RV’s Black Student Union (BSU) hosted its second annual charity basketball game against the Mount Holly Police Department in September to kick off the school year.
The basketball game focused on raising money for student scholarships and allowed friends and family to give back to RV’s students. The BSU brought the community together in an amusing and competitive basketball game in RV’s main gym.
While planning this event, the BSU prioritized fundraising for a cause. The profits collected from this basketball game go directly toward the students at RV. This money helps support students’ education beyond high school as profits go towards scholarships.
Those who played in BSU’s charity basketball game emphasized their strong opinions on how important giving back is to them. Shortly after the game, RV’s resource officer, Craig Thompson, talked about how important scholarships are to him.
“It’s important to give back, get involved with the kids and community…to raise money for the Black Student Union and support them and [students] scholarships,” he said.
The funds from this game helped support the Black Student Union’s goal to raise money for scholarships.
The game also created a sense of involvement in the community.
“[I play because] I support the BSU to raise awareness for for the Black community and [RV] community itself,” said player and senior Christopher Diaz. “The BSU wants to get more people involved…we want everybody to come out and show love.”
The game features a number of different bells and whistles, including a DJ spinning courtside, performances from the RV Dance Team and a raffle for tickets to a Sixers game.
The game brought the community together and provided an opportunity to support the students at RV.
Both students at RV as well as police officers from the Mount Holly Police Patrolman’s Association, the union that represents officers in Mt. Holly’s Police Department, agree that this event as a positive experience.
The game was exciting, with players speeding down the court and playing aggressively. Despite the competition, all players saw the game as an opportunity to reflect on their skills and teamwork, all while playing for a good cause.
Mrs. Sarah Sherman, the advisor for the BSU, emphasized the importance of starting the year strong with an event that brings everyone together.
“We want to start the year strong to set the tone for a positive, engaged year,” she said. “This event, in its second year, continues to bring people out to the court for a fun evening. It’s super important for our students to see the officers who live and work in our community as allies and supporters of diversity and a safe environment for everyone. That’s the whole point of the game: to know who our allies are.”
Overall, the Black Student Union’s charity basketball game was able to bring the community together to raise money for student scholarships. Players from RV, the Mount Holly Police Department and guests were able to enjoy the elevating spirit created by BSU’s basketball game.
