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Thomas Hosts Stay In School Assembly at Eliot K-8

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BOSTON (March 23, 2017) – After clinching a spot in the 2017 Playoffs, most people would think the primary focus of the Boston Celtics should be on the court; however, on Thursday, Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas dedicated his time off the court by giving back to the students of Eliot K-8 School located in Boston’s historic North End.

As part of the Celtics’ Stay In School program, presented by the Arbella Insurance Foundation, the students joined Thomas for a morning assembly as a reward for having the most improved attendance among all Boston Public Schools during the months of January and February.

Founded in 2004, the Arbella Insurance Foundation engages in activities and supports non-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities they serve. The Stay In School program works to improve attendance in the Boston Public School system and increase student engagement with incentive-based prizing in the form of school-wide assemblies. It is also the longest-running educational initiative in all of American professional sports.

The K-8 School, which is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year, encourages its students to maximize their potential and create a culture of high achievement, making them the perfect reflection of the program’s acronym of P.R.I.D.E. – perseverance, respect, integrity, decision-making, and education.

At the assembly, Thomas was joined by Celtics Legend Dana Barros and team mascot Lucky, along with Arbella Insurance Foundation representative Jenn Reale and Boston Public School System representative Traci Walker Griffith.

The guest panel participated in small group discussions with the students. Each guest shared personal stories of how they overcame adversity, and expressed that the most important thing one can do to be successful is to believe in themselves.

“So many people told me I was never going to make it to college, that I would never make it to the NBA,” reflected Thomas. “But I knew what I was capable of.”

Echoing Thomas was Reale, who emphasized how respect for oneself and others can lead to success too.

“So remember, have respect for yourself, have respect for others, and that way you can achieve whatever you want to,” concluded Reale.

As the session wrapped up, Thomas joked that his height wasn’t the only similarity he shared with the students.

“Step one to being able to succeed in school is just being present inside the classroom,” explained Thomas.

And with a few head nods from the student body, Thomas left to prepare for Friday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns.