Oct. 14, 2008

St. Louis, Mo. -

Student-athletes from the University of Northern Iowa athletics program will be visiting Southdale Elementary School in Cedar Falls on Friday, October 17, as part of the Missouri Valley Conference's community outreach program, "Just Read!"

UNI student-athletes will be reading to elementary students at Southdale Elementary School (627 Orchard Drive) from 1 to 3 p.m.

In November of 1998, the Missouri Valley Conference began a community outreach program called "Just Read!"  The program, which is co-sponsored by State Farm Insurance, had Missouri Valley Conference student-athletes visiting local elementary schools, reading books and relating the importance that reading has made to their lives.  The program is very successful, and video segments from each Missouri Valley Conference visit are aired during the league's basketball television package.

Each Valley institution schedules "Just Read!" visits to elementary schools in their communities periodically throughout the academic year. 

For more information regarding UNI's visit to Southdale Elementary School, contact the University of Northern Iowa’s Jennifer Sell at 319/273-3327. For more information regarding the “Just Read!” program, contact Jack R. Watkins — 314/421-0339, ext. 327 — or Mary Mulvenna — 314/421-0339, ext. 318 — of the Missouri Valley Conference staff.