Boston Celtics & Southwest Airlines Announce "Assists" Program

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Hey Celt,

Boston Celtics & Southwest Airlines Announce Community Service Contest to Encourage and Promote Community Service Among Boston Public School Students

Winning team to make special trip with Celtics players to Washington D.C. on Southwest Airlines

For Immediate Release
April 14, 2000

Boston - The Boston Celtics and Southwest Airlines today launched a community outreach initiative designed to reward Boston Public Middle School students for community service.

Boston Celtics Center Pervis Ellison, Celtics front office staff and Southwest Airlines representatives visited students at the Timilty Middle School today to announce the five-week community service contest.  The winners will visit Washington D.C. on Southwest Airlines with two Celtics players.

Through a program called Assists, the Celtics and Southwest Airlines will invite teams of students from all twenty-six Boston Public Middle Schools to participate.  The Assists program is designed to inspire eighth grade students to improve their schools and neighborhoods.

Students are encouraged to create and implement a community service project that will  meet the needs of a local community and its members and make a positive impact in the community.

Students from all twenty-six Boston Public Middle Schools are eligible to participate.  The three teams who demonstrate a commitment to community service and teamwork through an imaginative, impactful community service project will be selected as finalists.  A committee consisting of Celtics players and staff, Southwest Airlines staff, and business and community leaders will judge entries of community service projects.

According to Boston Celtics General Manager Chris Wallace, "The Celtics are committed to a myriad of community outreach programs focused on youth.  This particular program is a creative way to help students develop an understanding of critical issues facing society and empower them to make a difference."

The grand prize winners will be rewarded with a trip to Washington D.C. on Southwest Airlines.  The students will spend a day of sightseeing in the Nation's capital accompanied by two of their favorite Celtics players.

The second place school team will be rewarded with a pizza party and school visit from a Celtics player.  Each student on the third place team will receive two tickets to a 2000-2001 Boston Celtics pre-season Game.  And, all students participating in the event will receive a special commemorative Boston Celtics/Southwest Airlines T-shirt.

"Southwest Airlines has a long-standing tradition of committing our time and resources to the communities we serve.  With the Assists program, we are able to help Boston's youth discover the importance of giving back to the Community," according to Ronda Ivy, Southwest Airlines Area Marketing Manager for Northern New England.

This initiative is part of the NBA Team Up program, a league-wide community outreach initiative whose goal is to encourage youth in grades 6-12 to develop a sense of civic responsibility by becoming more involved in their communities.


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