The youth started the evening with the 20 Minute NBA FIT Workout.  Stoudemire included this fun exercise element into his Academy to help promote all around fitness and conditioning.

Amar’e had a great time talking to the kids and checking out the talent that will be coming to his Phoenix area camp.  After the basketball workout, they were given an opportunity to ask Stoudemire questions and tour the Suns locker room.

amarestoudemire.com/youthsports

Stoudemire instructed the kids as they rotated through three stations that were focused on the fundamentals of basketball.   The kids took part in a question and answer session with Amar’e and they took a tour of the Suns locker room following the clinic.

The kids were selected from Jr. Suns and Jr. Mercury leagues being held at Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley and Valley of the Sun YMCA.

NBA.com/NBAFit

Amar’e grew up like a lot of the students he spoke to at the school.  He had to work to make extra money.  So, he helped out neighbors in Florida and shoveled snow in New York.  As soon as money would come in his hand, he would spend it.  Then he realized that if he worked hard and saved his money he would be able to get something he really wanted and have some extra for his savings.

In an effort to pass along all of the learning and exposure to experts he has had throughout his NBA career, he created the Fundamentals of Finance program along with the Phoenix Suns.   He brought along Suns alumnus and Vice President of Player Programs Mark West and Director of Human Resources Karen Rausch to speak at the event as well.

The kids were very excited to have Stoudemire on campus.  After he explained the April 6 event and gave out prizes, he answered some of their questions.

To show support, Stoudemire coached one of the celebrity teams in front of the fans at the US Airways Center.

Sunsnitehoops.org

The one-day Martin Luther King Day showcase took place on January 18 at the Wells Fargo Arena on the campus of Arizona State in Tempe, AZ and at the McKale Center on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.  Proceeds from the event benefit youth sports throughout Mesa and other cities in Arizona.

The MLK Basketball Classic is regarded as one of the elite holiday basketball events in the country. Each year the top ranked boys and girls teams in the state of Arizona compete for bragging rights during this mid-season showcase.

The schools involved include:

Amphitheater (Boys), Cienega (Boys and Girls), Ironwood Ridge (Boys), Mesa (Boys), Mesa Mountain View (Boys), Mesa Red Mountain (Boys), Phoenix Pinnacle (Girls), Phoenix St. Mary’s (Girls), Phoenix Sunnyslope (Boys), Phoenix Xavier Prep (Girls), Pueblo (Boys), Sabino (Girls), Sahuaro (Girls), Santa Rita (Boys), Scottsdale Chaparral (Boys), Tempe McClintock (Boys), Tolleson (Girls) and Tucson (Boys and Girls.)

mlkbasketball.org

This elite Holiday boys four-day basketball tournament takes place at Durango High School’s Blazer Dome and will benefit the Amar’e Stoudemire Each 1 Teach 1 Foundation and Durango High School.

The Amar’e Stoudemire E1T1 Invitational is a competitive, 32-team tournament with two 16-team traditional brackets and includes teams from around the country. Elite teams have traveled from Alaska, Arizona, Bermuda, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland and Oregon over the years to attend the Invitational.

The 2009 field included: Banning (Wilmington, CA), Basic (Las Vegas, NV), Canyon Springs (Las Vegas, NV), Carson (Carson, CA), Cedarbridge Academy (Bermuda), Centennial (Las Vegas, NV), Chaparral (Las Vegas, NV), Cheyenne (Las Vegas, NV), Denver East (Denver, CO), Dorsey (Los Angeles, CA), Douglas (Reno, NV), Durango (Las Vegas, NV), Fairfax (Los Angeles, CA), Francis Parker (San Diego, CA), Georgetown Prep (Bethesda, MD), Green Valley (Las Vegas, NV), Inglewood (Los Angeles, CA), Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV), LeFlore (Mobile, AL), Liberty (Las Vegas, NV), Lynwood (Lynwood, CA), McQueen (Reno, NV), Mesquite (Gilbert, AZ), Mojave (Las Vegas, NV), Northwood (Shreveport, LA), Pacific Hills (West Hollywood, CA), Palo Verde (Las Vegas, NV), Rancho (Las Vegas, NV), Ridgewood (Norridge, IL), Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas, NV), Silverado (Las Vegas, NV) and Valley (Las Vegas, NV).

For more information, please visit the official Durango High School boy’s basketball web site, www.Durangobasketball.com

Tweeps were given the opportunity to buy discounted ticket packages to the San Antonio Spurs v Phoenix Suns game through twitter promotions.  After the game they were granted access to a post-game chat with Amar’e Stoudemire.  Fans inquired about the game, the season and some of his most recent tweets.

Children from all around Polk County ages 5 to 17 were treated to well over $60,000 worth of Nike shoes, Each 1 Teach 1 Foundation shirts, socks and bags.  Stoudemire spoke to the over flowing crowd in the school gym about the importance of education and community service.

Amar’e had a great time giving back to the community that has given so much to him.

Along with Stoudemire’s friends at Staples, he donated back-to-school kits for the kids that included backpacks, composition books, pencils, pens, crayons, glue sticks, rulers, scissors and an Amar’e Bookmark provided by the Suns.

Some of the dignitaries on hand were  Cloves Campbell, Jr., Arizona State Representative, Michael Johnson, Phoenix City Councilman, Betty Thompson, Roosevelt School District Governing Board, Jimmie Munoz, Roosevelt School District Governing Board, Norma Munoz, Roosevelt School District Governing Board, Mary Beyda, Roosevelt School District Superintendent and Michael Turner, Martin Luther King Elementary Principal.