Before

The Detroit Pistons Reading and Learning Center Opened at the Police Athletic League St. James Activity Center in Detroit on April 11, 2002

Fifty Detroit youngsters who participate in Police Athletic League programs soared into cyberspace with a little help from Detroit Pistons Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Curry, Corliss Williamson, Rodney White, and Deanna Nolan of the Detroit Shock during the grand opening of the Detroit Pistons Reading and Learning Center at the PAL St. James Activity Center in Detroit. NBA legend Bob Lanier represented the NBA as master of ceremonies at the grand opening ceremony. PAL Commanding Officer Lt. Donald Wilson, IBM Senior Location Executive William E. Luse, and President of Palace Sports & Entertainment Tom Wilson spoke to the importance of reading and closing the technology gap that exists for inner city children. Players and All Star Reading Team members read to the children in attendance and worked with them one-on-one at the computer stations.

After

The Detroit Pistons were chosen by the NBA and IBM to receive a donation of 12 computers for the center. IBM will also coordinate training of students and staff on computer literacy. The center is now home to the IBM computers with Internet access donated by Speedlink. The Detroit Pistons donated carpeting, computer desks, tables and chairs, two futons, bookcases, a fish tank, a bulletin board, educational posters, maps and wall art, a globe, stuffed animals and toys, and Pistons bean bag chairs. Sponsors of the Detroit Pistons Read To Achieve program are Coca Cola, Nike and Ticketmaster. Detroit artist Kevin Cartwright volunteered his efforts to paint a mural featuring Jerry Stackhouse, a policeman and Detroit children playing on the wall of the center.

More than 2,000 of the books collected by the Detroit Pistons at home games and in metro-area Starbucks locations throughout the month of March were donated to create an after-school library in the reading and learning center.

The PAL St. James Activity Center serves over 500 Detroit children from ages 6 to 18 in after-school and weekend activities including basketball, arts and crafts, martial arts, tutoring, and youth advising. The center is also home to basketball leagues and parenting workshops for members of the Detroit community.