This Icy Experience Makes Reading More Meaningful

In this episode of RewirED, the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities explores how community partnerships can extend literacy beyond the classroom. Featuring a conversation with John Jones of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the episode highlights how initiatives like Dyslexia Awareness Night and the Stick to Reading program create meaningful, engaging opportunities for students and families.

Together, they discuss how connecting reading to real-world experiences—through sports, community events, and shared celebration—can motivate students, build confidence, and reinforce the message that all learners belong. The episode underscores the importance of collaboration across schools, families, and community organizations in creating inclusive environments where students can see themselves as capable, confident readers.

This conversation offers practical insight for educators, families, and community leaders working to make literacy more accessible, engaging, and connected to students’ lives. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Welcome to ODRD Rewired, a podcast from the Connecticut State Department of Education's Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities, where we connect research, policy, and practice to support equitable literacy outcomes for all students. Across Connecticut and beyond, improving literacy outcomes requires collaboration. Not only within schools, but across communities. Partnerships with organizations like the Springfield Thunderbirds help extend literacy beyond the classroom and into spaces where students and families feel connected, engaged, and inspired. Today we're joined by John Jones, manager of ticket sales and service with the Springfield Thunderbirds. John is helping to support the Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative Night at the Rink, an event that brings together families, educators, and community partners to raise awareness, celebrate strengths, and promote the importance of early identification and support. We're excited to talk with John about his this partnership and how events like this can make a meaningful impact for students and families. John, thank you so much for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah. So to begin, can you start by telling us a little bit about your role with the Springfield Thunderbirds and how your work connects with community engagement?

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Yeah, definitely. So yes, my name is John Jones. I'm the uh the ticket sales manager for the uh the Springfield Thunderbirds. Um and so my role here is to oversee the overall ticket ticket sales department, and which is broken into three components, um, which is FSCs, which is like our memberships, um, groups. So working with the uh you know different groups in the community um and you know, bringing them in-house and then individuals, along with uh overseeing our sales reps to uh you know make sure we hit our uh our common goal. Um in terms of community engagement, yeah, it's um pretty cool uh because we get to work with so many groups and you know being able to highlight and um you know showcase them uh you know in terms of like the different things that we have going on in games. So like, you know, for for instance, uh, you know, we work with a lot of youth, a lot of local youth sports organizations in which, you know, um during the intermissions, you know, we'll have uh, you know, a cheer, a cheer team, you know, performing their uh routine before like a competition. Um and then the football team will be throwing out shirts, you know, to uh from the ice into the crowd, uh, you know, uh a little bit prior to that. So, you know, just different things uh going on. And then, you know, uh one of the coolest uh spectacles we have as well is our Pink in the Rink night, in which we uh we partner with Rays of Hope, um, you know, die the ice pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. And um, you know, what's really cool is we uh we do uh we highlight all of the uh the women who have survived this uh you know breast cancer, that disease, um, in which we have over a hundred plus women on the uh on the ice in a nice survivor circle with the players involved. So it's always just a really cool spectacle in which you know um the players are we dye the ice pink, the players wear pink jerseys, we auction them off and we donate all of those proceeds to uh Raise of Hope, you know, just to better the uh the research for breast cancer awareness. And then, you know, another cool thing that we do is working with the uh the Girl Scouts each year. Uh we put together an annual Girl Scout night, um, in which, you know, we work with all of pretty much you know all of the uh this the uh troops in Western Mass, you know, bring them in-house. We have activities for them to do prior to the game for about two hours. Um, like three our game starts at six or like three to five. Um, and then we do a nice uh you know scout parade during one of the intermissions just to highlight them. So, you know, different things for different games, which is always really cool, especially like our military appreciation night, um, you know, providing all of our you know active duty and and veterans, you know, complimentary tickets. And you know, what one of the cool things we do on that night is we do an enlistment on ice, so some of the uh the new cadets, you know, swearing them in um on ice, which is really cool. The crowd always loves it, gets hyped. Um, and then even uh, you know, a different game, we have our hometown heroes night in which uh, you know, we work uh we provide complimentary tickets for all of our first responders, so you know, police fire, um uh EMT, whatever the case may be. Um, and you know, and then during one of the intermissions, we actually do a cool uh vehicle uh parade in which we you know showcase uh some of the local um departments that have come out to so you know to come out to the game in which we support. And then typically we do something as well, in which we donate some proceeds to uh to like um local military uh veteran associations, um, and uh whatever like the initiative that some of these uh first responders might be you know raising funds for as well. So, you know, a lot of different things, a lot of different groups that we work with within the community and just looking looking forward to giving back. And you know, it's yeah, it's always cool to you know to see the different things we do because every game is different and uh you know what we're trying to, you know, what we're trying to accomplish.

SPEAKER_01 5:05

Thanks, John. That's really helpful. Uh, and it's clear how connected your work uh is with the community. I've I've heard a lot about these events, uh, and they they all sound so amazing. Um, and so building on that, the Thunderbirds are partnering with uh the Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative and hosting a dyslexia awareness night at their rink. So I'm just wondering, what made this initiative important for your organization to be part of?

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Yeah, I mean, honestly, it just gives us another opportunity to uh you know highlight and bring awareness um, you know, to the folks that deal with dyslexia on a on a daily basis. Um, you know, we do our best uh to support whatever, you know, multiple initiatives and just you know look forward to building on them each year. Um, like I, you know, all the different um, all the different examples I provided earlier. But yeah, this is just like I said, you know, another chance for us to really kind of dive in, um, you know, and just provide an opportunity to not only attend a game, but just to have some fun and realize that they're not alone um, you know, in dealing with this. So that's you know what's what's awesome, you know, and just looking forward to, you know, just boosting the awareness.

SPEAKER_01 6:11

And we're sure thankful that you um, you know, collaborated with us for this opportunity. Uh, and it's great to hear how intentional this partnership has become. Um, and thinking more broadly about that connection. This event brings together hockey, literacy, and community awareness. From your perspective, what role can organizations like the Thunderbirds play in supporting efforts like this?

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Yeah, so um, you know, like the role for the Thunderbirds is, you know, definitely helping, like I mentioned, you know, boosting uh awareness and uh, you know, hopefully showing, you know, young students that they can strive for anything they put their mind to. Um, and you know, and maybe one of these days, you know, we have uh a player that deals with dyslexia that they can relate to, and which, you know, that's someone that they can potentially look up to and be a you know role model and say, like, hey, if he can do it, why can't I? You know, so just trying to uh, you know, just boost the awareness and and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

Thanks. And that really speaks to the power of using spaces like this in new ways, um, which it sounds like the Thunderbirds are very used to. Um, and one piece that of the event that really stands out is the student experience. Um, one of the highlights of this event is the stick to reading program, where students can earn a free ticket and even be on the ice during the opening ceremony. And so, what makes uh that experience so powerful for kids based on based on your uh work with the reading um stick to reading program in the past?

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Yeah, so stick to reading is is powerful in my opinion, just because you know it it it helps kids read more. Um, and you know, especially in this day and age, that's just something that's not as common, you know, everything is is electronic or you know has some sort of stimulation to it. So um, you know, just you know, providing a book and just having a child sit down and just you know, just to better themselves, you know, is really you know powerful because like I say, you know, growing up, uh for me personally, you know, I we did a lot of reading, but you know, that was you know within school and we'd be tested after. And I mean, yes, we would definitely read for fun as well, but I mean, you just don't see that um as often these days. And so, you know, ultimately it does it does help schools with curriculum as well, because I know that's one thing that's you know very important. Um, so it's like giving kids, you know, incentives to read more and maybe even you know, hopefully opening their eyes that hey, reading is actually pretty cool, and which you know, there's an incentive behind it, in which, you know, if I all I have to do is really read, and then I get to go out to a game and potentially do some of our uh you know in-game experiences. So definitely powerful, you know, in my mind, just because provides that opportunity that not a lot of folks have, um, and just you know helps uh increase, you know, the amount of the amount uh that students are currently reading.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

Yeah, you're so right uh in that sense. And and I know that we've emphasized that uh it doesn't necessarily have to be physically reading a book. You could be listening to an audiobook, you can be having a relative read to you. It all counts as part of the stick to reading program. Um, and and I think that's also fosters that community engagement and and parents supporting you know their youngsters in in reading. So um hoping that we uh that we're having success with the stick to reading program and and can't wait to see the kids on the ice, that's for sure. Um, and I think what you what you mentioned really is a meaningful opportunity for students. And so along those same lines, how do you think connecting reading to something exciting like a live hockey game can help motivate students? I know we touched upon this a little bit, um, but especially those who are struggling with reading. Um, and and you even mentioned like there could be a player on the team that has dyslexia. So just wondering if you could speak a little bit more to that.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Yeah, so like I mentioned, you know, um it uh it gives kids just something to look forward to, just to simply just you know pick up a book and read it through a you know a particular time frame. Um, so yeah, like I mentioned earlier, you know, I never had really opportunities like this. So, you know, it was always you know being tested after and and not you know looking forward to a game that I get to go out to with my friends and actually you know be a part of that game in some sort, you know. So I think it's just cool, it's a cool way just uh, you know, for kids to read at their convenience, um, you know, you know, whether it be at school, be at home, whatever the you know the case may be. Um and yeah, just something to look forward to at the end of that. So I think that's you know, um an awesome opportunity. Um, because like I said, you know, not a lot of people are provided with that opportunity. So it's just you know something cool that we like to do and just give back to the community. Um and yeah, just like I said, you know, help boost uh curriculums because I know that's you know at the top for majority of schools. So, you know, if I we're just trying to see like how we can help um, you know, increase that.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Thanks. And so thinking about the event as a whole, um, for families and educators who are planning to attend, uh, what can they expect from the overall experience that night?

SPEAKER_00 11:02

Yeah, I would expect uh, you know, definitely a family-friendly um atmosphere with multiple unique things going on. So with like I say, it's really cool we because you know, within the intermissions, we have a lot of lot, a lot going on in regards to maybe there's going to be a dance studio performing a routine for a particular competition, um, whatever group it is, throwing shirts, you know, different groups singing the anthems, um, groups out on the ice holding the our flag, and then we have a big T-Birds flag. So a lot of different things, um, which is always you know great. Just uh you know, every every game is different. So um, you know, and it what's really cool is it just you know it can relate to a lot of folks who aren't not even fans of hockey. It's just you know, just in a nice, uh, a nice option, an opportunity to get out of the house um for some entertainment at a nice affordable rate, which is you know kind of hard to find these days. So um, yeah, I would just definitely expect that, you know, fun night just to kind of kick back, relax, and uh see the the uh organized chaos we have going on on the ice. Um, you know, but uh yeah, it's always you know, it's always a fun time.