Phillies help local students spring for educational programs

Spring has sprung and students from five area schools who are have blossomed into excellent readers and gotten physically fit will be treated to a special assembly from the Phillies through the team's Be a Phanatic About Reading program presented by Comcast and the interactive Phillies Phitness program presented by NovaCare Rehabilitation.

Overall, 100,000 students take part in the above programs, but only top participants receive a Phillies visit. Since the Be a Phanatic About Reading and Phillies Phitness initiatives began, over 250 schools and recreation centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware have received visits.

PHILLIES APRIL SCHOOL VISITS

Tuesday, April 15 - 1:30 p.m. (Be A Phanatic About Reading); Upper Merion Middle School - 405 Keebler Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406

Monday, April 21 at 2:00 p.m. (Be A Phanatic About Reading); Evan Elementary - 900 Bailey Road, Yeadon, PA 19050

Thursday, April 24th at 10:00 a.m. (Phillies Phitness); William McKinley School - Mr. Castro's 6th Grade Class, 2101 N. Orkney St., Philadelphia, PA 19122

Friday, April 25 at 1:30 p.m. (Be A Phanatic About Reading); St. Francis Xavier - 641 North 24th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Monday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m. (Be A Phanatic About Reading); St. Agnes/Sacred Heart School -

393 N. Main Street, Sellersville, PA 18960

ABOUT Phillies Be A Phanatic About Reading Visits:

The Phillies will honor the top performing classrooms in their Be a Phanatic About Reading Program, presented by Comcast, with a special assembly celebrating the school's reading achievements.

• The Phillie Phanatic will act out scenes from The Phillie Phanatic's Phantastic Journey, featured in the Phanatic Children's Book Series.
• Launched in 2004, Be a Phanatic About Reading was created to encourage children in kindergarten through 8^th grade to improve their literacy skills by reading for a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Registrations for the program are still being accepted.
• On May 30 at Citizens Bank Park, children 14 and younger attending that night's game against the Mets will receive a copy of the Phanatic's new book courtesy of Comcast. Two collections will be held that evening: A new and gently used children's book collection to benefit PHILADELPHIA READS and an instrument collection (orchestra instruments such as oboes, clarinets, flutes, trumpets, French horns, cellos and violins) to benefit Musicopia. For more information on how to purchase discounted tickets for that night's game, visit www.phillies.com/reading.

ABOUT Phillies Phitness Visits:

From getting in shape to staying healthy, students will join their school's physical education teacher, Phillies front office staff and NovaCare Rehabilitation Trainers for a unique interactive program designed to put the "phun" into fitness.

• Students take part in various activities including relay races, jumping rope, and ladder drills, all participants will receive a Phillies Phitness, wristband, magnet, and water bottle.
• Area students taking part in this interactive fitness program are learning about steps they can take now to help ensure a healthy future.
• Children from kindergarten through high school learn about the importance of being active through both exercise and activities that they take part in everyday as well as the importance of making smart food choices. Registrations are still being accepted for the remainder of the school year and will begin to accept registrations for the summer program shortly.

On Wednesday, August 27 join the Phillies for Phillies Phitness night at the ballpark presented by NovaCare Rehabilitation. There will be fitness activities on the concourse and when you purchase though the Phillies Phitness offer you will receive a $6 ticket discount off tickets in the Pavilion Deck (301-305; 306-310) and the Terrace Deck (412-429; 430-434). Tickets can be purchased by calling Phillies Group Sales at 215-463-5000 or at www.phillies.com/themenights.