The children shouting “Eagles! Eagles! Eagles!” at the Whitehall Elementary School Library were not cheering for Philly’s high-flying home team.

The cheers were in appreciation for a group of local Eagles the children look up to even more.

In what has become a pre-Thanksgiving tradition, the Norristown Area High School football team paid visits to several elementary schools to read to students and forge a connection with the young students who will follow in their footsteps, writes Oscar Gamble for The Times Herald. 

The book they read, “The Energy Bus for Kids” by Jon Gordon, is a story about staying positive and overcoming challenges, valuable lessons coach Jason Powel tries to instill in his players on and off the field.

In the spirit of paying it forward, the team purchased copies of the book for Norristown Area School District elementary and middle schools, with funds donated to them by the Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Council.

The Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Council (Montco CAC) donated $6,000 to the football program for the purchase of the books and for warm ups for the players.

Powel, who came up with the idea for a tour of the district’s schools before the annual Thanksgiving showdown with Upper Merion shortly after he was hired in 2014, said this year holds special significance because the team is reading to the youngsters and reinforcing a message of academic achievement.