The homework room in the Boys and Girls Club in Ballard has provided a place for K-8 students to study for many years, and recent improvements have made it an even better place for members and employees.

For years, there was concrete showing through the carpet in some places, and the setting sun coming in the room's east windows was blinding.

But all that changed when the new Reading and Learning Center, sponsored by the Sonics/Storm T.E.A.M. Foundation, was unveiled, complete with jerseys autographed by Storm guard Sue Bird and Sonics forward Rashard Lewis.

Bird, along with Storm forward Alicia Thompson and assistant coach Jenny Boucek, joined kids and staff to cut the ribbon.

"They painted the room, they replaced and donated all the furniture," said club director Mark Hendricks of the foundation. "The kids love the jerseys."

The walls used to be bare except for a few posters and leftover staples. Now painted bright yellow and green, the room is a welcoming study environment.

During the school year students participate in the Power Hour, a national Boys and Girls Club program where children study after school with volunteers and staff.

In Ballard, middle school students fill the homework room from 3 to 4 p.m., followed by elementary students, said educational director Brent Edgar.

Most of the old furniture was donated and Hendricks said he was grateful for the donations because he predicts the new round tables, built-in bookcases and storage lockers will make the room more appealing.

"They were getting help before, but the idea was to be able to come in and sit at the table next to the Sonics logo if you are a Sonics fan, or study next to the Storm logo if you are a Storm fan," Hendricks said. "It's going to have a big impact and raise our spirits."

The improvements were funded by a $5,000 donation from the Sonics/Storm Foundation and $5,000 donated by Boucek.

"The things that make us passionate about sports are the same things I see in this club," Boucek said. "We want to help. It's really about the kids, we love that y'all support us."

The Sonics and Storm also support Read to Achieve, an NBA- and WBNA-wide program that encourages kids to read 20 minutes a day for 20 days a month.

Before the ribbon was cut, Bird read "Green Eggs and Ham" to the kids. When she asked for volunteers to read pages, hands shot into the air.

"The thing I most enjoy about treading is it opens the doors into your imagination," Bird said. "And I have a crazy imagination."

"I used to love to read when I was growing up," Thompson recalled. "When I was little and I didn't know a word, my mom would make me look up the meaning in the dictionary. Reading is two things: learning new information, and fun."

Nine-year-old Imani Bender cut the ribbon with a pair of giant scissors.

"They were heavy," she said, smiling. "I feel really lucky; most people would want to do what I just did."

She was excited about the new room and said she enjoys spending time at the Boys and Girls Club.

"I just like playing with my friends and hanging out," she said. "And the camping trips are fun too."

Bender and the other kids at the club may see ascetic difference on the outside, but Hendricks hopes the difference will make them feel better about themselves.

"We were definitely helping kids before," Hendricks said. "Education is the great equalizer. Education is how you can make it, no matter where you came from, no matter how big your family is."

This is the second project the foundation has completed for Seattle-area Boys and Girls clubs, said Rick DuPree, of the Sonics/Storm T.E.A.M. Foundation. Its first project was building a racquetball court at the Southwest Boys and Girls Club.

"Our primary focus is to bring the Sonics and Storm into the community," he said.

As the kids lined up to get autographs from the Storm players, the buzz in the room was one of excitement, as the kids got a chance to get up close and personal with the sports stars they admire.

With the help of generous donations, the homework room isn't so drab anymore.

"It's just an amazing transformation in a few months," Edgar said. "We're looking forward to using it."

Sarah A. Carr is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.