Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have today been announced as a finalist for this year’s NRL Community and Player Education Awards.
Now in its ninth year, the awards recognise rugby league's unsung heroes for the tireless work they do to support the game they love.
The Sea Eagles are a finalist in the NRL Club Community Program of the Year for its Read with an Eagle program.
The award recognises an NRL Club that has positively impacted the broader community by delivering exceptional health, education and welfare programs across Australia and New Zealand.
The current Read with an Eagle program uses first grade rugby league players as mentors and tutors in weekly reading sessions in Public, Catholic and Independent Primary Schools.
Developed seven years ago, the Read with an Eagle program is now embedded in the culture of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, with inspiration and energy each year stemming from the positive difference this program makes with children in schools- boys and girls.
Players are identified as Reading Captains and are matched to one class of students for five weeks where they bring a new surprise player each week and participate in reading sessions, reading activities, promote reading, set challenges and answer questions about their own reading habits.
The Read with an Eagle program addresses International and National research which shows students, particularly boys, underperform in literacy, are disengaged in reading and see reading as a feminine activity and a skill not needed as a sports star.
Other finalists in the NRL Club Community Program of the Year include:
o Brisbane Broncos – Charity Partner Program
o North Queensland Cowboys – Try Time!
o Parramatta Eels – Eels Educate
o St George Illawarra Dragons – SCORE Dragons
o Sydney Roosters – Roosters Against Racism
o South Sydney Rabbitohs – Souths Cares Indigenous Oral Health Program
o Melbourne Storm – Respectful Relationships, Mentoring & Be the Hero
o Gold Coast Titans – Down Syndrome Association, More Alike than Different
The NRL Community and Player Education Awards will be held at Sheraton on the Park in Sydney on Friday 2 October and will be live streamed online via www.nrl.com/communityawards from 7pm.
