Former hoops star promotes reading in Valley Stream

Former New York Knicks basketball star John Starks visited the Henry Waldinger Library last week not to show off his hoop skills, but rather to talk about the importance of reading.

Starks and state Sen. Dean Skelos read to a group of more than 100 children through the Knicks Read to Achieve Program sponsored by Cablevision on Aug. 22. They read the first two chapters of the popular children’s book “Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet” by Graham Salisbury.

Starks, who played in the NBA for 14 seasons and spent 1990-98 with the Knicks, has spent the past six years visiting children across the region to promote reading. “The kids love this program,” he said. “It really gets them motivated.”

He said it is important to promote reading over the summer, when children are on break from school. “Reading is so vital to a kid’s growth,” Starks said, noting that his favorite book is the Bible.

After Starks, Skelos and a handful of children read aloud, the kids were quizzed on their comprehension skills. The kids were asked a variety of questions on the details of the book and had to input their answer electronically.

Evelyn Cruise, Cablevision’s director of education, said children can lose between one-half and three-quarters of a reading level if they don’t read over the summer. The goal of the Knicks Read to Achieve program is to fight that reading loss, she explained.

Cruise said she hopes that having someone like Starks promote reading demonstrates just how important it is. “It shows that adults care about reading, people you might not associate with reading,” she said.

Shamari Griffith, 11, a student at Clear Stream Avenue School, said he enjoyed meeting Starks at the library. “He played for the New York Knicks,” Shamari said. “Not my favorite team, but I like that team. It was a cool experience.”

A participant in the Valley Stream Basketball League, Shamari said he enjoyed getting Starks’ autograph and plans to show it off to his friends.

Every child received a T-shirt and each family got a copy of “Calvin Coconut” to take home. Cruise encouraged kids to read the rest of the book from where Starks and Skelos left off.

Thierry Jean, 10, who attends Brooklyn Avenue School, had his copy of the book signed by Starks. The Knicks fan said he plans to read the rest of it at home.

Triplets Danny, Andrew and Matt Smith, 12, who attend Holy Name of Mary School, had a basketball signed by Starks. The boys said it was an extra basketball so they can keep it in their room as a keepsake. “It’s cool because he was really good at basketball,” Danny said.

Eng said that she has been trying to bring the program to the library for several years, and this year the Knicks Read to Achieve officials chose Valley Stream. She explained that the program was a reward for children who completed the summer reading club requirements.

But she said the kids weren’t the only ones excited by John Starks’ visit. “I think the parents were just as excited,” she said, “because they knew who he is.”