PHILADELPHIA, PA, Nov. 24, 2006  – Congressman Chaka Fattah, creator of the CORE Philly scholarship program, and Paul Vallas, Chief Executive Officer of the School District of Philadelphia, welcomed home CORE Philly undergraduates at the Congressman’s second annual Thanksgiving weekend party.

“Thanksgiving Bowling Bash” for CORE Philly scholars, their families and friends was held Friday, November 24, at Lucky Strike Lanes, 1336 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Hundreds of the college scholars and their guests crowded into the lanes and lined up into Chestnut Street to attend.

A highlight of the party came when Congressman Fattah and CEO Vallas went bowling themselves on adjoining lanes.

“Meeting with CORE Philly scholars and their families is always a special occasion for me. These young people are Philadelphia’s future, and they are taking advantage of a valuable opportunity to continue their education,” Congressman Fattah said. “The Bowling Bash is a chance for them to give themselves a hand and to celebrate the success they have already achieved.”

CEO Vallas stated, “CORE Philly has been a significant ingredient in our efforts to encourage students to graduate and continue on to higher education by making sure all students will have the resources to go to college. I enjoy this opportunity to greet these young people who are the success stories of our schools.”  

Bowling Bash caps a week that began Monday, November 20, with Congressman Fattah addressing hundreds of Philadelphia public high school juniors participating in another of his signature programs, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Access and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs).

The Congressman keynoted “GEAR UP Word Up,” a college-focused pep rally for students from four high schools at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, cosponsored by State Senator Vincent Hughes.

The Congressman created GEAR UP, a higher education readiness program that has served more than 6.2 million students with $2.4 billion in federal appropriations since its enactment in 1998. GEAR UP builds an educational pipeline for students from low-income impacted schools to colleges and universities.

Since Congressman Fattah created CORE Philly in 2004 in partnership with the School District and the City of Philadelphia, more than 7,000 Philadelphia high school graduates have received scholarship funds to attend college. CORE Philly – College Opportunity Resources for Education/Philadelphia -- has committed $14 million to provide freshman year “last dollar” scholarships to Philadelphia residents who have just graduated from public, private, charter and parochial schools.

About 85 percent of CORE Philly scholars remain enrolled at Temple University, Community College of Philadelphia and 13 other Pennsylvania state-supported universities where the scholarship money may be applied.