VALDOSTA — Storybook time got a little more interesting for the students at S.L. Mason Elementary School when New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell entered the gymnasium.

Kids welcomed Mitchell with excitement and joy during a rally Wednesday morning as he made his way around the gym to personally greet the children, giving high-fives to those nearby.

The rally was held to observe S.L. Mason teacher LaSharon Jackson’s fourth-grade class becoming Read Bowl World Champions in the elementary division. The Read Bowl is a national reading challenge hosted by Mitchell’s organization, Read with Malcolm. 

The Valdosta native brought each student a copy of his children’s book, “The Magician’s Hat.” With the assistance of his mother, Tina Woods, he read it to the audience.

“The Magician asked Ryan to reach into his magical hat. Ryan said, ‘I can’t feel anything,’” Mitchell read. “Sometimes you must really reach and stretch for what you want to be. That’s part of the magic.”

Mitchell wrote “The Magician’s Hat” while in college, and he said its purpose is to encourage children to read.

“It features a magician who shows kids through magic that reading can help them grow up and accomplish all their goals,” he said.

Reading was a struggle for the wide receiver, a testimony he shared with the students. In overcoming this battle, Mitchell said he never gave up.

“When I was in college, I began the reading process, or my journey into reading; I really struggled with it, and it was tough,” he said. “I just started all over and approached it similar to the way I approached football.”

Mitchell said he would practice reading every day just as he practiced football every day. It got easier for him eventually, he said.

Though he said football paid off and ushered him into the National Football League, it was the skill to read that took him further.

“What gives me the opportunity to go beyond that is having the ability to read and read effectively because those skills open me up to all the opportunities that the world has to offer,” he said.

Bringing this message back to Valdosta is important to Mitchell, who said he can understand some of the challenges of the community.

“Coming back home to spread that message is important because I grew up in this environment,” he said. “I understand some of the challenges, but I also believe you can overcome those challenges, and I think a way to do that is incorporating reading in your life.”

To that young person who may be struggling with reading, Mitchell has a word of advice.

“I would tell that kid that I understand. I promise you I do because every challenge, every statistic that’s out there about reluctant readers, I definitely fell into it,” he said, “but to give yourself the best chance to accomplish your goals, you just have to face that challenge and never give up.”

Magician Jeff McClure performed for the elementary students during the rally, getting them actively involved with the magic tricks. 

Amanda Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.