![Hawthorn mascot 'Hawka' and head of football operations in Tasmania David Cox held a reading session at Ravenswood Heights Primary School. Pictures by Craig George Hawthorn mascot 'Hawka' and head of football operations in Tasmania David Cox held a reading session at Ravenswood Heights Primary School. Pictures by Craig George](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/196462108/21575d4e-2fde-4535-8a76-2ce3404856ef.jpg/r1515_796_6625_4590_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Students of Ravenswood Heights Primary School were rewarded for their weeks of commitment to reading with a special surprise.
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In what initially looked to be an ordinary reading session hosted by Hawthorn Football Club's head of football operations in Tasmania, David Cox, soon had a special guest join in - the club's mascot 'Hawka'.
Taking pictures with the beloved Hawk, the students were taught about the benefits of reading, with one child to be given the chance to take their family to a special room for Hawthorn's AFL match against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday at 1.45pm.
"One lucky child is going to be able to take their family to the reading lounge," Mr Cox said.
"We've actually built a loungeroom within the stand at UTAS Stadium and they can watch the game sitting in a lounge suite.
"There's a bookshelf there to grab some books, a coffee table, it's carpeted, it's a really fun way to watch a game, but equally, it's a really important way for us to ignite that love of reading."
![Mr Cox did a live reading of a picture book while Hawka listened intently. Mr Cox did a live reading of a picture book while Hawka listened intently.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/196462108/711c3d7f-310a-44ac-b408-ef2332e47f46.jpg/r311_358_6218_4306_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For Ravenswood Heights principal Jason Gunn, the reading session with Mr Cox and Hawka was an experience for the students which he could not pass up.
"We're really prioritising reading as our number one goal for our school, but more so this year, we're changing it to be a community of readers," Mr Gunn said.
"So it's not just about school, it's about linking in with community members, and then also all of our people at home."
Alongside potentially giving one his students and their family an unforgettable experience on Saturday afternoon, Mr Gunn said bringing in Mr Cox and Hawka was a part of a pitch to win $10,000 by being chosen as Chilli FM's School of the Year.
"This is another way of connecting with the community by being able to have representatives from Hawthorn here with us to be able to share that journey," he said.
"We're really, really excited about where the direction is heading and just the enormity of how big it's getting. It's really exciting."
Mr Cox said it was a goal which Hawthorn were more than happy to help the school achieve.
"Our goal really is to develop a love of reading as a building block of life," he said.