Cocky visits Clearwater Elem.

Michael Faglier, a Clearwater Elementary School first-grader and huge University of South Carolina fan, saw his first Gamecock game in person last Saturday.

Yeah, the upset of Alabama. Greatest game in team history. That game.

Yet that amazing experience may have been topped Wednesday, when Cocky the mascot visited Michael's school. To the child's delight, Cocky "asked" him to have a photo taken of them together.

His appearance came through Cocky's Reading Express, a literacy-based program coordinated through the USC-based S.C. Center for Children's Book and Literacy. Cocky met first with grades K-2 and then grades 3-5, interacting on stories read to the children by USC students, most of them pursuing master's degrees in the School of Library and Information. Later Cocky personally presented a book to each student as a gift.

"Cocky has a special appeal to kids," said Ellan Jenkinson, the reading express coordinator. "That's the really great thing about the program, getting kids excited about reading and books. We try to make Cocky a big, big part of the program.

Kids love it when he acts out the books."

Michael gets his love for all things USC from his dad, Andrew Beeman, who proudly showed off the Gamecock tattoo on his arm.

"I'm teaching him to go to the right school," Beeman said with a smile. "This is awesome for the kids today. Michael was so excited that he didn't get much sleep last night, and because of that, I didn't either. I believe in reading, and with Cocky coming here, a lot of the kids will be reading more."

Third-grade teacher Jayme Wilson got her degrees from USC and also wore a Gamecock jersey Wednesday. She arranged for the Reading Express visit herself after learning about it at a conference last year.

"We're promoting literature, but I also want my kids to have exposure to colleges," Wilson said.

It's important for children to see a popular character like Cocky enjoy reading, said Stephanie Barton, Clearwater's reading interventionist.

"It's just about having a good time with a book," she said. "The kids are already asking, 'Where is the Bulldog, where is the Tiger?'ââ"

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.