Chris Paul isn’t the only one assisting the Hornets these days, The Wolfpack are too.

The Loyola Wolfpack participated in the annual “Run Leap, Achieve” literacy event at the Louisiana Children’s Museum on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Among those in attendance were Michael Giorlando, head basketball coach, along with Joe Stiebing, assistant basketball coach, and players Nick Tuszynski, economics senior Darrington Moncreiffe, marketing junior, and Ryan Brock, business management junior.

“Just being part of the community and giving back to the youth in the city,” said Giorlando.”We appreciate the opportunity the Hornets give us to be involved in the program, and it gives our players a unique situation of really being one-on-one with the youngsters.” 

The event included over 500 third-graders from schools of the Recovery School District, Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish.

“It reminded me of my trip this summer with the Nasir Volunteer Program, it took me back,” said Moncreiffe. “I had fun working with the kids. They really admired me because I was tall and thought I was a Hornets player. It was a great experience.”

The students spent their morning visiting different learning stations inside the museum. In addition to the museum’s exhibits, they enjoyed creative writing sessions hosted by the Louisiana Department of Education and were given library cards and free books by the New Orleans Public Library.

They also participated in games that were hosted by the Wolfpack, the Hornets mascot Hugo and the Honeybees.

 “It was really rewarding because I kind of forgot how I looked up at someone when I was a kid,” said Tuszynski. “They were always smiling and having a good time, giving each other high fives and asking for my autograph even though I’m not famous. They were just all over us. I had a great time with them, it was a lot of fun,” he said.

This is the second year the Loyola University basketball team has been invited to the Hornets Read to Achieve Program, and the coaches along with the players have enjoyed and learned about New Orleans’s students.

“They [Hornets] do a tremendous job working with the community and by us working with them it gives us opportunities to get involved with the city,” said Giorlando. “When you get invited by the Hornets to participate in a service project, it’s just another opportunity to get involved with the city and professional organizations. It’s just a good way to collaborate with others that are doing similar things as us basketball teams. Being able to partner with them is just a tremendous opportunity,” Giorlando said.

“Sometimes you complain about the practices,” Tuszynski said. “But at the end of the day you realize how fortunate you are to be gifted and be fortunate enough to play a college sport.”

Alex Esquilin can be reached at [email protected]