In a heartwarming celebration of literacy, Whataburger, Whataguy, San Angelo READS! and the fifth-grade students at Fannin Elementary recently came together for a special book giveaway and read-aloud event. To mark the occasion, David Boney, Market Leader for San Angelo and Brownwood, read the book aloud to Fannin’s to the students in the school’s cafeteria.

“In this book, we talked about a family that was trying to cross the Bok Chitto River to escape slavery with the help of Native Americans that got them into their freedom,” said Kyler Franklin, Whataburger Field Marketing Partner. “It was really exciting. I think the students enjoyed the story telling.”

As part of the celebration, every fifth-grade student in San Angelo ISD received a brand new copy of “Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom,” by Tim Tingle, generously donated by Whataburger. 

“We were really excited to give back to this community and help educate and promote reading within these schools here in San Angelo,” said Mr. Franklin. “It’s something that we promote within Whataburger. It’s a part of our Feeding Student Success model. We stress the importance of literacy and want to align with our schools and give back in a way.”   

As Mr. Boney read, Whataguy, the beloved Whataburger mascot, sat alongside him on the cafeteria stage, listening intently, adding a touch of fun to the read aloud. Mr. Boney and Whataguy were not the only representatives from Whataburger present. Several other local Whataburger team members also attended to show their support for literacy and public education, including Bryanna Hernandez, Operating Partner of Whataburger at 5855 Sherwood Way; Joseph Boser, Operating Partner of Whataburger on Knickerbocker; Dianet Leiva, Operating Partner of Whataburger at 3202 Sherwood Way; and Idalia Brawley, Operating Partner of Whataburger on Bryant.

After the read aloud, Whataguy stood by the cafeteria’s exit greeting students with high-fives and fist-bumps as they headed back to their classrooms, spreading joy and excitement. 

“Partnering with Whataburger and other community leaders to promote literacy is a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we work together,” said SAISD Director of Community Relations Sun Cha. ”Events like this help inspire a lifelong love of reading and help shape the future of our students. We are so grateful to Whataburger and their team members for their ongoing commitment to education and their continued support of San Angelo READS! and the students of San Angelo ISD.”

You can watch highlights from this read aloud below and others on the San Angelo READS! YouTube Channel. For more information on how to join San Angelo ISD in championing literacy, email us at [email protected]. To stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD, please visit the SAISD website at www.saisd.org and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X. Community members are encouraged to share how they celebrate literacy and participate in San Angelo Reads! through the hashtags, #SAISDReads and #SanAngeloREADS. Keep Reading, San Angelo!

About Whataburger 
Whataburger has more than 1,000 locations in 14 states and is committed to serving its communities. The Whataburger Feeding Student Success program focuses the organization’s charitable giving at the intersection of food insecurity and education through college resource rooms, scholarships and community philanthropy. Since launching the program in 2020, Whataburger has given more than $5 million to support communities and students in need.

About San Angelo READS! 
Launched by the district in 2020, San Angelo READS! is a community-wide literacy initiative aimed at encouraging reading and fostering the attributes of SAISD’s future-ready learner profile among students and the greater San Angelo community. The initiative raises awareness about the importance of literacy and inspires a love of reading. Studies show that children and teenagers who read for pleasure on a daily or weekly basis score better on reading and writing tests than infrequent or non-readers.

SAISD kicked off San Angelo READS! on December 9, 2020, with the inaugural San Angelo Reads! Day, a day of celebrating literacy throughout the district. The day featured read-ins, the unveiling of book vending machines, and the gift of a book to every third grader, courtesy of the San Angelo Area Foundation. Through initiatives like these, SAISD is committed to building literacy skills that prepare students for future success and help create a better tomorrow for our community.