Bryant Stith To Participate In Biathlon To Support Two Southside Virginia Projects
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Aug. 21, 2006
LAWRENCEVILLE – Bryant Stith has been a leader his entire life. As a standout basketball player at Brunswick High School, the University of Virginia and for 10 years in the National Basketball Association, Stith provided leadership on and off the court.
Now retired from professional basketball and back in his home area of Southside Virginia, Stith is a leader in his community. As a community leader, he’s going to put his athletic ability to the test one more time.
Stith and Dr. John Cavan, president of Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), are planning to bike and run from Charlottesville to Lawrenceville in support of two projects – SVCC’s Middle College and SCORE. The biathlon is called “Run, Bike, Score” and University of Virginia men’s head basketball coach Dave Leitao is the honorary chairman of the event.
Stith and Cavan begin the biathlon at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 23, and are scheduled to finish at the Alberta campus of Southside Virginia Community College on Saturday, Aug. 26. A silent and live celebrity auction is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the SVCC Workforce Development Center.
Setting Children On the Road to Empowerment (SCORE) is a non-profit organization founded by Stith. SCORE’s mission is to provide programs and services that stimulate and promote the physical, mental, economic, social and spiritual development of youth and families residing in Southside Virginia.
SVCC’S Middle College is a comprehensive program that addresses educational, career and personal goals. It is designed for students between the ages of 18 and 24, separated from high school, and averaging a ninth grade level on math and reading tests. Participants must be involved in all aspects of the program, including General Education Development (GED) preparation, workforce skills and career exploration and development. The program is free to all students.
In the Southside Virginia Community College service area, there are 23,947 adults without either a high school diploma or GED. The number of students who graduate from high school in the area is 27 percent below the state average. SVCC and SCORE are working together to address these problems through the “Run, Bike, Score” biathlon.
For additional information on the auction and for tickets, call Freddie Reekes at 434/949-1027. Auction items include an autographed Michael Jordan jersey, a Mickey Mantle autograph, and basketballs autographed by Dave Leitao, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Valvano.