[media-credit name=”87ers” align=”aligncenter” width=”1000″]
[/media-credit]
Mayor Mike Purzycki announced that FREE scholarships are available for ten Wilmington children between the ages of 7 and 13 so they can attend one of two upcoming basketball camps sponsored by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mayor also congratulated the 76ers for their recent playoff win and their quest for the NBA Championship.
Each young person—boy or girl—who is selected for a scholarship will receive camp tuition, an official Sixers Camp reversible practice jersey, two tickets to a 76ers private team practice or pre-season game, a certificate of camp achievement and a Sixers camp handbook. The young athletes will also receive a FREE lunch each day of the camp.
To qualify for a basketball camp scholarship, certain requirements have to be met. Youth applicants must live in Wilmington, they must submit a letter of recommendation from the school they attend, and they must submit a two-paragraph essay on why they should be selected for the camp. The deadline to apply is Thursday, May 3. Winners will be chosen by the Mayor and his staff and will be announced on Friday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. during a Facebook Live event via Mayor Purzycki’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/MayorMikePurzycki).
The first 76ers camp will be held on Monday, June 18 through Friday, June 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at Wilmington Friends School on Barley Mill Road. The second camp will be held from Monday, August 6 through Friday, August 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Tatnall School at 101 School Road. Campers will learn skills that will improve every aspect of their game such as ball handling, passing, offense with and without the ball, shooting, rebounding, and defense regardless of what position they play.
“Similar to our recent football camp, the Sixers Basketball Day Camps give young people the opportunity to train with professional athletes and coaches,” said Mayor Purzycki. “These camps also instill the importance of sportsmanship and team building which can be applied to everyday life. I am grateful to the 76ers for scheduling the camps in our community, and to our sponsors for giving young boys and girls from Wilmington the opportunity to enjoy the camps.”
City Council President Hanifa Shabazz, who has championed the implementation of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council’s (WCAC) recommendations on eradicating youth violence in Wilmington, thanked the Mayor today for offering the scholarships. The WCAC was formed after the Centers for Disease Control issued findings on youth violence in Wilmington and offered suggestions on how to ensure there are opportunities for City children to support their positive growth and help them reject negative influences.
“Mayor Purzycki and I will continue to work together so our children know that we care about them and want them to succeed,” said Shabazz. “I join with the Wilmington Community Advisory Council to thank the 76ers for their positive influence on our children.”
10 children in Wilmington will attend the camp at no charge.
For more information about a FREE scholarship or to apply, contact Ashley Christopher in Mayor Purzycki’s office by calling 302-576-2110 or emailing Ashley at [email protected] or you can contact Earl Cooper in the Mayor’s office at 302-576-2133 or email Earl at [email protected].
To download a copy of the application form, please use this link: http://bit.ly/76ersCampScholarship
Source: Mayors Office