Thousands of Kids Attend Butler Women's Basketball Game Field Trip

INDIANAPOLIS — The Butler University women's basketball team kicked off their season with an electrifying atmosphere as thousands of elementary school students filled Hinkle Fieldhouse to cheer them on.

Students from across Central Indiana gathered on Wednesday to witness the Bulldogs face off against Chicago State. This event was part of the NCAA's Readers Become Leaders program, which aims to promote childhood literacy.

Teachers expressed that this experience was not only thrilling for the kids but could also inspire them to pursue higher education in the future. "It's thrilling just getting kids fired up to learn and be lifelong learners," shared Mitchell Pepper, a teacher at Liberty Park Elementary School in Warren Township. "We understand with literacy that it is foundational to all subjects."

The Bulldogs secured a decisive victory over Chicago State, winning 87 to 45.