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DENVER, Oct. 18 -- The entire Denver Nuggets team tipped off the 2008-09 NBA season with the 3rd Annual Open Practice sponsored by Humana, Colorado Beef Council and Metropolitan State College of Denver. The event, held Oct. 8, took place in the Auraria Events Center with the Nuggets hosting nearly 2,000 elementary and middle school students from Denver Public Schools. Team captain Carmelo Anthony got the event started by welcoming the students and talking about the importance of doing well in school. The kids cheered throughout the entire practice as the players went through their drills and scrimmage.

John Andrew from the DPS Athletics Department always enjoys the event. “This is a truly special day for our students in DPS," said Andrew. "They will remember this day for a long time and love being so close to the team, Rocky and the Dancers.”

The team also gave the students a treat by demonstrating a few awesome dunks and some backwards half-court shots. As an extra incentive, students received gift bags that included a Nuggets t-shirt, school folder with Nuggets schedule and two (2) tickets to a Nuggets preseason game. The participants will also have an opportunity to do Nuggets-themed math, writing and geography worksheets online for a chance for their class to win a private Nuggets appearance during the season.

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For teachers of the DPS classes that attended Open Practice: Listed below are links for the math, writing and geography trivia worksheets that have been created for your students. Teachers are welcome to do the activities as a class or individually if they would like to participate. The completed forms need to be sent to the address listed below by Friday, Nov. 7. One class will be selected at random to receive a player appearance and one school will receive a team autographed Open Practice banner. In addition, five middle school students who participate in the writing activity will be selected to receive 4 tickets to an upcoming Nuggets game.

Please contact Doug Fulton with any questions regarding the worksheets.

Student Worksheets:

Return Mailing Address:
Doug Fulton
Pepsi Center
1000 Chopper Circle
Denver, Colorado 80204