For Cameron Hill, April 9 was a day to teach kids at a local school about the values of reading. A bag full of thank-you cards shows that he had a receptive audience.

Hill, mass communication junior, and finance junior McCall Tomeny went to St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School in Metairie to be “secret readers” for pre-K through fifth grade students. The two went as representatives of Loyola’s men’s basketball team.

Jill Bracey, librarian at St. Mary Magdalene, started the secret reader program this year. Once a month she has adults come and read books related to their profession or passion. Bracey said that the two members of the Wolf Pack did an outstanding job.

“They were phenomenal. The way the players were able to talk to the two-year-olds and connect with them all the way through the fifth graders was great,” Bracey said.

The players read basketball books to the students and showed them dribbling drills. According to Bracey, some students even asked for autographs.

“The second-graders lined up for autographs. The players stayed and signed them for each student,” Bracey said.

Tomeny said that all the fanfare gave him a feeling of celebrity.

“We were very well-received. They had a really good time. It felt like being a rock star almost,” Tomeny said.

Hill said that he did not realize the impact he made until this week, when he received thank-you cards from the students.

“It was 40, 50 thank-you cards. I’ve got a bag full of them right now. It kind of touched me, just seeing that I was able to make a difference in another kid’s life, cause I remember people making a difference for me when I was growing up,” Hill said.

Bracey said that the children’s effort on the thank-you cards is even a testament to the players’ success that day.

“Usually getting the kids to make thank you cards every month is like pulling teeth. But they were all excited to do it for the players,” Bracey said.

Hill said that days like the one at Mary Magdalene are just part of the basketball team’s outreach efforts.

“We’re always doing community service and things of that nature with schools and surrounding area kids, so whenever we get the call we’re always open to do anything,” Hill said.

For Tomeny, he just hopes he’s won over additional fans at the Den next year.

“Some of those kids will probably bug their parents for the next six months about coming to watch us. Hopefully it’ll give us a few more fans, give us some young people, some kids that’ll scream,” Tomeny said.

Karl Gommel can be reached at [email protected]