PHILADELPHIA, June 1, 2010 –Today, Mayor Michael A. Nutter, the Philadelphia Eagles, and Southwest Airlines honored the participants in the 2009-2010 Mayor’s VIPs Program, a student incentive and teacher appreciation program implemented through the Mayor’s Office of Education. For the current school year, almost 1,000 Mayor’s Box tickets have been distributed to students in Archdiocese, charter, private and public high schools in Philadelphia who earned straight A’s and had perfect attendance during the 1st and 2nd marking periods. During the 3rd marking period, this competition recognizes students who demonstrate the most improvement in two categories: grades and attendance. These students receive each receive a pair of tickets to both The Franklin Institute and the Eastern State Penitentiary. Approximately 800 students have been honored by the end of the Mayor’s VIPs program. A new component of the program, this year, is teacher nominations for ticket to the Franklin Institute. Participating schools had the opportunity to nominate a teacher at the school who has shown dedication to preparing his or her students for college.rnrn“Education must be every student’s number one priority. By offering incentives such as Mayor’s Box tickets to students who place education first, we are honoring the hard work and dedication of young people who are on the path to success,†said Mayor Nutter. rnrnIn addition to receiving tickets to various entertainment venues, participating students and teachers in the Mayor’s VIPs Program who attended Tuesday’s reception were automatically entered into a raffle to receive round trip airline tickets donated by Southwest Airlines. Four students received four round trip tickets each, and one teacher received two round trip tickets. rnrn“Southwest Airlines relishes in the opportunity to support students who take their education to new heights. Philadelphia students can soar to new heights, opportunities, and accomplishments from the lessons they learn from their teachers and time they dedicate to their studies. The Mayor’s VIPs program is a recognition opportunity to thank our students and teachers via a Travel Award and other great prizes for taking education serious, which is an invaluable community partnership for Southwest Airlines.†said Karen Price-Ward, Community Affairs & Grassroots Manager.rnrn“We are pleased to host these exceptional students from Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field†said Joe Banner, President of the Philadelphia Eagles. “We hear far too often about young people who make the wrong decisions, and it’s important to remember the students who are committed to doing well in school every day. These are the future leaders in our communities.â€rnrnMayor Nutter has identified education as crucial for economic development in Philadelphia. The Mayor has two education goals: to double the high school graduation rate to 80% by 2015 and to double the number of residents with a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree by 2018. Efforts such as the Mayor’s VIPs program help reward individuals who are bringing the City one step closer to achieving these goals.