October 26, 2006
Intercollegiate Athletics
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SYCAMORES AWARD CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS IN WABASH VALLEY

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State men’s and women’s basketball programs participated in a creative writing program in conjunction with the Vigo County School Corporation that brought head coaches Royce Waltman and Jim Wiedie, as well as their athletes, to local classrooms as part of a literacy campaign held at last month’s Terre Haute Street Fair.

Local elementary and middle school students had the opportunity to draft a short essay at the Street Fair discussing why they thought the Indiana State basketball team should visit their classroom. Of all the entrants at the fair, three winners were selected by a panel of students at Indiana State University.

Over the past week, the Sycamores created a buzz at Woodrow Wilson Middle as well as Meadows and Sugar Grove Elementary Schools as they appeared in three local classrooms to acknowledge the trio of winners.

In addition to the classroom visits, the three winners along with all of their classmates, will receive tickets to an upcoming Sycamore basketball game as well as an autographed team poster. Each of the winners will also be honored on the floor prior to the game in which their class is invited to attend.

The presentations started last week when Waltman, along with Jay Tunnell and Trent Wurtz visited Woodrow Wilson to honor sixth grader, Joy Jakaitis.

Waltman, along with Wurtz and Gabe Moore paid a visit to Meadows Elementary to inform fifth grader, Kiana Wastradowski that she was a winner as well.

The third winner, Addison Smodilla, who attends kindergarten at Sugar Grove Elementary, was visited by coach Wiedie and Leah Phillips.

In each class, the players as well as coaches spoke to the students about the importance of being able to read and write well, and how important a role that getting a quality education played in them receiving basketball scholarships at Indiana State. The children had, and took advantage of, the opportunity to ask the players and coaches questions about their own childhood and what is what like to play basketball in college.

Indiana State athletics believes in putting the student first in student-athlete. Five different teams have had the highest grade point average in the nation for their sport in the last three years. The Sycamores took home each of the first two Missouri Valley Conference Academic Awards, which is awarded annually to the conference school with the highest cumulative grade point average for all athletes.