NBA basketball player Stephen Curry is accustomed to starting on the court, but this summer, he started a book club.

Stephen Curry is an avid reader and has a deep passion for promoting literacy in communities around the world. He seeks to identify and spotlight authors with incredible talent, but few opportunities. Therefore he started the Underrated Book Club to focus on stories of people who have broken barriers. Therefore the reading levels of students have gone down, so Stephen Curry feels like this is a way to get young students interested in reading.

Principal Tim Reardon stated, “Not all NBA players are good role models, but Stephen Curry is. In fact, he might be the best. He’s a great team player and a family man, and I think he could have a tremendous influence on kids.”

Reardon, a published author, said, “If he picks some good books to start this project, it could really gain momentum, and the more kids who are reading the better as far as I’m concerned.”

According to EdSource, reading comprehension scores in California and across the country are down.

“Joining 30 states whose 8th-grade reading scores also fell, California’s decline of 3 points, the same as the nation, about matched its point gain in 2017. In 4th-grade reading, the national score fell 2 points, which was considered significant, while California’s 1 point rise was not,” EdSource reported.

In addition, Reardon stated, “I think all students should take reading seriously. The problem with most kids today is that they grew up in an era during which smart phones were prevalent, so their attention spans have eroded. The best thing about reading is that it requires sustained concentration, which is the only time when people think deeply. I think everyone needs to practice sustained concentration. It’s a lost art.”

Mia Vaihola ‘23 said, “I believe that when I read and have my phone by me, I tend to get distracted and lose interest in what I’m reading.”

Reardon also suggested adding this to the Golden Sage Warriors basketball camps they host every summer in the Bay Area. He believes this would be a great combination for kids to play all day and read at night or after.

School Librarian Danny Appell said he is also on board with the Curry book club.

“I expect the outcome is to further promote literacy by reaching out to reluctant readers with stories about overcoming expectations and barriers,” he said.

Appell believes Stephen Curry is providing a platform of hope and inspiration during these difficult times, and he wants to promote unrecognized authors.

He added, “He is seeking to spotlight an inspiring mix of titles with emphasis on underrated authors and stories.”

This story was originally published on The Crusader on May 3, 2021.