Inglewood Unified School District Board members welcome Paul Pierce to the community to meet the students (L to R): Arnold Butler (board president), Trina Williams, Gizelle Carol Raines-Brown, Pierce, Dr. Johnny Young, Pierce’s mother, and members of his family.
Back row (L to R) Arnold Butler (board president), Trina Williams, Gizelle Carol Raines-Brown, Paul Pierce, Dr. Johnny Young, and members of Pierce’s family;
Front row: students of Inglewood High School. Photos by Amon Head
Unlike most of the players on the All-Star team, who visited other areas, Pierce honored the community by visiting and spending time with the students at his high school
by Jasmyne Cannick,
Sentinel Contributing Writer
One of Inglewood’s most famous alumni returned Saturday to Inglewood High School to promote his FitClub34. An All-Star, MVP, and part of the Boston Celtics’ family, Paul Pierce beamed with pride as he watched a group of Inglewood high school and middle school kids run through a series of fitness stations.
Pierce and Microsoft’s Bing played host to the All-Star Health & Fitness Festival in the very gym where Paul honed his craft and dedicated his life to fitness at the highest level.
In addition, Pierce transformed the school’s old weight room into a state of the art student lounge and locker room with the help of a top design team.
For a school district that facing a multi-million dollar deficit, it’s gifts like Pierce’s that really make a difference for both the Administration and the students.
Board President, Mr. Arnold C. Butler said, “Watching Paul leave Inglewood and go into the NBA has been exciting. But even more exciting and rewarding is his commitment to the students coming behind him.”
Pierce’s The Truth Fund launched The Truth on Health Campaign to help empower and encourage young people to lead healthier lifestyles. The Truth on Health includes an awareness campaign and sustainable programming for young people to live healthy lifestyles – incorporating physical fitness and healthy eating, and encouraging a commitment/pledge of 60 minutes per day dedicated to physical activity.
FitClub34 is a rewards-based fan club turned “fit” club that provides children with the information, resources, and tools necessary to become more active and physically fit. Members must make a promise to lead a healthier lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising for one hour per day.
Members receive the Paul Pierce Activity Watch, powered by Switch2Health (S2H), to track their physical activity, receive a rewards code and accrue points to win a number of prizes including an iPod Nano, Nintendo Wii, a Paul Pierce signed jersey, or the chance to meet the All-Star.
“I look at my high school as the place where it all started for me as far as basketball goes, and I’m real grateful for all the support I got from the coaches and teammates I had over the years,” said Pierce. “If it weren’t for Inglewood High School, I flat out wouldn’t be where I am today.
Sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. I used to run my camps there every year and I even announced where I was goin’ to college right there in the gym.
He continued by saying that, “Not only did I learn how to play ball and get an education there, but I also learned what I needed to do to stay in shape and be healthy. That was a huge factor in helping me get on the right path for my career. And my Truth on Health program was inspired by what I learned from my experiences playing ball and being an athlete at Inglewood High School, so for that I wanna try to do what I can to return the favor.”
Among those on hand to help Pierce and the students celebrate was Michael Bivvens, founder and member of the R&B group New Edition and the hip hop group Bell Biv DeVo.
