The Orlando Magic and Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) picked the perfect game plan to help students roll into a new school year. The Magic and OCPS rolled out the Pick, Read & Roll program in October of 2019 to incentivize local youth to improve their reading skills.
This year, the program will provide 3,100 fourth grade students from low-income, Title 1 schools in Orange County the opportunity to attend Pick, Read & Roll presented by Chick-fil-A at Kia Center featuring Magic players. In addition, approximately 150 fifth graders who are the most-improved readers from these schools will be recognized during the event for their achievements.
According to OCPS, last year’s participating students with available data showed statistically significant higher average growth on reading assessments compared to their non-participating peers.
The annual program rewards those fifth-grade students with the greatest reading improvements in the previous school year the opportunity to attend an exclusive kids-only event featuring Magic players at Kia Center. The program recognizes the growth and improvements of each student’s reading skills over the course of the 2025-26 school year. The fourth-grade students in attendance can cheer on the fifth graders while being inspired to work hard to achieve their own reading success.
The Magic's Pick, Read & Roll adds another dimension to community outreach for an organization that’s dedicated to giving back to Central Florida. Recently, the team announced $1.8 million in grants that will be distributed to the local community through the Magic’s charitable arm, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), which assists at-risk youth in Central Florida. This marks the 19th time the team has distributed at least $1 million to the community with the Magic granting nearly $33 million over the past 37 years to local nonprofits through OMYF. Overall, the Magic give more than $3 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants and the team's community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year.
Orlando Magic
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Maritza Martinez-Guerrero Vice President, External Affairs & Philanthropy
- October 22, 2026
- (407) 916-2464
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