Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation
From Hoopedia
The mission of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation is to extend the reach of the Celtics championship legacy into our community. The Shamrock Foundation benefits our children directly, through programs that provide education and support. The Shamrock foundation also partners with community based organizations that provide healthcare, shelter and vital services for children in need.
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Heroes Among Us
The Heroes Among Us program is one of the premier community outreach programs in professional sports. Established as an initiative of the Boston Celtics in 1997, Heroes Among Us honors individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on the lives of others.
The Heroes Among Us Award is presented to an individual or individuals who, through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit, have made exceptional and lasting contributions to our community. At each home game, the Celtics and their fans have saluted the exemplary efforts of these citizens during a special in-game presentation on the legendary parquet floor. In addition, the Boston Celtics and Massachusetts State Lottery will donate four copies of The Boston Celtics Hero Book to a local library in the individual's hometown.
To date, over 380 individuals have received the Heroes Among Us Award. This program is proudly presented by the Mass State Lottery, with support from WRKO 680 AM and Fox Sports New England.
Read to Achieve
The NBA Read to Achieve program is designed to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read regularly with children. Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports. The Boston Celtics' Read to Achieve program consists of a variety of events including player appearances, school visits, book drives and the establishment of reading corners and learning centers.
This past October the Celtics began working with the National Braille Press to help supply blind children with reading materials. Over the past four years, players, coaches, media and members of the Celtics All-Star Reading Team reach out to more than 14,000 children at 45 local schools, while donating 13,000 books.
Working in partnership with the ReadBoston program, the Celtics are proud to present the Read to Achieve program to local students. Each year students in the ReadBoston program track the amount of time they read during the month. Students who reach their reading goals receive a special Read to Achieve prize. As an added incentive, the Celtics also host a monthly read-aloud event at a participating school with various members of the All-Star Reading Team.
The Boston Celtics have also opened two Reading and Learning Centers in Massachusetts. In May of 2002, the first Reading and Learning Center was opened at the YWCA of Greater Lawrence. The second was opened in November of 2003 at the Roxbury YMCA.
Stay in School
The Boston Celtics Stay in School program is a collaboration of efforts from the Celtics, the New England Sports Museum, the Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sport in Society and the Boston Public Schools. The 2006-07 season marks the 16th year of the Stay in School program in Boston Public Middle Schools.
Based on the premise that children are influenced by sports figures, the Stay in School program uses athletes to encourage good attendance, which plays an instrumental role in determining future scholastic success.
At five assemblies during the academic year, Celtics players and coaches visit and deliver a special program using the acronym "PRIDE" (Positive mental attitude; Respect; Intelligent choices; Dreams and goals; Effort and education). At the end of each year, the top 1,000 students are honored for their attendance and academic accomplishments at a celebration. Participation includes 27 public middle schools in Boston in grades six, seven, and eight.
Students are rewarded each month for perfect attendance and on-time arrival for school. In addition to this, students are encouraged to strengthen their writing skills by submitting essays on given topics, as well as submit art drawings.
In addition to students, teachers are also encouraged to become involved in the program by developing sports related curriculums. Teachers are also recognized for their contribution to the Stay in School program. More than 40,000 Boston students have participated in the program since its inception. The program has seen tremendous results for it efforts and involvement in the program has increased each year.
Boston Celtic's Women's Group
The Celtics Women's Group is an organization of women who are partners, wives, and mothers of Celtics players, coaches, ownership and management. The Celtics Women's Group was created to help advance the philanthropic goals of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation (BCSF).
