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This fall, as the pandemic canceled or postponed sports seasons, student-athletes volunteered more than 700 hours at nonprofits such as Food for Thought Denver, Food Bank of the Rockies, Gold Crown Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Project Angel Heart and Read Aloud. MSU Denver student-athletes’ participation in the Read Aloud program shows the progress that University Athletics is making in its efforts to be an even bigger part of the Denver community, said first-year Athletics Director Todd Thurman. White is one of more than 33 student-athletes who are trained volunteers in Denver Public Library’s Read Aloud program. “It’s been a great opportunity to do community service and to still have social distancing.” MSU Denver volleyball player Kayla White reads to children at Smith Elementary School via Zoom on Nov. As long as I asked them questions, they wanted to tell me everything about themselves. “We read a counting book, and they are super-smart. “They are so cute, just the cutest little humans ever,” volleyball player Kayla White said. While the program, which launched in 1988, was designed to help Denver children develop a love of books and prereading skills while promoting the use of Denver Public Libraries, it’s clear the student-athletes are getting a lot out of the experience as well. In early October, 33 Roadrunners trained with the Denver Public Library’s Read Aloud program to read virtually to children attending Denver’s Head Start early-childhood education centers. The COVID-19 pandemic drove Metropolitan State University of Denver student-athletes to change their training regimen this fall.