The sun was shining, and spirits were high at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mastery North Athletic Complex on March 14, a project that is the result of years of work by Mastery staff, parents, and community members and generous support from Pennsylvania State Senator Art Haywood, Pennsylvania State Representative Stephen Kinsey, Philadelphia Councilmember Cindy Bass, and the Philadelphia Eagles.

During the ceremony, Wallace Weaver, a representative from Senator Haywood’s office, reflected on what the complex represents, stating, “Investments like this show our students and our community that they matter, that they are entitled to the same top quality and exceptional experiences as anyone else.” And Renee Porter-Sanders, a dedicated Parent Action Team member at Pickett Campus, spoke about the One Team effort it took to get us to this point, saying, “This was a far-reaching, all-hands-on-deck effort from everyone involved. It required a spirit of partnership, understanding, and patience. This is what working together looks like.”

Flanked by head football coach John Davidson and Mastery Schools CEO Dr. Joel Boyd, Zion Chamberlin, a student-athlete from Mastery Pickett, cut the ribbon, officially opening the field for years of enjoyment and achievement to come.

Special thanks to Swoop and cheerleaders from Pickett and Lenfest Campus for bringing joy and energy to the event and Seravalli Contractors Inc., KS Engineers P.C., and NorthStar Museums and Education for making this state-of-the-art sports facility a reality.

Check out news coverage from NBC10 to learn more about this exciting new chapter for Mastery Athletics and view photos from the event below.