The San Diego Padres’ Holiday Giving Tour brought joy to students who earned bikes through reading and essay writing about dreaming big.
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres turned an ordinary school assembly into an extraordinary moment of joy Friday, surprising 250 third graders at Rosa Parks Elementary School with brand-new bicycles and helmets.
The event, part of the Padres’ Holiday Giving Tour, was more than just a giveaway. Students earned their bikes by reading character-building books and writing inspiring essays on the theme “My Big Dream.”
Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove, who participated in the event, emphasized the importance of dreaming big. “Your dreams should always be scary but attainable,” Musgrove told the students. “The big goal may seem out of reach, but if you start doing the little things right along the way, you will start doing things you started dreaming of as a kid.”
Dat Cai, one of the recipients, initially thought only four …