus of our programming. Studies strongly correlate literacy with cascading effects on the life trajectory of a child, and we’re excited about the lifelong impact these camps have had on the kids in our community.”
Carlton Oby, President & CEO of Mercy Street, echoed these sentiments.
“At Mercy Street, we are working to create a multicultural, multiethnic, multigenerational movement of people that work together to improve our city, and we’re excited about how this camp helped bring that vision to life,” Carlton explains. “Athletes from different backgrounds came together around a common love of football while bringing awareness to the importance of literacy.”
Champions for Literacy continues to expand its impact with plans to launch a program in Dallas similar to its successful initiative in Memphis. This program, Impact Players, focuses on leadership development for middle and high school athletes, helping them fundraise and support local reading needs. By engaging athletes in the cause of literacy, Champions for Literacy aims to foster a generation of community leaders who are passionate about reading and education.
To learn more about Champions for Literacy and their mission to inspire lifelong readers, visit championsforlit.org.
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