AUBURN, Ala. – Hours after returning from a road trip to Gainesville, Florida, women’s basketball student-athletes read to students at Cary Woods Elementary School Friday morning, part of more than 100 Auburn Tigers participating in World Read Aloud Day.
“It was sweet,” said redshirt junior Kaitlyn Duhon. “It’s nice to see the younger generation, talk to them and get to know them.”
When the students learned that Duhon and sophomore teammate Syriah Daniels played basketball at Auburn, questions ensued.
“Everybody think it’s so cool. I think it’s so cute,” Duhon said. “’Y’all play basketball. Y’all are in college. How is it?’ One of the kids asked if we do PE. I thought it was so adorable.”
Daniels, a graduate of Auburn High School, enjoyed family’s homecoming.
“It reminded me of my little brother because at one point, he was in elementary at Auburn City Schools,” she said. “It’s like a full-circle moment seeing how excited the kids are because we used to be one of them. It was a wholesome moment. They wanted to get to know us outside of basketball.”
Student-athletes from equestrian, football, baseball, women’s basketball, gymnastics and soccer, along with Auburn University cheerleaders and Tiger Paws read to students at Creekside, Dean Road, Yarbrough, Woodland Pines and Cary Woods elementaries on Wednesday, Feb. 4, the global World Read Aloud Day, as well as Friday, Feb. 6.
“We get so excited every year when our local schools ask us to participate in their World Read Aloud Day events,” Auburn Athletics director of community relations/spirit Latisha Durroh said. “We loved seeing the kids and had the best time reading to them, answering their questions and hanging out with them!”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer