L.A. SPARKS PARTNER WITH THE "I HAVE A DREAM" FOUNDATION - LOS ANGELES TO HELP MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE LOS ANGELES YOUTH
LISA LESLIE (CLASS OF 1994) AND MICHAEL COOPER TO TOUR UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH DREAMERS ON FRIDAY, JULY 17th
(Los Angeles, CA - July 9, 2009) The Los Angeles Sparks and the "I Have a Dream" Foundation-Los Angeles today announced a partnership to improve and inspire the success of students across Los Angeles.
To tip-off the partnership, Sparks Head Coach Michael Cooper and 1994 USC graduate and Inglewood native, Lisa Leslie will tour the University of Southern California campus along with 50 children from the foundation (Dreamers) on Friday, July 17th.
The purpose of the tour is to help Dreamers picture themselves on a college campus with both Leslie and Cooper serving as inspiration. "I Have a Dream" begins to create a college going culture when the Dreamers are in first grade and this tour will reinforce the importance of education for all of the students.
"This partnership is a great way for our players and staff to be involved as role models," said Kristin Bernert, Sparks President. "We believe that being positive examples to our youth will help build a stronger Los Angeles community in the future."
The partnership consists of several elements including the tour of USC's campus on Friday, July 17th and an "I Have a Dream Night" on Sept. 8 as the Sparks take on the San Antonio Silver Stars. On the Sparks "I Have a Dream Night," all of the Dreamers, their mentors and volunteers participating in the program will be invited and the Foundation will have the opportunity to honor their top volunteers on court.
The "I Have a Dream" Foundation begins to transform the lives of Dreamers early, and is extremely comprehensive and virtually continuous from the day they adopt the student in first grade until they graduate from high school and beyond.
"Lisa and Michael and the entire team are terrific role models for our Dreamers," said Wendy Free, Executive Director of "I Have a Dream" Foundation-Los Angeles. "Their belief in the importance of education and their commitment to the sport are great examples for our students. We look forward to a long and successful partnership."
Founded in 1987, the "I Have a Dream Foundation"-Los Angeles has helped nearly 900 Dreamers in the Los Angeles area graduate from high school and prepared for college and careers. The program adopts the entire first grade at a low-performing school in an economically disadvantaged area and provides these same children a 12-year program of academic support and enrichment, social/emotional development, college and career preparation, parental and family involvement and civic engagement. This long-term, comprehensive program has amazing results. In areas with high school graduation rates as low as 35%, over 80% of Dreamers graduate on time and over 60% go on to college. It currently has twelfth grade Dreamers in Pasadena, ninth grade Dreamers in Boyle Heights and third and fourth grade Dreamers in Inglewood.
For more information on the Sparks partnership with the I Have a Dream Foundation, Sparks community initiatives or how you can be involved, please visit www.lasparks.com.
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