A South Auckland primary school was taught about the power of reading by heavyweight boxer and Duffy Books role model Joseph Parker.
Otara’s Flat Bush Primary School, where nearly 80% of its students are Pasifika, welcomed the sports star and members of his Team Parker camp at a special Duffy Books assembly.
His much-anticipated fight against Junior Fa next month has been postponed after Fa was ruled out following a blood test.
Despite this, it was all smiles from Parker last Friday afternoon as he encouraged Flat Bush students to read and succeed.
Year six students from Flat Bush got the opportunity to ask Parker a number of reading-related questions, such as how reading has helped his boxing career and what his favourite books to read were growing up.
The heavyweight fighter listed Hairy Maclary and the Goosebumps series as his favourite books and said reading helped him add new words to his vocabulary.
Flat Bush Primary School principal Banapa Avatea says Parker’s visit means everything to the pupils.
“It was fantastic to have Joseph coming back to a school that he knows well and to share the message about the importance of reading and what Duffy Books in Homes provides for us as a school.
“The opportunity to have someone high-profile like Joe coming in and sharing his story about the power of reading just reinforces the work we’re doing here at school, which is that by being the best reader, the best learner that we can, we give ourselves the best opportunity to succeed.”
Parker delivered new books to add to Flat Bush's school library collection and in return, received a book including stories written by some of the school's students.
Following the assembly, Parker took a photo with every class at Flat Bush.
A number of Flat Bush’s year six students were in awe of Parker’s presence, including Antonio Turi-Fa’aoso, who says the boxer was very popular with the pupils.
“It was a very amazing visit because Joseph was very kind and nearly everyone in the school knew him because he was famous and does boxing.”
Aiga Timoteo was one student who greeted Parker after the assembly.
“He was very nice and it was fun and exciting and I got a hug from him.”
Peseti Tukutau and Helios Key both said the visit from Parker encouraged them to read more.
“Amazing and mind-blowing, wish I could be like him. He’s helping us read different books,” says Tukutau.
Key says: “Very fun, exciting and we got to shake every one of his family member’s hands and he knows my uncle. He actually encouraged me to read more Hairy McClary.”