Milwaukee Bucks’ Lopez brothers visit MPS schools to promote literacy

Students at Lincoln Avenue School and Boys and Girls Club families had an after-school treat on Tuesday, January 23. They heard stories read by Milwaukee Bucks centers Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez, and the students went home with five free books each. 

Besides interacting with the Lopez twins, the students — from the after-school Community Learning Center at Lincoln Avenue School, 1817 W. Lincoln Ave. — also saw Bucks mascot Bango. The event was a Scholastic Book Fair in partnership with the Bucks and United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. 

Besides the five books, each student received a bookmark, nameplate stickers, and a cinch bag to carry it all.  

This was the second book fair by the Lopez brothers at an MPS school this year. On January 10, Brook and Robin Lopez visited Auer Avenue School, 2319 W. Auer Ave., where they also read to students and each child received five books each.  

The book fairs at MPS are among 17 taking place at elementary schools in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. One more will be held at MPS, in late February at Hopkins Lloyd School, 1503 W. Hopkins St. 

Parents and guardians at Lincoln Avenue School, a member of the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership, attended a family literacy workshop during the book fair. The workshop offered tips to make story time at home a joyful experience for the whole family.  

Parents were reminded that reading with kids at an early age prepares them for academic success. With the Wisconsin Forward Exam right around the corner, parents were encouraged to join teachers to make a comprehension basketball to take home. As important as reading with kids each night is, it is as important to have fun while doing it! 

Teachers shared these reading and comprehension tips with parents: 

• Make reading part of the family's daily routine. Get into the fun of reading and strengthen the bonds by reading together. Schedule a time each week, as you are more likely to build commitment that way. The Lopez Brothers modeled this tip beautifully by reading to our students and families. 

• Encourage literacy in your child’s daily routine by writing thank-you notes and making shopping lists. Bring writing into your everyday life. Lincoln Avenue School engaged families in writing thank-you notes to the Lopez brothers as part of the literacy workshop.  

• Ask children questions about the story as you are reading. Our parents created their own “question beach basketball.” Parents wrote questions on it using permanent markers and took turns throwing the ball in the air and catching it. Wherever the thumb lands is the question they answer.