Trail Blazers and Taco Bell Kick Off Read to Achieve Program
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by: Heather Atiyeh
While the Trail Blazers are still training to get ready for their season on the court, off the court their season is already red hot and rollin’. Monday was no exception as the team deployed to various schools throughout the Portland-Vancouver area to tip-off the NBA's Read to Achieve program.
Read to Achieve engages teams across the country in supporting reading efforts each season in their local communities. Trail Blazers reading teams hosted assemblies at five different schools including Stephenson Elementary in SW Portland, Peninsula Elementary in N. Portland, Jason Lee Middle School in Vancouver, Bridgeport Elementary in Tualatin, and a smaller event with a select group of students at Open Meadow Alternative School in N. Portland.
The event also celebrates the tip-off of the annual Trail Blazers Taco Bell Reading Challenge, an incentive program that encourages students to meet their reading goals in order to earn prizes such as classroom visits by Trail Blazers personalities and free tickets to a Trail Blazers game featuring a Reading Celebration in March, the Trail Blazers Reading Month.
At Open Meadow Middle School, Trail Blazers staff members along with Blazer radio analyst Antonio Harvey and players Darius Miles and Jamaal Magloire, visited with a group of 30 students and shared personal accounts of how education and reading assisted them in reaching their personal and career goals.
"You can do anything that you put your mind to," Magloire told the students. "Having the discipline to maintain good grades will assist you in reaching whatever you aspire."
The group participated in a poem project entitled, "Where I’m From." Participants were challenged to brainstorm people, places, and sentimental items that represented their upbringing and culture. Then, students constructed creative poems expressing their unique backgrounds. Each student shared a distinctive and deeply personal poem with the group. Trail Blazer Darius Miles spoke fondly of his supportive mother and life in the ghetto of East St. Louis, while Magloire painted a picture of his Caribbean roots.
Towards the end of the event, Harvey provided an incentive to one particular student who loved basketball, in an effort to motivate him to meet his academic benchmarks for homework and attendance. The student agreed to email Harvey a progress report once a week. The student will receive game tickets in exchange for his academic success.
It has been a busy few days for the Trail Blazers in the community. On Thursday and Friday of last week, Trail Blazers players, coaches and staff attended nine prep football games at various high school stadiums throughout the Portland and Southwest Washington. And then on Sunday the team hosted the annual Wells Fargo Fan Fest at the Rose Garden, where close to 7,000 fans got autographs and had pictures taken with their favorite Blazer player and then watched the team train and scrimmage free of charge. ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS READ TO ACHIEVE
The Trail Blazers strive to inspire children to read and learn through the NBA’s Read to Achieve program. We believe if you put books in the hands of children and their families, provide fun, interactive opportunities to read together, we can help inspire students to achieve the reading skills that every child needs to succeed. Through hosting reading events, distributing thousands of books to children, creating special reading rooms with non-profit partners, and allowing employees time-off to be reading mentors, the Trail Blazers management, staff and team are dedicated to providing the resources necessary to help children Read to Achieve.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS/TACO BELL READ TO ACHIEVE CHALLENGE
Trail Blazers, in partnership with Taco Bell, will assist area teachers/schools in their efforts to get elementary school children excited about reading and assist in their efforts to raise achievement. Select elementary schools located throughout the Portland Metropolitan area will be invited to participate in the Trail Blazers/Taco Bell Read to Achieve Tip-off in October. Each participating school will be invited to participate in the season-long “Trail Blazers Taco Bell Challenge.” Outstanding students and participating school districts will receive prizes for their efforts. Additionally, throughout the year, Trail Blazers representatives and Blaze will visit classrooms, deliver snacks, and help students stay motivated to read.
ABOUT NBA CARES
NBA Cares is the league's global community outreach initiative that addresses important social issues with an emphasis on programs that support education, youth and family development and health-related causes. Over the next five years, the league, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities around the world, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play.
While the Trail Blazers are still training to get ready for their season on the court, off the court their season is already red hot and rollin’. Monday was no exception as the team deployed to various schools throughout the Portland-Vancouver area to tip-off the NBA's Read to Achieve program.
Read to Achieve engages teams across the country in supporting reading efforts each season in their local communities. Trail Blazers reading teams hosted assemblies at five different schools including Stephenson Elementary in SW Portland, Peninsula Elementary in N. Portland, Jason Lee Middle School in Vancouver, Bridgeport Elementary in Tualatin, and a smaller event with a select group of students at Open Meadow Alternative School in N. Portland.
The event also celebrates the tip-off of the annual Trail Blazers Taco Bell Reading Challenge, an incentive program that encourages students to meet their reading goals in order to earn prizes such as classroom visits by Trail Blazers personalities and free tickets to a Trail Blazers game featuring a Reading Celebration in March, the Trail Blazers Reading Month.
At Open Meadow Middle School, Trail Blazers staff members along with Blazer radio analyst Antonio Harvey and players Darius Miles and Jamaal Magloire, visited with a group of 30 students and shared personal accounts of how education and reading assisted them in reaching their personal and career goals.
"You can do anything that you put your mind to," Magloire told the students. "Having the discipline to maintain good grades will assist you in reaching whatever you aspire."
The group participated in a poem project entitled, "Where I’m From." Participants were challenged to brainstorm people, places, and sentimental items that represented their upbringing and culture. Then, students constructed creative poems expressing their unique backgrounds. Each student shared a distinctive and deeply personal poem with the group. Trail Blazer Darius Miles spoke fondly of his supportive mother and life in the ghetto of East St. Louis, while Magloire painted a picture of his Caribbean roots.
Towards the end of the event, Harvey provided an incentive to one particular student who loved basketball, in an effort to motivate him to meet his academic benchmarks for homework and attendance. The student agreed to email Harvey a progress report once a week. The student will receive game tickets in exchange for his academic success.
It has been a busy few days for the Trail Blazers in the community. On Thursday and Friday of last week, Trail Blazers players, coaches and staff attended nine prep football games at various high school stadiums throughout the Portland and Southwest Washington. And then on Sunday the team hosted the annual Wells Fargo Fan Fest at the Rose Garden, where close to 7,000 fans got autographs and had pictures taken with their favorite Blazer player and then watched the team train and scrimmage free of charge. ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS READ TO ACHIEVE
The Trail Blazers strive to inspire children to read and learn through the NBA’s Read to Achieve program. We believe if you put books in the hands of children and their families, provide fun, interactive opportunities to read together, we can help inspire students to achieve the reading skills that every child needs to succeed. Through hosting reading events, distributing thousands of books to children, creating special reading rooms with non-profit partners, and allowing employees time-off to be reading mentors, the Trail Blazers management, staff and team are dedicated to providing the resources necessary to help children Read to Achieve.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS/TACO BELL READ TO ACHIEVE CHALLENGE
Trail Blazers, in partnership with Taco Bell, will assist area teachers/schools in their efforts to get elementary school children excited about reading and assist in their efforts to raise achievement. Select elementary schools located throughout the Portland Metropolitan area will be invited to participate in the Trail Blazers/Taco Bell Read to Achieve Tip-off in October. Each participating school will be invited to participate in the season-long “Trail Blazers Taco Bell Challenge.” Outstanding students and participating school districts will receive prizes for their efforts. Additionally, throughout the year, Trail Blazers representatives and Blaze will visit classrooms, deliver snacks, and help students stay motivated to read.
ABOUT NBA CARES
NBA Cares is the league's global community outreach initiative that addresses important social issues with an emphasis on programs that support education, youth and family development and health-related causes. Over the next five years, the league, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities around the world, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play.
