Local Basketball Tournament to Showcase Deserving Students

Success 4 Kids & Families is partnering with The University of Tampa for the 20th anniversary of the Leonard Shearer March Madness Basketball Tournament. The tournament will be held on Thursday, March 7, 2013, at UT’s newly renovated Martinez Athletics Center.

This tournament, hosted by Success 4 Kids & Families and the School District of Hillsborough County, brings together more than 400 special needs students in Hillsborough County to celebrate their achievements, academic success, hard work and determination. These students have maintained stellar attendance, excellent behavior and strong academics to be allowed to participate in this one-day event.

In addition to the tournament, the students will be honored at a lunch banquet on Friday, March 8, at the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The banquet keynote will be Judge Ralph Stoddard, and Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman will present a proclamation from the county. All students in the participating schools had the opportunity to submit artwork or an essay supporting the theme which will be displayed on Success 4 Kids & Families’ website.

In the past five years through its relationship with the Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa has helped Success 4 Kids & Families grow from a $2.3 million to a $6.4 million organization. The nonprofit has been the focus of graduate program course projects in the areas of marketing management, branding, information systems management and the MBA capstone course. Marketing Associate Professor Ronald Kuntze volunteers with the organization as its marketing consultant, along with his assistant, Jessica Burns ’04, M.S. ’08, MBA ’11. Several of the nonprofit’s staff are UT alumni, including executive director Clara Reynolds MBA ’10 and Pam Jeffre ’10.

Success 4 Kids & Families is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families in need in the Hillsborough County area. The organization provides services for families with children who are having behavioral, emotional or mental health issues. Success 4 Kids & Families was awarded the 2012 Tampa Bay Nonprofit of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal for its outstanding work in the area of family services.