FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2009

For more information:
Bob Edwards
Public Relations Department Assistant
Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia
(304) 462-7361ext. 6390

Glenville, WV—Eight area Middle School teams will be playing in the first annual Hidden Promise Classic Basketball Tournament at Glenville State College’s Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th. The tournament will feature a girl’s and a boy’s bracket. Participating schools include: Gilmer County Middle School, Clay County Middle School, Spencer Middle School, and Wirt County Middle School.

The Hidden Promise Classic is an extension of Glenville State College’s Hidden Promise Consortium. This collaboration between Glenville State College, seventeen Central West Virginia County school systems, and the Belpre, Ohio City schools, promotes K-12 and higher education officials working together to improve the number and quality of high school graduates, raising ACT scores, increasing the number of students going to college, and increasing the number and quality of college graduates.

GSC Hidden Promise Scholars are students in the eighth through twelfth grades who hold hidden promise. Up to five students in each grade level are selected by their county superintendents and principals to be Hidden Promise Scholars. These students interact with Glenville State College students and faculty to explore the vistas that a college education opens. They will mentor with GSC students at their home schools and participate in a wide array of activities on campus. Hidden Promise Scholars have access to online academic tutoring, receive ACT prep, and attend academic summer camps at GSC to help better prepare themselves for challenges of a college education. Students are also asked to participate in community engagement projects to help them learn the value of giving back to society.

Upon high school graduation, Hidden Promise Scholars enrolling at Glenville State College receive annual scholarships of $1,000 each. In the Fall of 2007, the first thirteen Hidden Promise scholars enrolled at GSC. That number has grown to forty-four for the Fall of 2009.

GSC is sponsoring the Hidden Promise Classic to help expose student athletes to the college environment. Coaches and players from the GSC Women’s and Men’s Basketball programs, as well as other GSC faculty and staff will be on hand to talk with players and spectators.

There is no entry fee for participating teams as GSC is absorbing all costs for the tournament. All players will receive a tournament t-shirt. Awards will be given to individual players on the first and second place teams, All Tournament Team players, and first and Second place team trophies. A small admission fee will be charged for spectators.

For more information, contact GSC Hidden Promise Classic Tournament Director Bob Edwards at (304) 462-7361 ext. 6390 or bob.edwards@glenville.edu.