Eastern Illinois student-athletes are giving back to their community in several different ways.  Through the athletic departments Extend-A-Paw program, members of the EIU football and women's basketball team recently visited local schools to visit with students and participate in a a reading program.

On Oct. 15 members of the EIU football team visited Charleston Middle School and spent time reading and speaking with students.  The athletes involved were Matt Westrick, Nick Kray, Alicus Nozinor and Quinten Ponius.

On Sept. 21 members of the EIU women's basketball team visited Carl Sandburg elementary and discussed what it was like being a student-athlete with six different 3rd grade classes.  The team members visit conincided with a book read by local students called Ally's Basketball Dream.  The story is about a young girl who is told she can not play basketball because she's a girl.  The players visit is meant to let young students, especially females that girls can indeed play basketball.

The goal of the Extend a Paw project is to complete EIU's mission statement by helping build citizenship in each of our individual student-athletes while contributing to the learning process of each individual student attending Charleston Community Unit School District #1.

The Director of Academic Services for student-athletes, Cindy Tozer, can arrange volunteer placements.

Football Visit Galllery

Women's Basketball Visit Gallery