Local, National Celebrities Help Raise Funds For ACES

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- National and local celebrities donated their time and talent to Fishing for ACES on the WCCO rooftop during Super Bowl Festivities.

With their help and yours money was raised to help Athletes Committed to Educating Students with its mission of reducing the achievement gap in the Twin Cities.

Former Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway was just one of many athletes and celebrities who went fishing on our WCCO roof top. These notable anglers are dedicated to helping children and with every fish caught, a donation was made to ACES.

"We're so happy that people are recognizing us and the work that we're doing and to see celebrities and athletes to support us in that way," Misha Evertz of ACES said.

ACES -- or Athletes Committed to Educating Students -- is the first and only organization in the Twin Cities to have the direct support of every major Minnesota professional sports team.

ACES combines sports, math and social-emotional learning for students in grades 4 through 8. Several professional athletes and coaches showed up for Bowling for ACES, this past Saturday in Edina.

"It was probably our first big family-friendly event that we put on, and it was a really good time. There was bowling, lots of celebrities and athletes were there," Evertz said.

ACES combined the money raised from rooftop fishing, a phone bank and the Bowling for ACES event.

"We were shooting for $125,000. We're at $118,000," Evertz said.

All that money will go directly toward programming at six sites throughout the Twin Cities. A University of Minnesota study found students involved with ACES have higher reading proficiency scores and higher graduation rates.

You can still donate -- just head to their website.