FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Michelle Ciccone
June 28, 2013
Summer Advantage USA
mciccone@summeradvantage.org
Indianapolis, Indiana - National education reformer Earl Martin Phalen, has been awarded the Silver Anniversary Award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Prior recipients include NBA Legend Bill Walton, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson and Doug Flutie.
The award recognizes former student athletes on the 25 th anniversary of their graduation. To be eligible, the nominee must be a varsity letter-winner at an NCAA member institution and achieved personal distinction since his or her graduation.
The selection criteria are weighted 40 percent to the nominee’s status as a prominent collegiate athlete and 60 percent to the nominee’s career achievement.
A former Varsity member of the Yale University basketball team, Phalen is the Founder of Summer Advantage USA and the George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies.
Recognized by TIME, MSNBC, and Black Entertainment Television (BET), Summer Advantage’s research-based summer programs impacts the performance of students and school districts across the nation.
Based on the high achievement of Summer Advantage scholars, in 2012 the Indiana Charter School Board granted approval to the George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies to open 10 Academies. Named after Phalen’s parents, the Academies will serve over 10,000 children.
Prior to Summer Advantage USA and the Phalen Leadership Academies, as a Harvard law student, Phalen co - founded BELL. Starting as a community service project, BELL grew from educating 20 children on a budget of $12k to a national non-profit annually educating 15,000 scholars with a budget of $27.5M.
The Silver Anniversary Awards Ceremony will be held Friday, January 17th, 2014 in San Diego, California.
The NCAA is a nonprofit association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organize American collegiate athletic programs and competitions.
Recognized by TIME, Parents Magazine, and MSNBC, Summer Advantage USA is one of the nation's few research based summer learning programs that works with school districts and students to increase academic performance. Over the past four years, Summer Advantage USA has engaged over 10,000 students in summer learning.
Building on the scientifically validated model and successful track record of Summer Advantage USA, the Phalen Leadership Academy (PLA) will work to ensure all scholars meet high academic and social standards, and thrive as leaders at home, in their communities and in the world.