Lyon visits New Paradigm Glazer Academy in Detroit, helps launch 2024 Red Wings for Reading Program

DETROIT -- Helping kick off the 2024 Red Wings for Reading program, Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon shared an afternoon of stories and smiles with students at New Paradigm Glazer Academy in Detroit on Wednesday.

Wearing his No. 34 Red Wings sweater, Lyon helped seventh graders pick out new books during the charter school’s book fair before reading “Dino-Hockey” -- a book by Michigan-based author Lisa Wheeler -- to a group of kindergartners and first graders.

Before and after reading to the kids, Lyon answered several of their questions. Lyon was asked what position he plays in hockey, what a goalie does and why he would want to get hit with pucks all the time when he could be scoring goals.

“I love being around kids,” Lyon told DetroitRedWings.com. “We get stuck in such a rut sometimes, so it’s nice to get a little perspective. Obviously (NHL players) live extremely lucky lives. All of us are super lucky to be in the position we are in, so just to come out and help in any way you can is really important.”

Red Wings for Reading is a free program that supports existing reading curriculum in K-5 classrooms across the state of Michigan by incentivizing students to improve their literacy skills.

As part of the expanded Red Wings for Reading platform, the Detroit Red Wings Foundation has teamed up with United Way for Southeastern Michigan to support their “My Home Library” program at two local elementary schools, the first being New Paradigm Glazer Academy.

Through the program, students at schools in southeast Michigan communities deemed as book deserts - for their lack of adequate access to reading materials - will receive a set of five complimentary books.

“We are excited to expand the Red Wings for Reading platform,” said Kevin Brown, director of community impact for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “By coming into schools and contributing thousands of free books to kids in our community, we hopefully can inspire kids to fall in love with reading as they continue their educational journeys.”

Brown said Wednesday’s special event coincided with the introduction to this year’s Red Wings for Reading Classroom Challenge.

Available to 250 classrooms statewide, more than 3,700 students participated in 2023, generating 2.2 million minutes of reading during National Reading Month.

“(Red Wings for Reading: Classroom Challenge) is an incentive-based approach that provides educators with ways to encourage their students to read during National Reading Month in March,” Brown said. “And hopefully, will continue long beyond that month into the future.”

Lyon said he believes literacy is a foundational life skill, regardless of profession.

“It’s one of those things where reading and being able to digest information will help set you up for pretty much anything you do in life,” Lyon said. “It’s an important skill that unfortunately is hard to convince a young student that it is extremely important. But I think the Red Wings and United Way are doing a great thing here by promoting this and giving (students) free books.”

To learn more about the Red Wings for Reading Program, click here.