Illinois Wesleyan student-athletes have been stepping beyond the competition and getting involved in the local community this spring semester through the Tiny Titans volunteer program established by juniors Sophie Lampert from women’s soccer and Mason Funk from men’s basketball. Women’s soccer, men’s soccer and men’s basketball visited several different elementary schools and had the opportunity to help out in the classroom by reading to kids, solving math problems and even playing tag in the schoolyard.
Lampert created the program because she wanted to create more opportunities for athletes to get involved with the youth in the community. Speaking from personal experience, Lampert knows the struggles of the busy student-athlete life. “It’s easy to get caught up with school, athletics and personal life that you forget a world exists around you,” Lampert said, “Getting to visit the schools and be around the kids honestly was the best part of my day. It brought me back to earth.”
Despite busy schedules filled with practices, games and classwork, athletes have continued to prioritize time for these visits. Tiny Titan volunteering athletes attest to experiencing the benefits of service work. They were especially excited over the Hudson Elementary Family Night, where after helping kids to write by making up fictitious stories, reading beloved children’s books and getting temporary tattoos, Hudson students lined up to receive autographs from the Titan athletes. Tiny Titans gives athletes the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these elementary students. It wasn’t that long ago that the Titan athletes were the ones in the elementary classrooms, and connecting with a college athlete would have made all the difference.
Q&A sessions are a common occurrence at these visits. Titan athletes get interviewed about their life in college athletics, daily life as a student and all the questions in between, from their favorite moments in competition to their favorite color. What was especially insightful to the athletes was to speak with the teachers, who actively follow along with the seasons of Titan sports and even attend games. At Tri-Valley Elementary, a teacher knew the record of women’s soccer. This highlights the investment the Bloomington-Normal community has in Wesleyan, specifically its athletic programs. Which is why there is such am emphasis on the importance of athletics investing back into the community. Representing Illinois Wesleyan in the community is a foundational component of the Illinois Wesleyan way. What better way to “Do Well, Do Good” than to actively make a difference in the lives of so many young students?
Tiny Titans will continue to serve the community in the upcoming semester. Lampert hopes to expand the program to include more athletic teams, broadening the positive impact of Titan athletics on the community.
