Cavs player Georges Niang, Ahmaad Crump, and D.J. Steph Floss Joined Students for a Day of Music and Learning
Cleveland, OH, (December 1, 2023) — The Cleveland Cavaliers and Rhymes with Reason, the educational platform designed to help students build literacy and vocabulary skills through popular music, have launched the innovative technology program at the first of four Northeast Ohio schools and after school programs. Started in 2017 by Austin Martin, Rhymes with Reason is designed to build confidence by ensuring academic excellence is within reach through today’s most popular music. On Nov. 29, Rhymes with Reason was introduced at Cleveland’s E Prep Cliffs, with an assist from Cavs in-arena host Ahmaad Crump, DJ Steph Floss and special guest Cavs small forward George Niang.
During the presentation, Martin and E Prep Cliffs’ Principal Marc Johnson introduced the program tool, which takes the students through a variety of exercises to highlight lyrics and new words from popular song lyrics. The two were then joined by Niang, who helped the students create their own song lyrics with their newly learned words.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) recently published a study showing that Cleveland’s 8th graders had the most significant post-pandemic reading decline of 26 measured major U.S. cities. This ranking made Cleveland as a priority city for Rhymes with Reason to introduce its program.
“We are so grateful to the Cleveland Cavaliers for their support to our scholars through innovative learning. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission of centering joy and curiosity to cultivate a community of learning where all students thrive,” said Andrew McRae, CEO of Breakthrough Public Schools. “Rhymes with Reason provides educational technology that will engage and inspire our scholars, enabling us to continue empowering them and enhancing their educational capabilities through music they love,” expressed Marc Johnson, Principal of E Prep Cliffs.
In partnership with the Cavs, Rhymes with Reason plans to reach 250 6th – 10th students in Northeast Ohio Cleveland’s E Prep Cliffs school, Kenneth W. Clement Boys Leadership Academy and through the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio.
“We are constantly looking for ways to help make a positive impact on youth literacy rates in Northeast Ohio,” said Director of Community Engagement and Events Celena Zevnik, “Rhymes with Reason offers a unique approach to learning vocabulary and literacy skills in a fun and engaging way for students.
The Cleveland Cavaliers serve the educational needs of children through literacy and scholarship. Rhymes with Reason will join other Cavs educational programs that include Score with Reading, Mobile Book Fair, Math Hoops and Head of Class.
Rhymes with Reason is an Educational Technology company founded by Austin Martin in 2015. The company's mission is to help students learn literacy through their favorite music, using patent-pending technology that has consistently improved literacy, vocabulary, and reading levels. Stay up to date with Rhymes with Reason by following us on Instagram or Facebook.
To learn more about Rhymes With Reason's innovative educational technology and the communities reached, please visit RhymesWithReason.com
