‘Beyond Grateful’: Stephen Curry Surprises East Bay Students With New School Library After More Than 10 Years

‘Beyond Grateful’: Stephen Curry Surprises East Bay Students With New School Library After More Than 10 Years


Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry has assigned the students at Garfield Elementary School in Oakland, California, a special task. As they settle into the brand new school year, he encourages them to embrace the love of reading.

KRON4 News reported that the 2022 Finals MVP initiated a partnership between his and his wife’s foundation, Eat. Learn. Play., and his sponsor, Rakuten, an online retailer that offers coupons and cash back, to surprise some students with a gift that can impact generations. They teamed up to reestablish Garfield Elementary’s school library after more than a decade without one.

“There is nothing more rewarding than investing in the potential of the next generation. Stephen and Rakuten share a commitment to sparking joy and optimism in our communities,” Rakuten CMO Dana Marineau explained in a statement, per a news release. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Stephen and Eat. Learn. Play. by supporting Garfield Elementary’s incredible commitment to making reading fun and accessible for its students.”

Curry surprised the students with a virtual announcement of the new library. The kids were ecstatic to see the NBA superstar and jumped for joy when Curry broke the news.

“Rakuten will fill Garfield Elementary’s new library shelves with hundreds of books spotlighting underrepresented stories and authors when it opens later this fall,” the press release stated, adding that the company will also “support the creation of “mindfulness corners” in each of Garfield’s classrooms so students may be present and focused on learning each day.”

The 34-year-old father gave a list of all the wondrous things to be included in the library. From comfortable furniture to arts and crafts corners, Curry said that the library aims to foster the love for reading. He concluded the virtual call by urging all the students to visit the library and enjoy all it offers.

“We have been working toward a new library for more than 10 years and are beyond grateful for the generous support and donation from Rakuten, Stephen Curry and Eat. Learn. Play. We are thrilled that it will take this project over the finish line for our students,” said Principal Edgar Rodriguez-Ramirez at Garfield Elementary School, according to the release. “This new library will provide our students access to culturally diverse books that tell untold stories of our community and will be a safe space for our kids to continue to foster their love of reading and explore their creativity.”

Additionally, Curry, a father of three, will be helping Rakuten provide families the opportunity to shop and score cash back from his favorite back-to-school stores. His stamp of approval can get customers up to 8% in cashback rewards. Check out his selected essentials here.

 


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