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As part of the organization’s on-going commitment to education, the Cleveland Cavaliers are proud to recognize high scholastic achievement through the Straight “A” All-Stars program, presented by Westfield. Sharon Elementary School in Sharon Center and Hilltop Elementary School in Beachwood were named the 2019-20 Straight “A” All-Stars winning schools for the first and second grading periods, respectively.

In the 15th season of the program, the Cavs and Westfield recognized nearly 5,300 K-8 academic all-stars across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. All Straight “A” All-Stars received a personalized certificate and special prize.

Additionally, 600 students (300 each grading period) were randomly selected to receive two tickets to a Cavs home game and an official Straight “A” All-Stars t-shirt. Students from the first grading period cheered on the Cavs at the December 6th game against Orlando and the second grading period students attended the March 7th game against Denver.  At the games, students received a Straight “A” All-Stars “Big Star” and were invited to participate in a special photo opportunity with mascots Sir C.C. and Moondog, as well as members of the Scream Team and PowerHouse Dance Team, who congratulated students on their academic achievements. While they were at the game, the students were also recognized on the Humungotron in front of Cavs fans who applauded their hard work in the classroom.

In addition to the individual student recognitions, one school each grading period was recognized for their participation in the program. Sharon Elementary and Hilltop Elementary were this year’s chosen schools, with each receiving a $1,000 donation to be used toward their school’s needs.

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Schools in Sharon Center and Beachwood Named Straight “A” All-Stars Winning Schools for 2019-20

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Education is one of the pillars of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ community efforts and as part of that, the organization recognizes exemplary teachers and students throughout Northeast Ohio. Each month during the regular season, the Cavs select one teacher and one student to receive the team’s Head of the Class and All-Star Kids awards, respectively.

Head of the Class recognizes teachers in Northeast Ohio that make a difference in their students’ lives both inside and outside of the classroom. April’s winner was Jenny Hatfield, a second grade teacher at Iowa-Maple School in Cleveland, where she creates a fun classroom environment that encourages students to be excited about learning! Students, fellow teachers and administers trust Ms. Hatfield and know they can come to her for help with anything!

Ms. Hatfield will receive a $500 donation to use towards her classroom needs.

All-Star Kids recognizes students who set a positive example for their peers. April’s winner was Nylah Charles, a fourth grader at Marion Seltzer School in Cleveland, where she is a shining light in her classroom. She is an extremely compassionate, caring and selfless young woman who always puts others first.

Nylah will also receive a pizza dinner for her and her family to enjoy at home.

Complete information on Head of the Class, All-Star Kids and the rest of the Cavs community programs can be found online at cavs.com/community.

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April Head of the Class and All-Star Kids Winners Announced

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Now in its 29th year, the partnership between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Huntington continues to recognize the importance of higher education. Once again, 10 graduating high school seniors from across Northeast Ohio are receiving a college scholarship through the Cavaliers/Huntington Scholarship Program. Each winning student has been awarded a $2,000 scholarship.

The criteria for receiving a Cavaliers/Huntington Scholarship is based on applicants submitting a 500-word essay, performing a high level of service in their community, providing a high school transcript, ACT and/or SAT scores (if required by the accredited school the student plans to attend) and a letter of recommendation.

The Scholarship Application Committee reviewed more than 300 applications and essays. Twenty semi-finalists were selected and interviewed by a panel of judges to further select the 10 recipients. The panel included members from Huntington, the Cavaliers and influential community leaders.

“Huntington is proud to partner with the Cavs to invest in these outstanding students’ futures,” said Julie Tutkovics, Huntington’s Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. “We are amazed by their academic achievements and by the important work they are doing to make a difference in their communities. They are our leaders of tomorrow and we encourage them, and all of their peers who applied to our program, to keep working hard to achieve their educational goals.”

The 2020 Cavaliers Huntington Scholarship recipients are:

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Ten High Schoolers from Northeast Ohio Named Winners of Cavaliers/Huntington Scholarship Program

Head of the Class recognizes teachers in Northeast Ohio that make a difference in their students’ lives both inside and outside of the classroom. March’s winner was Amy Statler, a technology teacher at Roxboro Middle School in Cleveland Heights, where she is known for being helpful, humble, and active in the school.  Ms. Statler has a passion for science and technology that has opened doors for students.  She is a team leader who is always there to assist others when needed.

Ms. Statler was treated to a visit from Cavs in-arena host Ahmaad and mascot Moondog, who presented her with a $500.00 donation to use towards her classroom. Ms. Statler also received tickets and passes for complimentary food and beverage in the Westfield Champions Club to the March 2nd Cavs game, where she was honored at center court.

All-Star Kids recognizes students who set a positive example for their peers. March’s winner was Justin Gaulding, a kindergartner at Normandy Elementary School in Bay Village, where he always demonstrates a positive attitude, good behavior and good citizenship. Justin is a role model in the classroom and the first to offer assistance to his classmates.  He is a kind and helpful friend who always shows respect to others.

Ahmaad and Moondog surprised Justin at school to present him with tickets and passes for complimentary food and beverage in the Westfield Champions Club to the Cavs game on March 7th, where he was honored at center court. Justin will also receive a pizza party for his class at a later date.

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March Head of the Class and All-Star Kids Winners Announced

Head of the Class recognizes teachers in Northeast Ohio that make a difference in their students’ lives both inside and outside of the classroom. February’s winner was Shawna Michaels, K-8 Technology Coordinator &amp; Integration Specialist at St. Anselm School in Chesterland, where she always goes above and beyond working on school projects and helping all students, faculty, and staff.  Ms. Michaels coordinates MAP testing throughout the school and all grades have measured progressively forward with her coaching.  She also volunteers on numerous committees and leads multiple clubs at school, such as Coding Club, Technology Club and Robotics Club.

Ms. Michaels was treated to a visit from Cavs in-arena host Ahmaad and mascot Moondog, who presented her with a $500.00 donation to use towards her classroom. Ms. Michaels also received tickets and passes for complimentary food and beverage in the Westfield Champions Club to the February 26th Cavs game, where she was honored at center court.

All-Star Kids recognizes students who set a positive example for their peers. February’s winner was Charles Kealy, an eighth grader at St. Rita School in Solon, where he is known for always having a positive attitude and being a leader both inside and outside of the classroom.  Charles constantly works at his grades and strives to be the best student he can academically be,  while also helping his classmates when they need it.  He is also an ambassador for St. Rita and is involved in multiple CYO sports.

Ahmaad and Moondog surprised Charles at school to present him with tickets and passes for complimentary food and beverage in the Westfield Champions Club to the Cavs game on February 29th, where he was honored at center court. Charles will also receive a pizza party for his class at a later date.

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February Head of the Class and All-Star Kids Winners Announced

Llura Ambler Gund died on Sunday, March 15th at her home in Princeton, NJ. “Lulie” was born in Tampa, FL on February 14th, 1941 to Richard and Dorothy Liggett. She grew up in Thonotosassa, FL, attending St. Timothy’s and Bartram School.  During high school and at the University of South Florida she pursued her love of acting all the way to New York where she met her future husband, Gordon Gund. They were married in 1966, having two children, Grant and Zack, and six grandchildren. After leaving Brooklyn, NY, they settled in Princeton, NJ near her sister and brother-in-law, Abigail and Tom Barrows and their two daughters, Katie and Anna.

In 1970, Gordon went blind from Retinitis Pigmentosa.  Lulie was instrumental in helping him continue on and flourish in life and business.  Together, they formed a special bond that would endure for more than 53 years and serve as a catalyst for success in charitable and business pursuits.

In 1971, Lulie and Gordon co-founded the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), dedicated to finding treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases. In 1972 Lulie started and was President of the local Princeton chapter of FFB, the first in the nation, running it for 48 years.  In recent years, there have been several major breakthroughs in treatments for blindness where FFB played a major role in funding research.

She was passionate about land conservation serving on the Nantucket Conservation Foundation board for many years and also helping to conserve farmland near her home in Princeton.  In addition, Lulie spent 21 years as a Trustee and Vice president of the George Gund Foundation, serving communities in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

She had a magnetic personality and was a wonderful judge of people. Lulie had a terrific sense of humor and loved to use it to make people smile and bring them together.  As one friend said so eloquently, “she made caring look like fun, and that to me is grace.”  Whether she was planning a small dinner or a large charity benefit, she had a gift for making events exciting and interesting.

Apart from spending time with friends and family, Lulie loved riding horses, Broadway shows, funny movies and fishing.

She is survived by her husband, Gordon; Sister, Abigail, two sons, Grant and Zack; two daughter in-laws Lara and Lindsey and six grandchildren, Lucy, Owen, Kelsey, Georgia, Colby and Gordie.  She also had a host of extended family and friends whom she loved and cherished.

Details on a memorial service will be delayed until after the Corona Virus is under control.  Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

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Our Thoughts and Prayers are with Gordon Gund on the Passing of his Beloved Wife Lulie Gund

Cleveland, OH – The Cleveland Cavaliers and Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff have agreed on a multi-year contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today.

“We are very fortunate to have someone of J.B.’s caliber and basketball pedigree lead our franchise as head coach,” said Altman. “His wealth of experience, coupled with the respect he has garnered around the NBA and with this team, has made for a seamless transition from associate head coach to head coach. The amount of grit and determination instilled in our players, from both an accountability and attention to detail standpoint over this short period of time, has been met with admiration, respect and overall excitement throughout our entire locker room. We have already observed the impact he has made on our players through his first 10 games as head coach and we are looking forward to seeing just how far he can effectively drive our developing culture and lead this franchise into the future.”

Bickerstaff, who entered the season as the Cavaliers’ associate head coach, was named the 23rd head coach in franchise history on Feb. 19. Since taking over the helm, the Cavs have a 5-5 record (.500, tied for sixth-best in East), which include consecutive season series sweeps over the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. Under Bickerstaff, the Cavs have recorded three wins against above .500 teams (Miami, Philadelphia and Denver) and are averaging 111.4 points and 26.4 assists (eighth-best in NBA). The Wine &amp; Gold also have the fifth-highest field goal percentage in the NBA since the All-Star break (.480).

“I can’t tell you how excited I am for this opportunity to lead the Cavaliers and our promising and enthusiastic group of players that has been assembled here in Cleveland,” said Bickerstaff. “I want to thank Dan Gilbert and Koby Altman for having the trust and faith in my ability to coach this team, but also allowing me the freedom and endless resources to assist in creating a sustainable culture of winning and professional growth. Our players have done a phenomenal job of maintaining a high level of professionalism and growing maturity, of which I have been very appreciative. I also take great pride and consider it an honor and privilege to live and coach in this community with my family, in front of this fan base and for this franchise. It has truly been a blessing and I look forward to the journey ahead.”

Before coming to Cleveland, Bickerstaff was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2018-19 season after serving as the interim head coach for the final 63 games of the 2017-18 Grizzlies campaign. Under Bickerstaff last season, Memphis recorded the third-best scoring defense in the NBA, holding opponents to 106.1 points per game. The Grizzlies also held an NBA-high 10 opponents under 90 points last season and went undefeated in those games. Memphis limited 17 opponents to under 40 percent shooting last season, which was tied with Utah for the second-most in the NBA.

Prior to his stint with Memphis, Bickerstaff spent five seasons (2011-16) with the Houston Rockets, where he was elevated to interim head coach early in the 2015-16 season and guided the Rockets to a 37-34 finish to close the season with a postseason berth. Bickerstaff’s additional experience includes four seasons (2007-11) with the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach and three seasons (2004-07) with the Charlotte Bobcats under his father and current Cavaliers Senior Basketball Advisor, Bernie Bickerstaff. The youngest assistant coach in the NBA at age 25 when he began with the Bobcats in 2004-05, Bickerstaff followed in the footsteps of his father, who was the youngest assistant coach when he joined the NBA at 29 years old in 1973.

Bickerstaff served as director of operations for the University of Minnesota’s men’s basketball program before entering the NBA, overseeing all administrative areas of the program and assisting the coaching staff with recruiting, scouting and player development. He also played collegiately for two seasons (1999-2001) with the Golden Gophers after spending his first two years at Oregon State University, where he was the youngest Division I player as a 17-year-old freshman.

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Cleveland Cavaliers and J.B. Bickerstaff Agree On Multi-Year Contract

With so many popular trends in society, one group of local students found their own on Tuesday – a Wine and Gold version, of course.  Ms. Tolbert’s middle school class from George Washington Carver School in Cleveland spent an afternoon of trend-seeking at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as part of the Cavs “Read to Achieve” program, presented by Cleveland-Cliffs.

The middle schoolers joined Cavs in-arena host Ahmaad and members of the PowerHouse dance team and Scream Team at the Cleveland-Cliffs Entrance for fun activities that led them to discover an overall trend.  The kids were split into teams and helped by the entertainers to complete challenges.  The teams competed in an M&amp;M spoon relay, painting musical chairs, flyswatter race and Don’t Forget the Lyrics.  The Candy, Art, Vocabulary and Songs activities revealed the overall theme: CAVS!

The kids also enjoyed a dance trends challenge, where they identified popular dance trends such as Whip &amp; Nae Nae and the Harlem Shake. That was followed by a high-energy performance by the PowerHouse and Scream Team to wrap up the afternoon.  All the students went home with a Cavs swag bag and tickets to an upcoming game.

ABOUT READ TO ACHIEVE
Presented by Cleveland-Cliffs

Read to Achieve is a year-round campaign designed to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read regularly with children. The program reaches thousands of elementary, middle and high school students in Northeast Ohio through reading activities, reading time-outs, donations and the construction of Reading &amp; Learning Centers.

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Middle School Students Get Trendy at RMFH

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