Penn Relays

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PHILADELPHIA – As part of its sponsorship of the USA vs. the World event at the Penn Relays, Verizon presented a $1,500 college scholarship on April 24 to the winner of its Verizon Youth Tech Essay competition and recognized 10 other winners by presenting each of them with a new personal computer.

Verizon is also an official sponsor of USA Track & Field and for the third year the company sponsored of the NBC broadcast of the USA vs. the World event at the Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field.

The essay competition, in which students wrote about how technology can help improve their communities, was held last fall in conjunction with Verizon Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia School District.

“We are proud that our sponsorship of USA Track & Field, and the USA vs. the World at the Penn Relays gives us an opportunity to demonstrate our continued support for youngsters and the communities we serve with initiatives that promote education,” said Jim Reed, director of external affairs for Verizon-Pennsylvania.

Tamarah Cordice, the scholarship winner, said, “This scholarship from Verizon means a lot to me. It shows me that my hard work is important not just to me, but to my family and my community as well. I am honored to have Verizon recognize my hard work and invest in my future.”

The essay winners also attended the company-sponsored Verizon Block Party, featuring music, dancers and celebrity athletes Jon Drummond, Allyson Felix and Justin Gatlin. The party, held on the university’s Franklin Field tennis courts, celebrated Philadelphia ’s Caribbean and African-American cultures with a Caribbean band and dance troupe. The event also featured performances by jugglers and stilt walkers.

USA vs. the World at the Penn Relays marks the official start of the USA Track & Field outdoor season and gives the community an opportunity to watch Olympians and Olympic hopefuls. The competitors also included high school and elementary school students, who competed during the School Day shuttle races.

The three-day Penn Relays, now in its 110 th year, attracts more than 100,000 spectators annually and is one of the most exciting track and field events. Verizon sponsored the Men’s 4x100-meter relay at the USA vs. the World event, which will pit Team USA against a powerful Jamaican squad and other international teams.

“The Penn Relays is a vital part of the community and is one of the most important and historic track and field competitions in the world,” said USATF CEO Craig Masback. “Athletes who compete here often go on to give back to the sport through coaching, administration and working with young people. With Verizon’s support, we are able to help sustain the Penn Relays legacy through USA vs. The World.”

For more information, call 215-898-6151 or visit www.verizon.com/usatrackandfield or www.usatf.org.

Verizon Foundation last year awarded more than 21,000 grants totaling about $70 million to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, enriching communities through technology, and creating a skilled work force. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer more than 595,000 hours in their communities and provided $34.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation