San Jose Sharks players Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Zack Ostapchuk visited Bachrodt Elementary School as part of Reading Across America Week. They were joined by Rebecca Johnston, a four-time Canadian women’s Olympic medalist. The group read stories to students and answered their questions during classroom visits.
“Super fun. Just being able to go in the classroom and talk to them, and even the conversation after, it was a lot of fun,” said Celebrini.
Smith reflected on his own childhood experiences with professional athletes: “I remember being their age and seeing professional athletes and NHL players. Just getting so excited and super special, and you always try to leave a lasting remark.”
The event was organized by the Sharks Foundation as part of its Reading Is Cool Program. This initiative promotes literacy and academic achievement among students in Northern California through school visits, assemblies, incentives, and ticket experiences. For the 2025-26 season, the program is expected to reach about 27,000 students across 1,000 classrooms in San Jose and surrounding areas.
Smith also commented on how meaningful these events can be for young students: “I remember doing certain things like this, and reading a certain amount of books, and [you would] maybe get a prize or something. But for us to be able to come here and have them be this excited is super cool, and we love doing it.”
During the visit, students wore S.J. Sharkie hand-drawn hats and shirts featuring the Sharks-themed “Reading is Cool” logo. After reading sessions, players took questions from the classes. When asked why the team is called the Sharks, Celebrini replied: “That is a great question. They’ve always been called the Sharks, and I don’t know why. That’s a great question, I should probably find that out.” He added jokingly: “That one stumped me.” Celebrini also emphasized community involvement: “It’s important to me just to give back to the community. I mean, whenever I get an opportunity like this, it’s important to me to follow through on it. I know how much it meant to me when guys took the time to stop or say hi, or kind of do these sorts of things.”
The day concluded with a ceremony in the school library where four students were recognized for their reading achievements. The event was hosted by Sharks radio broadcaster Dan Rusanowsky.
“It was a little nerve-racking. I was probably more nervous for that than for a game,” Celebrini admitted about reading aloud at the ceremony. “I don’t read every day. I play hockey every day.”
Smith recalled meeting NHL players as a child: “I remember being a kid and meeting the Bruins in 2011 and just how excited I got. I just never stopped talking about it. So, glad I could pass it on,” he said.
As part of Reading Is Cool activities this year, all participating students received vouchers for two tickets each at program launch. A group of 100 Reading Is Cool participants will attend Saturday’s Sharks game against the New York Islanders (10 p.m.; MSGSN, NBCSCA) where they will receive special recognition.
