Abby Richards looked down at her hands in wonder.

"He touched me," said the 9-year-old, eyes wide with awe as she watched Utah Flash shooting guard Andre Ingram high-five his way through the mob of children crowding the halls of Highland Elementary.

Ingram, 23, visited the school as part of the NBA's Read to Achieve program. He and other players from the Development League team have put on assemblies promoting reading and good health at 21 different elementary schools since the school year started. They are scheduled to drop by 22 more by the time summer arrives.

"These guys are role models for a lot of kids," said Drew Sellers, the Utah Flash community relations director. "We want to make sure they are role models for the right things, not only on the court, but also for the kind of people they are."

Utah Flash owner Brandt Andersen said he takes character into account when choosing players for the team. One of his major goals for the Utah Flash is to positively influence the community.

"Looking back on my own life, some of my own favorite memories are going to spring training in baseball with my dad," he said. "A lot of times the players would say, 'I hope you're staying in school,' or 'Learn how to read.' I still haven't forgotten that."

Students at Highland Elementary aren't likely to forget Ingram's visit anytime soon, either.

The children were cheering so loudly during the assembly; several teachers had to plug their ears.

"Is reading important?" Ingram asked.

The reply was deafening: "Yes!"

Ingram, along with the Utah Flash Fox and dancer Jamie Taylor, 24, also encouraged the children to eat healthy, exercise, stay away from drugs and treat people with kindness.

"It's important that these kids know that we're not just talking," said Ingram, who recently graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor's degree in physics. "These are principles that have helped me all my life."

The lanky, 6-foot-3 basketball player was serious as he told children that bullying and skipping out on class will not earn them success.

People often stereotype athletes as being aggressive and uneducated, he said.

"They need to know that this type of behavior is not something that's cool," Ingram said.

After listening to Ingram's short speech advising children to choose books over video games, some students expressed renewed resolve to start reading for fun.

"It helps to hear it from a famous person that reading is the way to get places," said Shae Saxton, 12. "I like basketball a lot, so seeing a pro is really cool."

E-mail: estuart@desnews.com