NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2016 – The New York Knickerbockers have announced Dr. Latasha Jones, of the Bronx, as this month’s Sweetwater Clifton “City Spirit” Award winner for encouraging her students to be impactful and give back to their communities. The award, presented by ZTE USA, is named in honor of Basketball Hall-of-Famer Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, the first African-American to play for the Knicks, recognizes individuals who have made a significant difference in the lives of others. Each month a winner is chosen by members of the Knicks front office staff and honored at center court during a Knicks game with a $2,000 donation in his or her name made out to a charity of their choice.
Dr. Latasha Jones is a middle school teacher at The Walter Damrosch Day Treatment School in the Bronx, where she specializes in providing educational programs for children with social, emotional and learning difficulties and severe academic deficits. Four years ago, Dr. Jones decided to teach her students about the importance of giving back and joined Lead2Feed, a service learning program that nurtures a new generation of leaders, to show her students how impactful they could be to the lives of others. The Lead2Feed lessons provide opportunities for high levels of student engagement through collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, reflection and creativity. Jones and a group of students, also known as “The Feeding Angels,” raised a total of $35,000 to help feed members throughout the community who are in need.
Tonight, when the Knicks host the Washington Wizards, Dr. Latasha Jones will accept the Sweetwater Clifton “City Spirit” Award, presented by Knicks Legend John Starks, at center court of Madison Square Garden. Jones will also be presented with a ZTE Spro 2 Smart Projector on behalf of ZTE USA, the official Smartphone of the New York Knicks.
The award money will be donated to The National Council of Negro Women Inc., Westchester Section.
To nominate your hero, or to read more about this month’s winners and other past winners, please visit nyknicks.com.
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