Silver & Black Give Back awards $50,000 to Team Up Challenge semifinalists

silver black give back Logo_Horizontal_AlternateSilver & Black Give Back today announced 20 student-led groups as the 2014-15 Team Up Challenge semifinalists. Each group will receive $2,500 to begin their service-learning projects. The 20 semifinalists were selected based on proposals submitted for projects to improve their communities. The semifinalists were announced in a surprise ceremony presented by SWBC at the AT&T Center, with help from Spurs forward Jeff Ayres, Stars head coach Dan Hughes, Rampage forward Quinton Howden, the Silver Dancers, Ice Girls, T-Bone, Team Energy and DJ Quake.

This year, semifinalist projects serve a wide range of community needs with many focusing on health and fitness, peer leadership, caring for the homeless and improving the environment. The 20 semifinalists represent four different local school districts: Alamo Heights ISD, North East ISD, Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD. In April, five groups will be selected as Champions based on their work within the community and each group will be presented with a check for $20,000 to continue their service-learning projects.

2014 – 2015 Team Up Challenge Semifinalists:
This year’s Team Up Challenge semifinalists: Alamo Heights Junior High School (Helping our Friends & Family), Briscoe Middle School (National Junior Honor Society), Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center/Lanier High School (Grandes y Pequeños), Colonial Hills Elementary School (Colonial Hills Giving Back), Construction Careers Academy (Parade of Homes), Estrada Achievement Center (Garden to Table), Franklin Elementary (The Connection Group), Graebner Elementary (Griffin Garden), Highland Park Elementary (Running Club), Highlands High School (Voices for Animals Club), International School of the Americas (Social Entrepreneurship), Lowell Middle School (S.O.L.E. Mates), MacArthur High School (JROTC), Mead Elementary School (Mead Student Council), Page Middle School (Stampede to Health Club), The Playhouse/Bonham Academy (The Playhouse Conservatory), Reagan High School (The Reagan Garden Project), Rogers Elementary (PALS), Smith Elementary (Team Tiger), Stevens High School (Transformers…the Fit Falcons).

The Team Up Challenge encourages students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to the real world, bringing education alive in powerful ways. Students create projects that address needs that will help improve their community in one of five categories: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health & Wellness or Uniformed Services.  As a premier initiative of Silver & Black Give Back, Spurs and Rampage players have worked alongside the students to help bring their vision to life. Visit TeamUpChallenge.com for more information.

About Silver & Black Give Back
Silver & Black Give Back is a 501(c)(3) public charity that invests in the community in partnership with the entire Spurs Sports & Entertainment family of teams.  Since 1988 our players, coaches and staff have focused on fostering young talent and enriching the community by encouraging local youth to become responsible adults and give back through programs like Spurs Youth Basketball League and Team Up Challenge. More information on Silver & Black Give Back can be found at www.sbgb.org.