Celtics and Sport in Society take a time-out for the Harbor School
Contact - Brylee Maxfield
617-373-8481
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(2-8-05) BOSTON, Mass. � The Center for the Study of Sport in Society�s Project TEAMWORK staff teamed up with Tony Allen and Delonte West from the Boston Celtics on Thursday, February 2 at 9:00 a.m. to celebrate the high achievement and also encourage the students of the Harbor Middle School in Dorchester to continue to take pride in their school work.
More than 260 middle school students filled the Harbor Middle School auditorium in anticipation of meeting the Celtics teammates. Students greeted West and Allen with a roar of cheers rivaling any game as they took the stage along with Antonio Arrendel and Kirsten Watson, both training specialist with Project TEAMWORK, to begin the program.
Based on the premise that children are influenced by sports figures, the Stay in School program uses athletes to encourage good attendance. Celtics players, coaches, staff and partners delivered a special program using the acronym "PRIDE" (Positive mental attitude; Respect; Intelligent choices; Dreams and goals; Effort and education). Students who participated with the program were rewarded with two tickets to the Celtics game against the L.A. Clippers Friday, February 3.
��R� represents respect. You need to establish who you are as a person and show respect,� advised Delonte. �Especially be respectful to your teachers. Treat your teachers and friends with the respect you want to be treated. If you don�t act like a child they won�t treat you like a child.�
Tackling the letter �D�, Arrendel told the story of a young man from the streets of Dorchester who, with the help of a mentor, stuck to his dreams and goals and parlayed them into a successful sports and professional career. He then surprised the crowd with the revelation that he was the young man.
Allen closed with the letter �E�, which represents education and effort. Allen emphasized the importance of education drawing on his own degree in education, which he earned as a backup plan for himself if he was not able to play basketball.
Project TEAMWORK is a 6-hour diversity awareness and conflict resolution program facilitated by former collegiate student-athletes. This multi-racial, mixed gender team is trained to work with middle and high school students to combat all forms of discrimination, and teach practical conflict resolution skills.
About Sport in Society
The Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University is one of the world�s leading social justice organizations that use sport to create social change both nationally and internationally. The flagship organization located in the heart of Boston, Mass. was founded in 1984 by Dr. Richard Lapchick and touts branches in Baltimore, Md. and Phoenix, Ariz. Through research, education, and advocacy the center promotes physical activity, health, violence prevention, and diversity among young people and college and professional athletes. Sport in Society�s innovative programs are all staffed by former college or professional athletes and have been awarded America�s most successful violence prevention program by Lou Harris, the Peter F. Ducker Award as the most innovative non-profit program in the social sector, and have been cited as the National Crime Prevention Council�s 50 Best Strategies to Prevent Violent Domestic Crimes. For more information please visit http://www.sportinsociety.org.
