LIVING CLASSROOMS TO HOST RIBBON-CUTTING/OPENING CEREMONY FOR NEW PATTERSON PARK YOUTH SPORTS AND EDUCATION CENTER
Partners and professional athletes come together to celebrate new sports and education facility that will serve East Baltimore youth and schools with Living Classrooms' Scholar-Athlete and health and wellness programming
BALTIMORE—*Living Classrooms Foundation, in partnership with the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS), local agencies, and community and corporate partners, will celebrate the grand opening of thePatterson Park Youth Sports and Education Center Powered by Under ArmouronTuesday, November 20. Partners, funders, and supporters of Living Classrooms will welcome students and families to the newly constructed 5,000 square-foot facility in anopening ceremony beginning at 11 a.m.followed by activities with professional athletes and students to kick off the first touchdown, first field goal, first pitch, and first goal scored on this new field.*
The ceremony will include brief remarks by Living Classrooms President and CEO James Piper Bond, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, BCPSS CEO Dr. Andres Alonso, City Council President Jack Young, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, CongressmanElijah Cummings, Coach for America's Joe Ehrmann, Baltimore Ravens President Dick Cass, Dept. of Recreation and Parks' Bill Vandrasek, BCPSS School Commissioner Bob Heck, Dr. Josh Sharfstein, and others. Immediately after the speakers, athletes from the Ravens, Blast, Bayhawks, and Orioles will join students in ceremonial activities to commemorate this day. Athletes in attendance include: Baltimore Ravens Torrey Smith and Justin Tucker; Bayhawks Ben Rubeor, Alex Smith, and others; Lenny Moore (Hall of Fame- Baltimore Colts); Baltimore Oriole Steven Johnson, Baltimore Blast players (to be announced); and local high school sports stars including Steven Kelly (Calvert Hall). Also in attendance will be Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot, MD Attorney General Doug Gansler, Senators Frank Kelly and Bill Ferguson, Delegates Brian McHale and Peter Hammen, Councilmembers James Kraft and Nick Mosby, and other project supporters.
The Patterson Park Youth Sports and Education Center will offer much-needed physical education programming for youth and schools in the area. In addition, the facilities and space will provide East Baltimore's youth and families a safe place to exercise, learn, play and build healthy lifestyles. The facility includes a new, multi-purpose turf field and an educational building equipped with computers and technology serving students daily. Over 1,000 students from local East Baltimore schools will utilize the Sports and Education Center each year.
WHAT: Opening Ceremony for the Patterson Park Youth Sports and Education Center
* Powered by Under Armour*
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WHEN: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Patterson Park Youth Sports and Education Center (Utz Twardowicz Field)
200 South Linwood Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
(building and field adjacent to ice rink)
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WHO: The opening ceremony will feature notable guests, including:
- James Piper Bond, President and CEO of Living Classrooms Foundation*
- Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake*
- Baltimore City Council President Jack Young*
- Dr. Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools*
- Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour*
- Bill Vandrasek, Baltimore City Department of Parks and Recreation*
- Doug Gansler, Maryland Attorney General
- Joe Ehrmann*
- Senator Bill Ferguson
- Senator Frank Kelly
- Congressman Elijah Cummings*
- Delegate Brian McHale
- Delegate Peter Hammen
- Councilman James Kraft
- Councilman Nick Mosby
- Dick Cass, President of the Baltimore Ravens*
- Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
- Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens
- Bob Heck, BCPSS School Commissioner
- Steven Kelly (Calvert Hall School)
- Dr. Josh Sharfstein, Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Baltimore City Health Commissioner
- Baltimore Oriole Steve Johnson
- 150 students representing nine East Baltimore schools
*indicates speaker
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INFO: The Center was made possible by a public-private partnership with Living Classrooms, the City of Baltimore, and several businesses and foundations as part of the organization's health and wellness initiative in an East Baltimore Target Investment Zone — a long-term effort to improve the education and self-sufficiency of Baltimore's Eastside children and adults in order to help break a cycle of poverty and revitalize the community.
RSVP: Members of the press are encouraged to RSVP to Bridget M. Deise at bridget.deise@gkv.com or 410-234-2392 so that accommodations can be made for seating, parking and photography.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
- After the opening ceremony remarks, students, families and professional athletes will be encouraged to run on to the field through a tunnel of cheerleaders and supporters from Living Classrooms.
- Upon entering the field, students and professional athletes will conduct ceremonial activities on the field including a ceremonial pitch, kick, goal, and catch for the four respective sports: football, lacrosse, soccer, and baseball. Subsequently, students will participate in organized sports at nine sports activity stations on the field led by some of Baltimore's most well-known professional lacrosse, football, soccer and baseball athletes.
- Photo opp with students, partners, politicians immediately following the ceremony
