Oak Park kids are winners in WNBA ticket contest

A state-of-the-art reading and learning center has come online in one of Sacramento's poorest neighborhoods.

The $25,000 facility, complete with a bank of 12 computer work stations, had its grand opening last week at Oak Ridge Elementary School in Oak Park.

"This is huge," Principal Steve Lewis said at the ribbon-cutting. "I believe because of this center, our kids will be able to achieve to their full potential."

The reading and learning center was the grand prize in the 2007 "Court of Dreams" contest sponsored by the Women's National Basketball Association. Community groups in each of the 13 WNBA team markets competed to sell the most tickets for local WNBA games. The battle was won by Northern California Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, which chose Oak Ridge Elementary, at 4501 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., as the beneficiary. This was the third consecutive year that a Court of Dreams has been won for Sacramento – though for the first time, the prize was a learning center, not a basketball court.

"This is probably more satisfying than even the first year," said Kiwanis member Gary Christensen, a co-leader of the annual ticket drives dating to 2005.

"I'm sure many of the Oak Ridge students don't have computers at home," he said. "It's great to boost and support their school's academic program."

Attorney Doug Kraft, who co-led all three ticket campaigns on behalf of Rotary District 5180, also basked in the latest victory.

"We worked very hard on this project," he said. "And this is the payoff – seeing all these kids and hopefully being able to impact them in the future."

Most of the school's 460 students sat in a playground, waiting to see the ceremony. They were entertained by Monty, the Monarchs mascot, who danced while tossing souvenir mini- basketballs into the crowd.

The children applauded when Yolanda Griffith, the Monarchs center, was introduced.

"I'm excited today," Griffith told the youngsters. "I'm so excited, I can't wait to go into the new learning center."

When the learning center opened moments later in a former classroom, Griffith was inside to again greet the boys and girls.

While some headed directly for the computers, others, including third-grader Aarmon Ewing, 8, made a beeline for a jumbo TV set in the back.

He and some friends immediately activated an Xbox system attached to the set, which also plays educational DVDs.

"Are you good?" Griffith asked the small group as they fidgeted with the controls before playing "NBA Live '07."

"I'm good," Aarmon assured her, without taking his eyes off the screen.

Aarmon later said he was referring not only to his Xbox skills, but to his status as a top student.

"The center is great," Aarmon said, in a statement that could have referred both to Griffith and to the learning center.

But his follow-up comment clarified what he meant.

"It's for us to learn," he said.

Fifth-grader Greg Ramirez, 10, said the learning center "is good, because it's going to help us learn a lot. I like the computers and the Xbox."

Each of the 12 computer work stations also was occupied.

Connected to the Internet, the work stations are programmed with special software, allowing students to do research papers on subjects ranging from foreign languages to history.

In 2005, the first year they entered the contest, Christensen and Kraft set out to win a basketball court for the Children's Receiving Home of Sacramento.

The pair and their clubs sold 5,748 tickets for the Monarchs' 2005 home opener. But the court was won by community groups in Washington, D.C., which sold 5,750 tickets to the Washington Mystics opener.

Kraft and Christensen were disconsolate – until team owners Joe and Gavin Maloof agreed to pay $25,000 for an indoor court for the Children's Receiving Home. Construction began soon after.

In last year's contest, Christensen and Kraft won a $25,000 court for the YMCA of Greater Sacramento. The court was completed in the spring. This year, the duo and their clubs won by selling 6,145 tickets.

While Oak Ridge Elementary could have used a basketball court, its priority was a reading and learning center.

This year's win was made possible in part by Wells Fargo Bank, which bought many Monarchs' tickets for underprivileged children. Rick Cwynar, a Wells Fargo executive, said he got an inside view of the ticket drive by accompanying Christensen and Kraft to clubs meetings.

"Wells Fargo is proud to be the presenting sponsor or partner of this year's campaign," Cwynar said. "But the heavy lifting was done (by Kraft and Christensen). They have an incredible machine in place."

The three consecutive victories were the result of solid partnerships, said Paula Hanson, the WNBA's senior vice president of team business development.

"This is the third year we've been in Sacramento to dedicate something for the community," Hanson said. "Without those organizations, none of us would be standing here."

The question now: Will Christensen and Kraft try to do it again in 2008?

"We're anxious to get it going again," Christensen said.

Before leaving Oak Ridge Elementary School, Monarchs coach Jenny Boucek said, "This represents good teamwork, getting it done. A lot of good lessons can be learned from this."

About the writer:

• The Bee's Edgar Sanchez can be reached at (916) 321-1088 or esanchez@sacbee.com.