Twan to Sponsor Right Moves For Youth Tournament
CHARLOTTE, NC – Call it a “pay to play” event! That’s the way Right Moves For Youth (RMFY), a local nonprofit agency dedicated to reducing school drop-out, juvenile truancy, delinquency and violence in Mecklenburg County, refers to participation in its March Madness Basketball, Cheerleading and Step tournament that is held each spring to reward and recognize club members who have shown marked improvement in their school attendance or maintained less than a 10% absenteeism rate throughout the school year. This year’s March Madness Tournament, which is being sponsored by Charlotte native and Dallas Maverick’s star Antawn Jamison (#33), is slated for Saturday, March 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Latta Recreation Center, 510 East Park Avenue in Charlotte.
Approximately 250 youth will participate in this year’s tournament. The event is open to elementary, middle and high school RMFY club members. Only students who meet specific school attendance eligibility requirements set forth by Right Moves For Youth are eligible to participate in the tournament.
“Our club members look forward to competing in this tournament all year, so we use it as an incentive for improvement,” says Ericka M. Ellis-Stewart, Executive Director of Right Moves For Youth. “It’s what our agency refers to as our Pay to Play philosophy. In other words, we want our club members to understand that Right Moves For Youth isn’t just about competing in a basketball or cheerleading tournament, it’s about being the best possible person they can be and doing the very best they can do in school so that they can go on to succeed in life and to become successful, contributing adults,” explains Ellis-Stewart.
Right Moves For Youth is a non-profit organization that addresses the needs of children who lack the opportunity to succeed academically and socially. The agency serves nearly 2,000 youth annually and operates more than 100 school and community clubs. The agency utilizes a character-based curriculum and club programming to promote positive youth development and enhance academic accomplishments, leadership ability, life-skills awareness, self-esteem, civic responsibility and cultural awareness among its club members. Right Moves For Youth is a true community-oriented collaborative effort that involves the local school system, public safety and law enforcement agencies (such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office) and community volunteers in a unique partnership designed to keep young people in school, while decreasing juvenile delinquency and fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among disadvantaged youth.
"It's always an easy decision to fund projects in my hometown of Charlotte that make a difference in the lives of children,” says Jamison. “I feel that Right Moves for Youth is a great organization that is much needed within the school system and this March Madness Tournament is just one example of how the agency is helping inspire children to work hard. I'm just glad that I have the resources to be able to help out," adds Jamison. "I wish that I could be there at the tournament to really show my support of the children, however, due my NBA schedule I am not able to make it.”.
Jamison’s funding of the Right Moves For Youth tournament is just another element of his community relations campaign called A Better Tomorrow, that he started two years ago to help those less fortunate and make a difference in the lives of children in his hometown of Charlotte, NC. For more information about his campaign, see his official web site (www.antawnjamison.com)
For more information about the tournament or Right Moves For Youth, contact Kim M. Riggi, Development Director at 704-377-4425, ext. 106 or visit the agency’s web site at www.rightmovesforyouth.org.
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