Redskins Players Morgan and Wilson Promote the Importance of Literacy

LANDOVER, Md. - The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Prince George’s County Executive’s Office, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) and NRG Energy, Inc. launched the “Redskins Read Book Challenge” at a kickoff event – Tuesday at FedExField.

The star studded guest list included Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker III, NRG Solutions President Tom Gros, Prince George’s State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County Sheriff Melvin C. High, Prince George’s County Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor, Board of Education Members Amber Waller, Carolyn Boston and Henry Armwood, and PGCPS Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alvin Crawley, as well as Redskins Josh Wilson and Joshua Morgan.

There was a little over 200 children in attendance from Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), and the students were thrilled to venture around six different “reading stations” throughout the stadium including: the press box, Washington Redskins Cheerleader Dance Studio, and the Redskins lockeroom.

“You guys are cool because you have special passes to view the Redskins stadium,” Redskins conerback Josh Wilson jokingly expressed to the students.

Wilson is a PG County native, DeMatha Catholic High School product, and a former food-distributor at FedEx Field. “10 – 15 years ago, I was unaware of these types of reading events,” Wilson said. But being a product of Prince Georges County, Wilson was able to relate – “This is important to me because this is where I grew up. It brings back memories because this used to be me.”

“The importance of literacy is life – you can’t go through life if you can’t read,” Wilson said. “Being literate is essential just to be a success in life.”

Wilson joked about how his mother made him read books as a child. “I had a huge Goosebump collection,” Wilson said with a grin on his face.

Josh Wilson was accompanied by his pregnant wife Jazmin and his mother that enforced literacy, Valanda Wilson. Together, they read Donavan’s Word Jar by Monalisa DeGross; discussing the interesting words that Donavan collects.

Inquisitive students could have been the story line of the day. One of the children asked Wilson if he collected words growing up – “I collected baseball cards,” Wilson promptly responded.

The question that lit up the entire lockeroom came when one student asked which locker was the Redskins star Quartback’s, Robert Griffin III. Wilson pointed to the offense’s side of the lockeroom – showing the students which locker Griffin III uses – essentially putting the children in heaven. They could not believe that they were in the vicinity of Robert Griffin III’s locker.

Redskins receiver Joshua Morgan was paired with NRG Solutions President Thomas Gros to read and chat with children in front of the NRG ‘Solar Sammy’ outside of FedEx Field. Morgan and Gros did a great job interacting with the students – attempting to make reading fun.

Thomas Gros read The Busy Body Book: A Kid’s Guide to Fitness by Lizzy Rockwell. This book teaches children that their body is built to move.

Gros and Joshua Morgan posed a simple question to the students gathered, which prompted a plethora of responses – “What do you like to do to stay busy?” The students answers varied: football, ice skating, basketball, and running. But the funniest response came from one boy that bluntly said, “I don’t like to stay busy.” Of course, the student’s parents probably enjoy not having a “busy child,” but Joshua Morgan reiterated the importance of finding an activity that consists of movement.

Morgan fielded a few questions from both the media and students. One child decided to ditch his chance of asking Joshua Morgan a question, only to follow through on a promise he made to his school cafeteria lady. “My cafeteria lady told me to tell you that she loves the Redskins,” the student triumphantly expressed. Morgan couldn’t help but laugh and told the kid to inform his cafeteria that he said, thank you.

Joshua Morgan grew up in Washington, D.C and attended H.P Woodson High School. The receiver wasn’t much of a book reader growing up, but he said it was mostly due to being a “church kid.” When asked what his favorite book was, Morgan responded by saying the “bible.”

Morgan believes that it’s important to find a way to excite kids about learning. “I make it my business to give back to the community.”