Bobcats Sports & Entertainment, Fox Sports Carolinas/Sportsouth
Join Together For Major Sponsorship of Y Achievers Program
March 21, 2013
Videos: Day of Service Recap | School Presentation | One-on-One with MJ | Y Achiever's Interview with MJGalleries: Day of Service Gallery | Day of Service Player Gallery | Y Achiever's Photo Gallery
Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & Chief Operating Officer Fred Whitfield, along with FOX Sports Carolinas/SportSouth Senior Vice President & General Manager Jeff Genthner, today announced the two organizations have joined together for a $200,000 sponsorship of Y Achievers, a YMCA of Greater Charlotte program that operates in partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Along with the $200,000 sponsorship, the two organizations will honor one student each from West Charlotte High School, West Mecklenburg High School and Vance High School with a $5,000 scholarship to help fund their educational goals after high school.
“We recognize and understand the importance of education in today’s world,” said Whitfield. “As an organization, we take pride in fulfilling our obligation to help our youth in the Charlotte community reach their potential and achieve ultimate success.”
Y Achievers is a national YMCA program designed to help teens set and pursue high educational and career goals resulting in graduation and acceptance into a post-secondary institute or adoption of a vocation. Y Achievers helps teens improve academic performance, develop a positive sense of self, build character, explore diverse college and career options, and interact with professionals who serve as role models.
“At the Y, we believe in nurturing the potential of all teens. That is why Y Achievers is offered to students at no cost,” said YMCA of Greater Charlotte President Andy Calhoun. “We are so grateful to Bobcats Sports & Entertainment and FOX Sports Carolinas/SportSouth for their generosity and support of Y Achievers and our community's young people.”
In partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Y Achievers addresses Charlotte's most critical need: increasing the graduation rate from 73.6% to 90% by 2014. Y Achievers helps teens set and reach post-secondary education and future career goals.
“The Bobcats and FOX Sports Carolinas/SportSouth are outstanding partners for our district, supporting the Y Achievers program as well as individual students with scholarships,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Heath Morrison. “We are so honored to have them as partners and we appreciate the generosity and dedication to helping our students succeed in high school and beyond.”
In addition to the donation, the entire staff of Bobcats Sports & Entertainment, including players and coaches, and a group of staff members from FOX Sports South’s corporate office in Atlanta are participating in a Day of Service that includes business of basketball symposiums at each of the three high schools, as well as smaller symposiums, classroom visits and tutoring sessions at six elementary and middle schools that feed into the three high schools.
“The success of the FOX Sports Regional Networks is built on strong partnerships with the communities we serve,” said Genthner. “Through our partnership with the Bobcats, this is a great opportunity to give back to the community through the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the YMCA Y Achievers program by helping these dedicated students achieve their full academic potential.”