Silver & Black Give Back today named five student-led groups as this year’s 2014-15 Team Up Challenge Champions awarding $20,000 to each. Last fall, 20 Team Up Challenge semifinalists received $2,500 to help start their service learning projects. The five Champions were selected based on presentations made to the Team Up Challenge review committee, online voting and overall commitment to making a community impact over the course of the academic year.
 
2014 - 15 Team Up Challenge Champions:
Colonial Hills Elementary School (NEISD): Noticing a need for access to resources on healthy eating and physical activity in the area, Colonial Hills Giving Back hosted four community outreach events throughout the year. Each event was a fun way to educate their community on healthy living and benefitted a local organization. The students at Colonial Hills Elementary asked that those attending each event bring an item to be donated to an organization in need such as the San Antonio Food Bank. With the $20,000 the group plans to improve the school’s field and create walking trails for school and community use.
 
Construction Careers Academy (NISD): The students at Construction Careers Academy applied their construction skills to a series of shipping containers, creating living quarters to be presented to the community at the Parade of Homes. Each container had a theme: ADA Compliant, Green Energy, Indoor-Outdoor Living (double container), and the Man Cave using Smart Technology. Through this project, Construction Careers Academy was able to educate the community on the benefits and application of Green Energy features and the requirements for an ADA home. Construction Careers Academy plans to use the award money to provide upgraded fixtures and appliances in the ADA and Green Energy Homes.
 
Highlands High School (SAISD): After seeing an excess of stray animals in their neighborhood and at Southside Lions Park, students in the Voices for Animals program at Highlands High School met with District 3 City Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran and worked together to create a mobile vaccination event at the school. On Jan. 24, over 200 pets received free rabies vaccinations and more than 60 animals were signed up to be spayed or neutered. Each pet also received complimentary bags of food, treats and nail trims from the group. Throughout the project, Voices for Animals rescued and found homes for eight dogs and two cats, and helped reunite a dog with his owner. With the $20,000 the group will create toolkits that will help other schools implement the project in their neighborhoods, and will continue to assist a local animal shelter with veterinary, grooming, and food costs for dogs rescued from Southside Lions Park.
 
Mead Elementary School (NISD): The Mead Elementary School Student Council helped take learning beyond the classroom by designing a mobile library called “Sweet Stories” for their community. The group planned the library by ordering books, designing an official logo, and marketing on social media sites. Unique to the library are fiction and non-fiction stories published by the students, who also held storytelling events to promote literacy. With the $20,000 the Mead Elementary Student Council plans to purchase a small truck to house the library, and will buy physical books as well as iPads for digital books. The team also plans to purchase outdoor seating for mobile library events.
 
Stevens High School (NISD):  Stevens High School’s Transformers…The Fit Falcons is a team constructed from a variety of students on campus that wanted to make a difference in their community. The group crafted a Biggest Loser-style competition between students, staff and community members and earned experience as student personal trainers. The Fit Falcons offered free classes to the community on résumé building, financial education, continuing education resources, computer classes, and nutrition and healthy cooking, and provided free daycare for each. With the $20,000 the group will be able to create an outdoor recreational area on or near the campus, host motivational speakers, provide workbooks and materials, and create Family Fun Nights.
 
The Team Up Challenge encourages students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to the real world, bringing education alive in powerful ways. Students create projects that address needs that will help improve their community in one of five categories: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health & Wellness or Uniformed Services.  As a premier initiative of Silver & Black Give Back, Spurs and Rampage players have worked alongside the students to help bring their vision to life. Visit TeamUpChallenge.com for videos and photos of Spurs and Rampage players that teamed up with various projects throughout the year.
 
Silver & Black Give Back is a 501(c)(3) public charity that invests in the community in partnership with the entire Spurs Sports & Entertainment family of teams.  Since 1988 our players, coaches and staff have focused on fostering young talent and enriching the community by encouraging local youth to become responsible adults and give back through programs like Spurs Youth Basketball League and Team Up Challenge. More information on Silver & Black Give Back can be found at www.sbgb.org.