Illiteracy remains a prominent problem in America as over 30 million American adults cannot read. 
The Mississippi State University’s men’s basketball team and head coach Ben Howland are partnering with Coaching for Literacy to diminish it. 
In a press release sent out last Wednesday, it was announced MSU would be partnering with Coaching for Literacy for a second year in a row. This year the MSU chapter will attempt to raise money with a raffle. MSU students can make a $5 donation to Coaching for Literacy and be entered into a raffle to win two all-access passes to the MSU versus South Carolina game that will be on Feb. 11. 
In the release sent out on Wednesday, Howland said he was excited to get students involved. 
“We are excited to involve our student body in raising awareness and financial support this year,” Howland said. “Coaching for Literacy is accomplishing great things in both Starkville and nationwide.”
Right now Coaching for Literacy is scheduled to have over 20 Coaching for Literacy Awareness games including the South Carolina versus MSU game. Coaching for Literacy has also partnered with schools like Ole Miss, UCLA, Colorado, Stanford, Memphis, Arizona, Alabama and many other schools across the country. 
Literacy is not an issue that is far away and can be ignored by Americans, especially for those in Mississippi. 
According to a 2012 and 2014 U.S. Department of Education study, America is below the international average for literacy, ranking below countries like Sweden, Estonia, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.
Illiteracy is a problem that is easy to ignore on a college campus – a place where almost everyone has a high school degree. However, it remains a problem in America today. 
According to the same U.S. Department of Education study, 32 million American adults cannot read, which is 14 percent of the current population. 
Mississippi ranks on the bottom of almost every list when it comes to literacy and education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2003, 16 percent of Mississippi adults lack basic prose literacy skills. According to the same source 14 percent of Oktibbeha country adults lack basic prose literacy skills.  
MSU’s partnership with Coaching for Literacy has helped here in Starkville. According to the release sent on Wednesday, MSU’s partnership with Coaching for Literacy provided literacy books for 870 students in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. 
Dr. Jody Woodrum,  assistant superintendent of the SOCSD, said Coaching for Literacy has helped the Oktibbeha school district.
“We are very thankful for Coaching for Literacy’s support this past year,” said Woodrum “With our partnership, we hope to increase our students’ love of learning and science.”
According to the Coaching for Literacy website, 64 percent of fourth-graders read below grade level and 85 percent of juveniles who become involved with juvenile court can not read. 
Executive Director Ryan Viner announced in the release that he was excited to partner with MSU. 
“We are grateful for the partnership of Rhett Hobart, Hannah Smith, Mississippi State athletics and Coach Howland,” Viner said. “They are helping Coaching for Literacy and our supporters use literacy to create a brighter future for children in Oktibbeha County.”