New York Knickerbockers Expand Literacy Program With Cablevision's Power to Learn New York Knicks Star and Brooklyn Native Stephon Marbury Steps Off the Court and Into the Classroom to Officially Launch Program on Wednesday, March 16 NEW YORK and BETHPAGE, N.Y., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The New York Knickerbockers today announced a groundbreaking expansion of its "Read To Achieve" literacy program through a partnership with Cablevision's Power to Learn initiative. The new component will utilize the power of technology, celebrities, and incentives to encourage reading and comprehension through the use of interactive videos and the Internet, a natural partnership and extension of existing Knicks and Power to Learn education initiatives. The Knicks educational initiatives currently reach thousands of children annually through in-school programs, group readings and player and celebrity visits. Power to Learn will expand this reach to the hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and parents it serves through broadband technology and innovative curriculum programs. To kick-off this new literacy platform, Stephon Marbury will take center stage in the classroom to read one of his favorite books, Gus and Grandpa at Basketball to a class of 3rd grade elementary students at PS 329 in Coney Island, Brooklyn on March 16. Students everywhere who visit http://www.powertolearn.com/ can read this same book, take a comprehension quiz, and get a personalized congratulatory postcard from Stephon. Through live "Reading Zones" and at http://www.powertolearn.com/, this program motivates kids to read by combining their favorite sports personalities with rewards and incentives. This exciting new program consists of: * Virtual Reading Zones -- Teachers set up Power to Learn/Knicks Reading Zones in their classes and set individual and group reading goals. Student classroom reading achievements are tracked and celebrated at http://www.powertolearn.com/. The Knicks and Power to Learn provide exciting incentives to motivate students. Participating classrooms also receive book donations to supplement their classroom libraries. * Postcard Club -- Online destination where Knicks and Liberty players recommend books by grade level. Students select a book to read, and when finished, take a short online comprehension quiz. Electronic personalized postcards from the player who recommended the book are rewarded to students who complete and pass the quiz. This program component fosters both reading and comprehension. * Knicks Video Books -- Players and other popular figures such as Spike Lee read or introduce video books at http://www.powertolearn.com/. NY, NJ, CT, and NYC standards based lesson plans and subtitled versions are available for each book. Through the video books, players can virtually visit classrooms and inspire kids to read. "This very unique platform will take the Knicks conventional reading initiatives to the next level," said Anucha Browne Sanders, Knicks senior vice president, marketing and business operations. "We are proud to partner with Cablevision's Power to Learn to expand our reach beyond the conventional borders of the classroom." "Each of my students started fourth grade with no or little desire to pick up a book for enjoyment," said Kathy Happich, a teacher at PS 215 in Brooklyn. "With the help of the Virtual Reading Zone, I have many students looking to sign out books for personal enjoyment. Some of the students' reading comprehension has improved. Most of the students attitudes toward reading have changed for the positive." "We believe the recognition of Knicks players combined with the reach of the Internet will encourage more children to discover the wonders and excitement of reading," said Trent Anderson, Cablevision's vice president of education. "With today's emphasis in education on testing, reading can feel like a chore to kids. This program makes reading fun and helps students learn essential reading and comprehension skills at the same time. Power to Learn is committed to bringing meaningful educational opportunities to students, teachers and parents throughout the communities we serve, and we are proud to further this commitment through partnering with the Knicks." Power to Learn, Cablevision's nationally recognized education initiative, empowers K-12 learning in the tri-state area by making technology in the classroom useful and by facilitating the home-school connection. More than 2,000 schools and libraries throughout Cablevision's New York metropolitan service area receive high-speed Internet access and more than 85 percent of schools in Cablevision's service area receive free cable television service as a result of this initiative. In addition, teachers, students and parents benefit from innovative educational content and tools available on http://www.powertolearn.com/, a broadband Web resource dedicated to facilitating K-12 learning and the home-school connection. The NBA's New York Knickerbockers basketball team, completing its 59th year of operation, is part of Madison Square Garden, L.P. Cablevision Systems Corporation owns Madison Square Garden, L.P., which includes MSG Network; FSN New York; the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); Radio City Entertainment; the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League), and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area. About Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum digital television offering, Optimum Online high-speed Internet service, Optimum Voice digital voice-over-cable service, and its Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE and other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision is the controlling owner of Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas. Additional information about Cablevision Systems Corporation is available on the Web at http://www.cablevision.com/. DATASOURCE: Cablevision Systems Corporation CONTACT: Joe Favorito, New York Knickerbockers, +1-212-465-6442, ; Marie Stenberg, Cablevision, +1-516-803-2352, Web site: http://www.cablevision.com/ http://www.powertolearn.com/

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