As the snow was falling outside things were heating up in the Knapp Center. Indiana State University (alma mater of the great Larry Bird) was facing Des Moines’ home team, the Drake Bulldogs. The visitors had a record of 13-2 coming into the night and the home team a record of 12-3. It was a clash of the Missouri Valley Conference’s two teams.
But while the men’s basketball teams were putting the points on the scoreboard, it was the Bulldogs women’s basketball team being celebrated at halftime. And although the women’s team is currently undefeated in conference play, this night they were being honored for their work with Des Moines Public Schools students.
The basketball team created a program – Books with Bulldogs – which works with 13 classrooms in five DMPS elementary schools: Edmunds, Greenwood, HIllis, Hubbell and McKinley.
“A lot of our students actually live in the Drake neighborhood, so they’re familiar with Drake, they see the Bulldogs, they know what that is, and it’s really fun for them,” said Edmunds 2nd grade teacher Kaylee Linder. “It’s really awesome to have strong leaders who are in our community and their community that they get to see every week.”
Since the start of the school year and into the basketball season, every member of the team has been visiting the schools to read with students. And right before winter break, each student received a gift from a team: a new book.
Anna Miller is a junior forward for Drake and a regular visitor to classrooms: “It’s really fun for us because we get to hang out with the kids and give back to the community. It’s also really sweet to see these kids really engage with the books that we’re reading. And they really, really do love it and we love it just as much as they do.”
At half time of Wednesday night’s game, players and coaches along with principals and teacher lined the length of the court to the applause and cheers of an appreciative crowd. But there was a surprise in store before the game resume. Each of the five elementary schools was presented with a donation of $2,500 from the Drake women’s basketball team.
“This is latest in a long list of wonderful partnerships between DMPS and Drake in our work as educators in Iowa’s capital city,” said Dr. Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. “The Bulldogs are proving themselves to be leaders and role models both on the basketball court as well as in our classrooms.”
For more than a century, Drake and DMPS have partnered in ways big and small. Books with Bulldogs is one more addition to that rich legacy.
And now, back to the game: after a close game for most of the night, the Drake men’s basketball team pulled away from Indiana State to win 89-78 and capture a share of the Missouri Valley Conference lead. A winning night all around!
