The Dre Bly Foundation Adopts Place Middle School

Denver Broncos Cornerback Dre' Bly Covering the Field and the Denver Community 

DENVER, CO (September 28, 2007) – The Dre' Bly Foundation will adopt Place Middle School in Denver, Colorado from October 2007 through May 2008 in an effort to strengthen education, encourage positive social development and extend support to families in the Denver community. Dre' Bly, Founder of the Dre' Bly Foundation and cornerback for the Denver Broncos; members of the Denver Public Schools Foundation; and other dignitaries will attend Place Middle School for a kick-off event on Tuesday, October 2 at 1 pm in the school's Auditorium located at 7125 Cherry Creek Drive, North, Denver. Media availability with Dre' Bly will be offered immediately following the event from 1:30 – 2 pm.

"I am very excited to be in the Denver community and to work with the Denver Public Schools Foundation in an effort to adopt Place Middle School," said Dre' Bly, Founder of the Dre' Bly Foundation. "My Foundation and the leadership of Place Middle School share in a common goal to help these students excel in both academics and citizenship."

The Dre' Bly Foundation sponsored Place Middle School through the School Partners Program, an initiative of the Denver Public Schools Foundation. Over the next eight months the Dre' Bly Foundation will aim to create positive momentum for academic achievement and behavioral excellence at Place Middle School through initiatives and events including an after school tutoring program, a Thanksgiving turkey drive for the families of Place Middle School and an incentive program for notable academic improvement and admirable citizenship.

On Tuesday, October 9, the tutoring program will commence at Place Middle School and will continue until the end of the 2007-08 school year. The program will provide after school academic assistance for selected 6th, 7th and 8th grade students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 – 4 pm. The selection criteria are based on results from the Denver Public School's Benchmark Assessment Tests. A total of 60 students will be selected for the tutoring program including 20 students from each grade. Volunteer teachers from Place Middle School will serve as the tutors. During the tutoring program students will also receive a healthy snack.

In November, the Dre' Bly Foundation will host a Thanksgiving turkey drive for Place Middle School families. Dre' Bly and others will be on-site at Place Middle School in support of this initiative.

Finally, as the 2007-08 school year progresses, the Dre' Bly Foundation will implement and support an incentive program for students who excel in academics and good behavior. Rewards for success include tickets to the Denver Broncos home games and autographed Dre' Bly apparel.

Note to Media: Media availability with Dre' Bly will be offered immediately following the event from 1:30 – 2 pm at Place Middle School.

About the Dre' Bly Foundation
The Dre' Bly Foundation (www.drebly32.com) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization which was founded in 2003 by University of North Carolina graduate and NFL cornerback, Dre' Bly. The Foundation was designed to improve education through physical excellence, to provide the necessary resources to assist schools in need of developing and retaining effective after school programs and to encourage today's youth to excel in academics, athletics and citizenship.

About the Denver Public Schools Foundation
DPS Foundation (www.dpsfoundation.org) raises and manages funds in support of the district's ambitious reform plan – The Denver Plan – to improve student achievement. Through top-notch professional development for principals, enhanced teacher training, improved curriculum and quality of instruction, student enrichment programs, and community partnerships, we are helping to reshape Denver Public Schools into the leading big city school district in the country.

About the School Partners Program
The School Partners Program (www.denverspp.org) is designed to cultivate, nurture and sustain partnerships between DPS schools and business and community organizations. Partners provide financial and non-financial resources to DPS schools and the students they serve. Piloted in 2006-07 at 21 schools, the program has expanded to 43 schools. The School Partners Program is an initiative of the DPS Foundation and made possible by a generous underwriting from the Qwest Foundation.