Reading between the feathers 

It’s easy to think you know Cocky. Any given Saturday in the fall he’s center stage at Williams-Brice Stadium, popping up out of a train engine in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans. But some of  Cocky’s most important audiences don’t fill stadium seats. 

They sit cross-legged on classroom floors across South Carolina, cheering just as loud as the adoring fans at football games. This time, though, the main event is Cocky himself ready to act out a children’s book.   

This is  Cocky’s Reading Express, a literacy outreach initiative from the College of Information and Communications. The program, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, has delivered almost 200,000 books to elementary students statewide, making reading feel just as exciting as game day.  

Behind the yellow beak are two seniors who’ve been involved with the program for the last four years. Meet Walker Weaver and Emma Connelly.   

Weaver — a marketing, operations and supply chain Honors College student in the Darla Moore School of Business — was introduced to Cocky’s Reading Express in 2022. He volunteered with the program ahead of his freshmen year through Pillars for Carolina and saw the impact almost instantaneously.  

Wanting to stay involved with Cocky’s Reading Express, Weaver asked a question that changed his entire college experience: “Could I be Cocky?” 

Connelly, a broadcast journalism major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, volunteered with Cocky’s Reading Express as a book reader as soon as her move-in boxes were unpacked. A former Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen participant, volunteering and service has always been an important part of Connelly’s life.   

“When I first met Walker and Emma, they were freshmen. It feels like they became seniors in the blink of an eye,” says Margaret Jackson, coordinator for Cocky’s Reading Express.  “It’s been amazing to watch them grow into their own identities and take different paths but share a huge connection through childhood literacy.”  

As appearances for Cocky and his Reading Express began to stack up with more schools wanting a visit from the beaked bookkeeper, Jackson realized she needed to add another Cocky to the rotation.  

She knew exactly who to ask to fill the big yellow feet. Connelly traded the reading volunteer job for one even more special and fit the big yellow feet perfectly.  

“My favorite part of the program is the meet-and-greet at the end. We take pictures with the kids while they get to pick out their very own book,” Connelly says. “They love Cocky so much but are equally excited about their new book and so many kids have told me it’s the best day of their life. It gets me emotional every time.”

Cocky’s Reading Express has given out over 195,000 books since its start in 2005. Weaver and Connelly have given out nearly a quarter of the total giveaways with over 50,000 books delivered to children across South Carolina.   

“There have been a few times we’ve gone back to schools and seen the kids a year or two later. By then, they know the routine,” Weaver says. “Cocky doesn’t show up right away. He comes out halfway through the program.”  

Every program ends with the children taking an oath to continue reading every day. Every kid screams, “I PROMISE COCKY” and then gets to select their very own book to take home.   

Cocky’s Reading Express primarily serves Title I schools across South Carolina which often leads to kids picking out the very first book they will own. It’s all part of their mission as access to just one self-selected book can increase a student's literacy rate.   

“What’s special is hearing them say things like, ‘I’ve been reading every day since then.’ They truly take their promise to heart,” Weaver says. 

As Connelly and Weaver move into new chapters, their shared sense of purpose continues to define what comes next. Connelly will begin law school this fall at USC’s Joseph F. Rice School of Law. 

“A big part of law school and becoming a lawyer is realizing the work isn’t about you; it’s about the person you’re representing. It’s not about your reputation or what you gain, but about advocating for your client,” Connelly says. “That mindset shows up in Cocky, too. You’re there for the kids, not yourself. They don’t even know who you are; you’re just there to promote literacy and encourage them to read.”  

Weaver is heading to Tennessee to work in sales development for Oracle. Although he will no longer don the yellow feet and beak, he hopes to serve his new community.  

“I definitely want to keep working with young people, whether that’s volunteering in schools or doing something similar to this program,” Weaver says. “It may not look exactly the same, but making a difference in kids’ lives is something I want to carry with me wherever I go.”  

As they step into new roles and unfamiliar places, both Connelly and Weaver carry with them more than memories — they carry a deep sense of responsibility to keep giving back. For those who have watched them grow, that purpose is unmistakable. It shows up in the way they talk about what comes next and in the quiet confidence that wherever they go, they’ll continue to make a difference.  

“They’ve gained so much from their time at the university, and I know they’ll carry those lessons into their future careers,” Jackson says. “They’re both the kind of people who will make the world better.”