Detroit Pistons Team Up With Cornerstone Schools To Honor Students

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The fifth annual “Pistons Scholars Night” takes place at The Palace on February 26, 2011, as the Detroit Pistons host the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. The Pistons and Genisys Credit Union will honor 50 Cornerstone Middle School students at halftime as part of their Making a Difference program, in which 600 Cornerstone students demonstrated academic excellence and earned Pistons tickets.

Bringing positive change to the community is part of the curriculum and culture at Cornerstone. The 50 students who will be honored at center court have not only achieved excellence in Cornerstone’s challenging curriculum, but they are finding ways, large and small, to make the world a better place.

Locally, these students have packaged food at Focus Hope and have raised more than $1,000 for the Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Club. Additionally, students have worked with Gleaner’s Food Bank to help collect nearly 2,000 pounds of food for local families in need. Globally, these students have supported a child in Africa for six years through World Vision International and have raised funds for their sister school, Cornerstone Uganda. In response to Haiti’s relief efforts, students collected and sent donations to earthquake victims, which is how Cornerstone was selected by Genisys Credit Union and the Detroit Pistons.

“This is a special night for Cornerstone,” said Ernestine Sanders, president and CEO of the Cornerstone Schools Association. “We make community service part of our curriculum and our culture. This recognition of our students’ hard work and giving spirit edifies all that these young people do.”

In addition to the halftime recognition, Cornerstone students will participate in a variety of other in-game activities throughout the game. One student will participate within the pregame ball boy experience, two students will act as honorary captains, 40 students will be make up the pregame and halftime fan tunnels and the Cornerstone Choir will sing the National Anthem before the game.

This annual “Pistons Scholars Night” event has become a major fundraiser for Cornerstone Schools and the Pistons-Palace Foundation will support by donating proceeds from the in-arena auction and Comcast Pistons Care Basketball Zone to help provide scholarship assistance for students.

About Cornerstone Schools: Cornerstone Schools was established in 1991 with the vision to create a model of excellence in urban education. Cornerstone offers a rigorous education to over 1,400 students in Pre-K through 8th grade at its independent and charter schools. For more information about Cornerstone Schools, please visit: https://www.cornerstoneschools.org or call Janice Perzigian: 313-892-1860, ext. 287.