Checkered Flag Run Foundation Answers President Obama’s Challenge to Help Youth Reach Their Full Potential

Local Sports Legends and Executives Gather to Inspire and Encourage More Than 500 Students at MBK: Sports Box Dialogue

On September 12, a panel of former professional athletes will convene at the My Brother’s Keeper: Sports Box Dialogue to share personal stories and insights and encourage middle school and high school students to pursue opportunities beyond the field, race track and court. This free event, presented by the Checkered Flag Run Foundation, whose mission is, “investing in education to ensure every student gets across the finish line.” This event will be co-presented by: The Black Chamber of Arizona, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Arizona Informant newspaper. This event is one of several local initiatives aligned with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge that was accepted by City of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and District 8 Councilwoman Kate Gallego.

The event will feature an esteemed panel moderated by the Honorable Art Hamilton and will include:

·         Simeon Rice, former Arizona Cardinal, Three-Time NFL Pro-Bowl Selection, Four-Time All Pro NFL Selection and 2003 NFL Super Bowl Champion
·         Cedric Ceballos, former Phoenix Sun, 1992 NBA Slam Dunk Champion, NBA 1995 All-Star Selection
·         Adrian Williams, former Phoenix Mercury, 2003 WNBA All-Star Selection
·         Augie Ojeda, former Arizona Diamondback

T.J. Millington, former NASCAR Truck Series Driver will also attend the event, along with several local executives, including De Jon Watson, senior vice president of baseball operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bryan R. Sperber, president of Phoenix International Raceway and Robert Sarver, owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.

The Checkered Flag Run Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides educational and enrichment resources for students designed to help prepare and motivate them to seek education beyond a high school diploma.

“As the school year commences, we want to begin planting seeds in the minds of our youth that will sprout ideas, goals and dreams that will position them for success in the near and distant future,” said Alan (AP) Powell, founder of the Checkered Flag Run Foundation. “Our panel’s unique experiences will provide great insight for local youth and help them to begin putting their future in perspective. We want our youth to see the big picture and the opportunities that education can afford them.”

“While the likelihood of a young athlete pursuing a career in professional sports is slim, the graduation success rate of college athletes is over 80 percent,” Powell continued.

MBK: Sports Dialogue Sponsors include: Arizona Diamondbacks, University of Phoenix College of Security & Criminal Justice, Pocket Teller Inc., Superstition Springs Jeep Chrysler Dodge, MESA Airlines, Phoenix Police Department, Rose+Moser+Allyn PR, Think Zilla PR and CityBuzz. Vendors will be onsite to provide information about internships as well as job and volunteer opportunities.

The first 500 youth in attendance with an accompanied adult at the event will receive complimentary tickets, t-shirts and transportation from Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, to the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game that evening at 5:10 p.m. at Chase Field, and back to the Church post game.

For Media RSVP for this event, and an opportunity to interview Alan “AP” Powell , please contact Velma Trayham via email Velma(at)itsthinkzilla.com, or by phone at 832-341-7431

For more information and to register for MBK: Sports Box Dialogue, visit http://cfrf.org The event will be held at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church (1401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix AZ 85034) from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. (doors open at 12:00pm) For additional information call: 602 258 0831.

About Checkered Flag Run Foundation
The Checkered Flag Run Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization that makes available school readiness tools for elementary and middle school students, career educational resources such as career inventory assessment/workshops for high school students to close the gap, and serves to increase educational attainment beyond a high school diploma.