May 27, 2005

Students from four local elementary schools participated in a party at the team’s practice facility Tuesday for their participation in the essay contest sponsored by Verizon SuperPages and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Theo Ratliff and the Portland Trail Blazers hosted twenty Portland-area students from Milwaukie’s Oak Grove, Ball, Grout and Sacramento elementary schools in Portland who were honored in April for winning the Oregon Partnership’s “Drugs Kill Dreams” essay contest sponsored by Verizon SuperPages and the Trail Blazers.

Director of Community Outreach Jerry Moss gave the students a tour of the Trail Blazers practice facility. The winners got the opportunity to shoot baskets on the Trail Blazers practice court and were given backpacks full of Trail Blazer merchandise courtesy of Verizon and Oregon Partnership.

Students were chosen for their essays addressing the theme “Drugs Kill Dreams,” which focused on being successful in school and remaining drug-free.

Students Awarded for Essays during Game