Brooklyn, NY - January 27th, 2014 - Brooklyn Nets basketball player Alan Anderson took time out from his busy schedule to visit students at a National Grid partner school in the U.K. during the NBA global games series.
Anderson – who was in London with his teammates for their game against the Atlanta Hawks at the O2 Arena – shared some insights on his own career success during a visit to Whitmore Primary School in Hackney.
Alan took questions from the students and young volunteers from City Year UK, known as corps members, who provide the children with additional support in and out of the classroom. Alan revealed how he achieved his dreams and what it’s like playing for the Brooklyn Nets, before taking to the school’s courts for a gym lesson with a difference. Children and corps members were soon dribbling, passing, shooting and ‘slam dunking’ with Alan.
National Grid has been active with City Year since 2002, working with corp members at schools across the company’s service area in New York, and New England. As the Northeast Regional Sponsor of City Year’s Whole School Whole Child program National Grid’s partnership helps students improve attendance, behavior and educational performance and encourages them to study science, technology, engineering and math or STEM. The company also serves as a member of City Year’s Team Sponsor Program, supporting the City Year team that serves full-time at PS 149 in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood as tutors, mentors and role models. In 2011, National Grid launched a partnership with City Year London at Whitmore Primary School.
“I really enjoyed meeting the children, teachers and volunteers – it showed me another side of London which most visitors don’t get to see,” said Anderson. “It’s encouraging to see what National Grid and City Year are doing with schools to help inspire the next generation and it’s great that the Brooklyn Nets have been able to lend a hand.”
“We have been extremely impressed by the impact of the City Year program in the U.S. and are excited about partner with them on both sides of the Atlantic,” said, Ken Daly, President, National Grid – New York. “The Brooklyn Nets visiting our National Grid City Year team in the U.K. is another great example of how to inspire young people to find their passion and reach their potential – whether it’s basketball, math, science or engineering.”
National Grid is the proud energy partner of the Brooklyn Nets, the natural gas provider to Barclays Center and the presenting sponsor of the arena’s ‘B’ Green initiative to inspire Barclays Center guests to help the environment based on the sustainability practices the arena is incorporating into its own operations.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it ‘joins everything up’.
In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.
National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
For more information, please visit their website.
