The Harlem Wizards are bringing their high-flying basketball act back to Lehighton for the first time in three years to take on a team of school district “all stars.”

Scheduled for Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Lehighton Area Elementary Center gymnasium, the game will benefit the Lehighton Education and Athletic Foundation.

“This was a major fundraiser for us in 2019 and we had a wonderful turnout so it’s something we wanted to do again for our students and the community,” Tim Tkach, LEAF president and retired school district administrator, said. “We’re looking forward to a really fun night.”

Lehighton Superintendent Dr. Christina Fish said the event is a great example of an organization such as the Harlem Wizards giving back to the community and supporting a non-profit such as LEAF.

“LEAF does such a great job of supporting some things financially that we can’t always cover out of our regular budget,” Fish said. “One of the things they do is provide scholarships to teachers that they use for different purposes. It might be traveling into the community with their class or buying materials for special projects.”

Typical classroom grants range from $250 to $2,000 and can also be used for such things as musical equipment, literacy resources or any other project deemed worthy by the selection committee. Teacher grant applications are available now on the LEAF website, https://www.leaf-foundation.org, and are due back by Jan. 18.

LEAF also gives annual scholarships of $1,500 each to two senior boys and two senior girls who are in the top 40% of their class. The awards are based on service to community/school, a caring and giving attitude, as well as financial need.

When the Wizards come to town, it’s much more than just a game. In 2019, the last time they played in Lehighton, the Wizards sent one OF its players, Space Jam, to the elementary center and middle school for assemblies during the week leading up to the game.

According to Tkach, those assemblies will take place again this year.

“It gets the kids excited and involved,” he said.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. on Nov. 22 and the Lehighton Area Elementary Center PTO will have food, snacks and drinks for sale in the concession stand.

Ticket sales

Advance tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. If purchased at the door, tickets are $12 and $17 respectively.

There will be opportunities to buy tickets at all three Lehighton schools.

Elementary Center parents are asked to place the number and type of tickets requested in an envelope with the student’s name and homeroom teacher on the outside and the money or check enclosed. The district will return them in an envelope the next day. Checks should be made payable to L.E.A.F.

Tickets will be sold at the middle school during lunch on Nov. 16-18 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This is also when the general public can purchase tickets in the middle school main lobby foyer.

At the high school, tickets will be sold in the main office during lunchtime hours.

Tickets can also be purchased online at https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards/Lehighton.

Several special ticket categories are available only online. Reserved tickets, which include seating close to the court, a free team poster for kids and $5 souvenir voucher for adults, cost $20. Courtside Plus tickets, which include courtside reserved seating, pregame meet and greet with players, souvenir lanyard, color team photo for kids, a $10 souvenir voucher for adults and a $10 discount on Wizards replica jersey, cost $35.