Photo courtesy of Metro Creative Connection.
SMU quarterback Preston Stone is teaming up with Champions for Literacy, a national non-profit leveraging the power of sports to impact childhood literacy, to host two free football camps for Dallas youth.
The camps will be held on July 9 and 10 at the Cedar Crest Community Center in South Oak Cliff. In partnership with local non-profits Behind Every Door and Mercy Street, the United For Dallas camps will create unique leadership opportunities for middle and high school athletes across Dallas to inspire reading in their communities.
“We’re spearheading a movement of empowering top athletes to inspire lifelong readers and drive positive change in communities across the country,” said Jason Baker, Executive Director of Champions for Literacy. “Childhood literacy requires holistic community support, and we’re thrilled to partner with Preston, Behind Every Door and Mercy Street on these upcoming camps.”
The July 9 camp will feature a small group of Behind Every Door and Mercy Street program participants and public registration for the camp on July 10 is open to boys and girls ages 11-18. The camp will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the newly renovated Behind Every Door Cedar Crest Community Center.
“I am excited to bring together young athletes of all different backgrounds from across Dallas and share my passion for both football and literacy to help equip and inspire these students,” Stone said.
As part of the partnership, Champions for Literacy will make a grant to support current and future literacy programs for elementary school students at Behind Every Door and Mercy Street.
“These camps are a great example of how organizations can work together to build pathways of hope in our community, and we’re thrilled our new Cedar Crest Community Center can be leveraged in this way,” said Darrion Lewis, President & CEO of Behind Every Door. “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 will have on the kids in our community.”
