Through Education & Literacy, we are committed to…

The NBA’s Read to Achieve campaign is a year-round national program designed to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and on-line literacy as well as encourage adults to read and talk regularly with children. Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports.

Read to Achieve serves as the NBA/WNBA’s and its’ team’s primary community activity and harnesses all of professional basketball’s best assets to impact one of the most pressing issue our society faces. The program promotes the value of reading and online literacy while encouraging families and adults to read regularly with young children.

The goals of this initiative is to build a lifelong love of reading in young people by providing greater access to books and technology; encourage and engage members of the NBA/WNBA family including current & former players, league and team personnel, coaches, wives and parents to participate in the program as a Volunteer Reading Coach and to use all of the NBA/WNBA assets to create ongoing public awareness of this initiative through courtside signage, PSA’s, NBA.com and NBA.com TV presence and events around the league.

At the local level, the Indiana Pacers Read to Achieve Program, presented by Chase, is composed of the following programs and events:

The Indiana Pacers present weekly reading timeouts throughout the season (November – April)

Special guest readers include members of the Indiana Pacers, Boomer, Bowser, the Indiana Pacemates and members of the Pacers All-Star reading “team”

Guest readers read students selected children’s stories from large oversized books. Students participating in the reading timeouts receive a Pacers Reading Kit, complete with a customized Pacers book, Pacers Hoop City, and other reading tools. Children also have the opportunity to win Pacers prizes including autographed items!

Each visit is approximately one hour in length with class sizes averaging 120 1st – 3rd grade students. This year’s reading timeouts will take place at the following schools:

The 2007-08 season marks the 7th season for the Reading TimeOut program.

The Indiana Pacers have developed an All-Star Reading Team featuring players, coaches, local dignitaries and celebrities.

Members of the All-Star Reading Team volunteer their time and knowledge to children throughout the city in various monthly events and activities that promote and bring public awareness to the value of reading. This includes press conferences, radio voice-overs, local/national print and television PSA’s, in-arena videos, etc.

This year’s team includes

The 2007-08 season marks the 7th year for the All-Star Reading Team.

In November 2007 the Indiana Pacers hosted the Read to Achieve Tip-Off at the Indianapolis Zoo as part of the Pacers Read to Achieve Program, presented by Chase.

Pacers players Stephen Graham, David Harrison & Courtney Sims, along with Pacers mascots Boomer and Bowser shared stories with students from the Pacers Learning Centers at IPS #103 (Francis Scott Key Elementary), IPS #44 (Riverside Elementary) and IPS #98 (T.C. Steele Elementary). Students had the opportunity to interact with select zoo animals including a Flemish Giant Rabbit, a dolphin and a Snake, and talk to the animal handlers about each animal.

Each child received a Pacers backpack and a Jermaine O’Neal Growth Chart, as well as the opportunity to win Pacers memorabilia. In addition, each school received tickets to two upcoming Pacers games.

In celebration of Dr. Seuss’ Birthday, the Indiana Pacers will host “Read to Achieve Night” at the Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks game on March 2, 2008.

As part of Read to Achieve Night, all Pacers players will be wearing Read to Achieve t-shirts during pregame warm-ups, All-Star reading team members will participate in pregame reading timeouts, a commemorative Read to Achieve poster will be distributed to the first 5,000 fans in attendance and fans can pick out a free book at the Free Book Giveaway!

The 2007-08 season will mark the inaugural year of Read to Achieve Night.

The Indiana Pacers, in conjunction with Bryant Heating & Cooling host a Free Book Giveaway once a month during the Pacers regular season.

Books are available beginning when doors open through the end of the first quarter (or while supplies last). Available books range from preschool to high school age. Fans can stop by the Free Book Giveaway table to receive their free books, with a limit of two books per person.

The 2007-08 season marks the 7th year for the Free Book Giveaway.

In celebration of Black History month, the Indiana Pacers in conjunction with the Indiana Historical Society, the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, Pepsi and Emmis Communications sponsor the Black History Challenge.

The Indiana Pacers air (10) :30 vignettes on Indiana African-American contributions, which are aired on Emmis radio stations during Pacers games, in-arena home games and all TV games during the month of February.

Pacers players and coaches read vignettes, supplemented by the Black History Challenge trivia quiz based on the audio/video facts which are read by the Pacers players. Challenge hints are also found through books and information resources at any Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library branch or at the Indiana Historical Society.

Entry game cards are available at any IMCPL branch library, the library’s Bookmobile, the Indiana Historical Society, Conseco Fieldhouse or by logging on to the Pacers website at www.pacers.com.

This program encourages children and families to discover more about Indiana Black History while earning a chance to win great prizes. Those with all 10 correct answers are automatically entered in a drawing to win a Grand Prize, a Family Fun Pack, including four free tickets to an Indiana Pacers game and on-court recognition! There is also one winner selected at each branch library.

The 2007-08 season marks the 8th year for the Black History Challenge.

Each year the Indiana Pacers team up with the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library and Best Access Systems to present Call-A-Pacer.

This annual program allows callers to listen to featured Pacers' players or coaches read a children’s story. Fans of all ages can call (317) 275-4444, to hear members of the Pacers read pre-selected children's stories. Phone lines are open 24 hours, and may be accessed by up to four listeners at a time.

Call-A-Pacer was created to encourage school-age children to read and visit their neighborhood library. All stories run for one week from April to July.

The 2007-08 season mark the 15th for the program.

Indiana Black Expo, Inc. (IBE) and the Indiana Pacers are pleased to partner for the 12th year to offer the 2008 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest sponsored in part by Chase. This contest is open to all middle and high school students in the state of Indiana.

Each year, students are asked about a specific event or activity involving Dr. King’s life and legacy. This year’s question for participating students is:

“In 1965, Dr. King stood by President Lyndon B. Johnson as he signed the Voting Rights Act. Describe the expansion of voting rights in America since the 1960’s. During the current Presidential election, is it important to vote and why? Why do people take it so lightly?”

Winners of the 2008 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest will be divided into two divisions: Division I for middle/junior high school students and Division II for high school students. Each winner receives four tickets to the Indiana Pacers’ game vs. the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, Jan. 19. The winners will be honored during a special on-court halftime ceremony and receive a savings bond. The school that has the most entries will receive 200 tickets to the Pacers vs. Kings’ game

“The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest is something we have been proud to associate ourselves with the past 11 years,” said Pacers CEO/President Donnie Walsh. “The beliefs of Dr. King, in particular his messages against violence, are something we have tried to carry on, not only through our own community efforts, but through this program. This is a tremendous opportunity for students to participate and honor Dr. King.”

The official entry form, containing the specific rules of the contest, can be obtained by visiting IndianaBlackExpo.com and Pacers.com or by calling (317) 925-2702.

Opening in 2001, the mission of Pacers Academy is to champion the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life.

Pacers Academy is a secondary alternative education concept for grades 7-8 and 11-12 designed to teach educational and life skills in a focused environment. This is achieved by offering smaller classes, school hours that better meet the needs of teens, and a service-learning component for middle school students and a jobs component for high school students.

This smaller school targets attendance, academic achievement and improved behavior. Emphasis is placed on building self-esteem to help students prepare for the challenges they will meet in the future. The school policies foster positive expectations and a “Pacers Academy” culture that teaches students to respect each other, the teachers and themselves.

The Indiana Pacers are an integral part of the Pacers Academy Middle School and High School providing student participation in community activities, player visits and more.

The Pacers Academy originally opened in August, 2001 as a middle-school and high-school.

In 2006-07, students were separated, creating a Pacers Academy Middle School (part of the IPS School System) at Union Station and a Pacers Academy High School (part of the Pike Township School System) located at Lafayette Square Mall.

During the 2005-06 Pacers season, the Indiana Pacers opened five Pacers Learning Center at Indianapolis Public Schools.

The Pacers Learning Centers provides books and technological resources to implement the National Basketball Association’s national reading initiative, Read to Achieve, at the local level.

The Pacers Learning Centers are utilized for reading groups, tutoring, homework clubs, and various character-building activities. In addition computer workstations are available to the teachers and students for research assignments.

The Pacers first learning center was opened in May, 2003 at Francis Scott Key Elementary (IPS #103). Additional learning centers were opened at IPS #87, IPS #44, IPS #31, IPS #82, and IPS #98.

Activities/programs that support the Pacers Learning Centers include:

• Abrams Academic Achievement Award
  

  The 2007-08 season marks the 7th season that the Indiana Pacers, in partnership with Pacers team physician Dr. John Abrams present the Abrams Academic Achievement Award.

  The Abrams Academic Achievement Award was established to recognize students at the Pacers Academy for their hard work and efforts in academic pursuits. In 2006-07 the award expanded to include students at each Pacers Learning Center.

  Each month a student is recognized during an on-court ceremony at an Indiana Pacers game, receiving two Krieg-DeVault Club Level tickets to the game, serves as the honorary ball kid at that night’s game, along with a Simon Mall Gift Certificate, a Certificate of Achievement and a Pacers goodie bag.

  Recipients have their name engraved on a plaque, which is displayed at their school.

• Start your day with the Pacers
  

  The Indiana Pacers host “Start Your Day with the Pacers” for students at select Pacers Learning Centers. K-6 grade students receive Pacers Back Packs as they exit school buses and enter their respective schools.

  In October 2007 students from Garfield Phoenix Elementary School #31, Riverside Elementary School #44 and Christian Park Elementary School #82 received backpacks from Pacers Front Office Personnel, Indiana Pacers Read to Achieve All-Star Reading Team Members, Boomer, Bowser and members of the Indiana Pacemates.

  The goal of the event is to encourage higher attendance rates and to supply students with the tools needed to achieve in school.

  The 2007-08 season marks the inaugural year for the program.

The 100 Black Men Scholastic Basketball Program was designed to raise the level of scholastic achievement in the classroom, at home and on and off the basketball court. Each week, Indianapolis Public School students are evaluated based on effort, conduct and attendance.

By achieving good scores in these areas, the students earn points which give them a chance to play basketball with the student’s basketball team and compete with other schools. The Pacers partner with the Indianapolis chapter of the 100 Black Men to sponsor this program.

Upon conclusion of the program, the Pacers host an awards ceremony for the top 12 students at seven participating IPS schools. Pacers players and mascots attend the ceremony to distribute medals, certificates and goodie bags to the students.

Since its inception, over 700 children have been recognized for their outstanding achievement in this program.