For 10 years, Helen Darling dropped dimes and set picks in the WNBA, earning a spot in the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014. But today, her game isn’t basketball.
As the newest ambassador for NEA’s Read Across America, a yearlong celebration of diverse books, “Reading is my game,” Darling told NEA members at the Colorado Convention Center on Friday, who are gathered for NEA’s 105th Representative Assembly. “Basketball gave me a platform, but reading gave me possibilities beyond the court,” she said.
Becoming a Read Across America ambassador brought back for Darling the same feelings that she experienced when she was drafted in 2000. “I was nervous…humbled…and eager,” she recalls. “Today, I feel many of those same emotions. I’m humbled by the opportunity. I’m excited for what’s ahead. And I’m eager to join this incredible team of educators, librarians, families, and literacy champions who show up every day to change children’s lives through reading.”
As an ambassador, Darling will travel to schools across the nation this year, bringing with her a love of reading and a high-energy approach to literacy. “Thank you for welcoming me to this team,” she told educators.
“Stronger Readers, Bigger Dreamers”
As children spend more time looking at screens, the number who say they read for fun has dropped to an all-time low, national research shows. Last year, 37 percent of 9-year-olds said they read for fun almost every day, down from 53 percent in 2012. Among 13-year-olds, it’s down to 14 percent.
NEA’s Read Across America aims to counter these trends by putting fun, diverse books into the hands of children, from pre-K through high school. The program provides educator-recommended, age-appropriate titles every month, along with discussion questions for educators and parents, as well as tips for finding free books, advice for book clubs, tips for guest readers, and more.
As a Read Across ambassador, Darling has three goals, she said. “My game plan is simple. First, help more children discover the joy of reading. Second, put more diverse books into the hands of children. Third, help every child believe that reading is a game they can win. If we do those three things together,” Darling told NEA members, “we’ll build stronger readers, bigger dreamers, and brighter futures.”
Originally from Ohio, Darling earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at Penn State, while also becoming the only player in Penn State history to earn Big Ten Player of the Year. Subsequently, over a 10-year WNBA career, Darling played for the Cleveland Rockers, Minnesota Lynx, Charlotte Sting, and San Antonio Silver Spurs, and received a WNBA Community Assistant Award for her voluntarism off the court.
In 2010, she earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Penn State, and has made a career of advocating for children’s literacy. She’s also a published author. Her 2022 book, Hide-n-seek Monday, tells the story of triplets—JaJuan, Jalen and Nevaeh—who have fun with their mother on a Monday morning.
As a Read Across ambassador, Darling will be dropping into public schools and NEA members across the nation this year, delivering a high-energy shot to school libraries and classrooms. "You all are the Hall of Famers," she told NEA members Friday. "You're the heroes in the schools every day with our children!"
Learn more about NEA's Read Across America program, including its recommend books and resources.
