CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, March 2, 2016) – The LA Galaxy and forward Giovani dos Santos will unveil a mini-soccer pitch at Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Santa Ana on Friday, March 4, at 1:30 p.m. PT in conjunction with adidas, MLS Works, Southern New Hampshire University, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation ahead of the team’s opening MLS match this weekend. The Galaxy kick off the 2016 MLS season on Sunday, March 6, at StubHub Center against D.C. United (7 p.m. PT, UniMás).
Santa Ana Unified School District Officials will also be on hand for a dedication ceremony for the mini-pitch, which will offer children in the local communities a safe place to play, while providing a soccer environment that encourages unstructured play, supporting the continued growth of the game.
In addition to LA Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos, LA Galaxy President Chris Klein will be on hand for the ceremony to help dedicate the mini-pitch at Andrew Jackson Elementary School.
Following the official dedication, local participants from the Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League and LA Galaxy players will participate in a small-sided match on the new pitch. Since September 2007, the SAPAAL and Jackson Elementary have partnered to engage over 1,100 students daily with consistent and rigorous physical fitness programming. This partnership has resulted in Jackson students posting the top California Physical Fitness Test scores in the entire school district, year after year. In collaboration with SAPAAL, the LA Galaxy will incorporate soccer programs and clinics at the new mini-pitch to continue serving children throughout the Santa Ana community.
Additionally, the LA Galaxy will participate in Read Across America Week, which will culminate on Friday, March 4, at Andrew Jackson Elementary School. Read Across America is an annual celebration that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading. LA Galaxy representatives (Star Squad, Staff members and LA Galaxy Academy players) will visit five local elementary schools to read to classrooms in continuation of their Read Across America weeklong celebration ahead of the mini-pitch grand opening event on Friday, March 4. All schools visited will also be encouraged to sign-up their classrooms for the LA Galaxy Kick Start Reading Challenge, which incentivizes students to read in and out of the classroom.
<strong>WHO</strong> |
<ul><li>LA Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos</li><li>LA Galaxy President Chris Klein</li><li>LA Galaxy & LA Galaxy Foundation Director Community Relations Lauren Nowinski</li><li>LA Galaxy Vice President, Marketing, Communication and Digital Brendan Hannan</li></ul><strong>Additional guests:</strong><ul><li>Dr. Rick Miller – Superintendent of Santa Ana Unified School District</li><li>Marisela Longacre – Principal, Andrew Jackson Elementary School</li><li>Dr. Paul LeBlanc – President, Southern New Hampshire University</li><li>Ed Foster-Simeon – President & CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation</li><li>Officer Kenney Aguilar – Director, Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League</li><li>Cecilia Iglesias – Board Member of Santa Ana Unified School District</li><li>Jamaal Layne, Senior Manager for City Activation, Los Angeles, adidas North America</li></ul> |
<strong>WHAT</strong> |
<strong>Read Across America Day</strong><ul><li>LA Galaxy representatives (Star Squad, Staff members and LA Galaxy Academy players) will visit five local elementary schools to read to classrooms in continuation of their Read Across America weeklong celebration ahead of the mini-pitch grand opening event.</li></ul><strong>Mini-pitch unveiling and ceremony</strong><ul><li>Local Santa Ana boys and girls taking ceremonial first kick with LA Galaxy players and executives. 20 boys and girls playing in the first match on the new pitch.</li></ul> |
<strong>WHEN</strong> |
<p>Friday, March 4</p><ul><li><em>LA Galaxy Read Across America</em><ul><li>11 a.m.-1 p.m. PT</li></ul></li><li>·<em>Mini-pitch ceremony (*Giovani dos Santos and Chris Klein arrive)</em><ul><li>1:30-2:30 p.m. PT</li></ul></li><li><em>LA Galaxy Soccer clinic</em><ul><li>2:30-3:30 p.m. PT</li></ul></li></ul> |
<strong>WHERE</strong> |
<p>Andrew Jackson Elementary School</p><p>1143 South Nakoma Drive</p><p>Santa Ana, CA 92704</p> |
