Online Athens - The little boy looked up at one of the most talented football players in Georgia history, at the
current New England Patriots wide receiver selected in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft.
“I don’t care who you play for,” the boy said, illustrating Mitchell’s biggest hurdle in encouraging kids to read: Being relatable.
“You think a 6 year old really cares? They don't care who you play for,” Mitchell said “They don't care where you’re from. They don't care the color of your skin. Only thing they care about is why are you there? If you can prove to them within five to 10 seconds that you're there for them, they'll probably listen.”
How Mitchell reached this point has become an often-told story. A knee injury forced Mitchell to the sideline and into a book club during his time at Georgia. The experience sparked a personal renaissance, with Mitchell creating the organization Read With Malcolm and writing a children’s book called “The Magician’s Hat.”
Playing for Georgia helped Mitchell grow his reputation as an advocate for youth literacy.
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