Finalists announced for Reds as part of MLB, Target and Time Inc.'s 'PEOPLE' "All-Star Teachers" program to honor teachers
Vote now to honor a teacher at AllStarTeachers.com through June 29th; Reds winner to be recognized at the pregame ceremony of the 2014 MLB All-Star Game on July 15th on FOX
CINCINNATI - Major League Baseball, Target Corp (NYSE: TGT) and PEOPLE today announced the 90 finalists in the "Target Presents PEOPLE All-Star Teachers" campaign, which celebrates remarkable current and retired teachers who make an impact on the lives of their students and communities.
The three finalists for the Cincinnati Reds include Rachel Blanks of Dayton, OH, Jean McPherron of Provo, UT and Zach Kelley of Brownsburg, IN. Fans are encouraged to visit AllStarTeachers.com to vote on their favorite stories through June 29th.
Cincinnati Reds Finalists
• Rachel Blanks (Dayton, OH): Rachel Blanks teaches at Wogaman 5-8 School in the Dayton Public Schools. She is passionate about empowering youth to be successful. She received a $10,000 grant for her bakery business and designed a Young Entrepreneurs program to teach basic business principles helping kids develop their own small businesses. She was Employee of the Year for the entire state of Florida in 2011. This Reds fan sees every student as a blank canvas that, with hard work and dedication, can become a priceless work of art.
• Jean McPherron (Provo, UT): Jean McPherron is an English and history teacher at Provo High School. She enjoys introducing students to great literature and historical events, mentoring budding novelists and advocating for first-generation high school graduates. She is an author who writes with her students, showing them that they too can complete a novel during the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. This Reds fan reminds students to be proud of their accomplishments, quoting Pete Rose, "If you can do it, it ain't bragging."
• Zach Kelley (Brownsburg, IN): Zach Kelley is the P.E. teacher at White Lick Elementary in Brownsburg, IN, hometown of Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart, Nationals pitcher Drew Storen and Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn. He has built an amazing program called Juggling Masters, now in its thirteenth year. The program teaches kids to juggle everything from scarves to glow-in-the-dark clubs, but it also incorporates lots of other fitness equipment including unicycles, stilts, fun wheels and much more.
Target presents "PEOPLE All-Star Teachers" is just one part of Target, MLB and PEOPLE's effort to celebrate teachers and raise awareness about the importance of education this baseball season.
MLB Legends have attended Target-hosted School Library Makeover events in MLB communities throughout the first half of the season including Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, Vinny Castilla, Ron Cey, Cliff Floyd, Luis Gonzalez, Tim Laudner, Gary Matthews, Tony Oliva, Harold Reynolds and Michael Young. Guests and fans can visit
www.ABullsEyeView.com/Baseball for regular updates and behind-the-scenes access to campaign activities leading up to the All-Star Game.
About Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the longest running professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member Clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Under the guidance of its ninth Commissioner, Allan H. (Bud) Selig, MLB has experienced dramatic changes including Interleague Play, the introduction of the Wild Cards, the new expanded Postseason format, the most comprehensive drug testing program in U.S. professional sports, an unprecedented era of labor peace, significant revenue sharing among the Clubs and growth in revenue from $1.2 billion in 1992 to more than $8 billion in 2013. The last ten years have produced the ten best-attended individual seasons in MLB history, including more than 74 million fans in 2013. With the continued success of MLB Network, MLB Advanced Media and the MLB Fan Cave, the National Pastime is consumed more often and in more ways than ever before. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit mlb.mlb.com.
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,916 stores - 1,789 in the United States and 127 in Canada - and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. For more information about Target's commitment to corporate responsibility, visit target.com/corporateresponsibility.
PEOPLE revolutionized personality journalism when it launched in 1974, and is now celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014. Each week PEOPLE brings more than 53 million consumers the latest news, exclusive interviews, and in-depth reporting on the most compelling people of our time. In addition to unparalleled access to the entertainment community, the stories of real-life "Heroes Among Us" remain an essential component of PEOPLE's editorial approach. PEOPLE.com is the premier web destination for celebrity news, photos, style, and entertainment coverage. With reporters across the globe, PEOPLE is headquartered in New York City and is published by Time Inc. For more information visit www.PEOPLE.com.