Mark P. Sills is a native of the eastside of Wilmington, DE. Over the years, has established a well- Mark P. Sills known Delaware and regional reputation as an advocate, organizer and business entrepreneur of youthMark development P Sills is programs a native of- withthe eastsideorganized of youthWilmington, basketball Delaware. programs Over as the a focalyears, point. has Heestablished and his company,a well-known Urban Delaware Youth, Inc. and have regional received reputation many awards as an fromadvocate, the Wilmington organizer andCity Councilbusiness and entrepreneur local civic groupsof youth for developmenttheir work with programs Wilmington - with youth, organized inclusive youth of helping basketball many toprograms get into as college a focal andpoint. receiving He and hiscollege business academic company, and Urban athletic Youth, scholarships. Inc. have He received was recently many honoredawards from to receivethe Wilmington an award City from Council the andHouse local of civic Representatives groups for their Pennsylvania work with Wilmington Legislative Black Caucus, as well as to receive an award from the office of Philadelphia City Hall Mayor youth, inclusive of helping many to get into college and receiving college academic and athletic Michael Nutter. He has organized Basketball events in conjunction with NBA Professional teams ATLANTAscholarships. HAWKS, He has organized PHILADELPHIA Basketball 76ERS,events in WASHINGTON conjunction with WIZARDS NBA Professional and Delaware teams 87ERS.ATLANTA Appointed HAWKS, board PHILADELPHIA member of the Delaware76ERS, WASHINGTON High School Basketball WIZARDS Hall and of DelawareFame and serves87ERS. on He the is Wilmingtonalso a committee Martin member Luther of King the Delaware Jr. Referral Sports Center Writers Advisory Broadcasters Board. Association Mark is also, anof Alumnusthe Delaware of the High H. SchoolFletcher Basketball Brown Boys Coaches and GirlsHall ofClub, Fame as Electoralwell as a C Boardommittee Member and s ervesof the Boyson the and Wilmington Girls Clubs Martin of Delaware. Luther King Jr. Referral Center Advisory Board. During Mark’s early professional years, he has served as Youth Development Specialist with the Wilmington Housing AuthorityDuring - with Mark'sstaff responsibility early professional for developing years, he has basketball served asand Youth other Development recreational Specialistprograms withfor youththe Wilmington residing in publicHousing housing. Authority He then- with served staff responsibilityas Youth Program for developing Director forbasketball the Delaware and other Girls recreational Club and programs later as a for ten youth year Assistantresiding Basketballin public housing. Coach with He thenthe Wilmington served as Youth Howard Program High Director School. for At theHoward, Delaware he was Girls instrumental Club and later in helping as a ten theyear team Assistant to win theBasketball 1996 Delaware Coach withState the Boys Wilmington High School Howard Basketball High School. Championship. At Howard, he was instrumental in helping the team to win the 1996 Delaware State Boys High School Basketball Championship. For the last 17 years, starting in 1997, Mark has been the Founder and President of Urban Youth, Inc., a business, profit making entityFor the which last 15specialized years, starting in organizing in 1997, Markand directing has been organizedthe Founder week-end and President youth of basketball Urban Youth, tournaments Inc., a business, for non- profitprofit andmaking public entity youth which groups specialized in Wilmington in organizing and in and many directing other organizedcities along week the -endnorth youth eastern basketball part of thetournaments country. forOver thesenon- profitlast 17 and years, public Urban youth Youth, groups Inc., in Wilmingtonhas served overand in20,000 many youths other citiesand sponsoredalong the northan average eastern of part 35 ofto 40the organizedcountry. week-endOver these youth last 15basketball years, Urban tournaments Youth, Inc., per yearhas sponsored in 20 different an average cities. of About 35 to 40ten or percentganized (10%) week- endof these youth tournaments basketball havetournaments been in Wilmingtonper year in 20 DE different (inclusive cities. of Abouttwo annual ten percent Spring (10%) & Fall, of ninethese weekendtournaments basketball have been leagues). in Wilmington The other DE 90 percent(inclusive (90%) of twoof these annual Urban Spring Youth, & Fall, Inc. nine weekend weekend basketball basketball tournaments leagues). Thehave other been 90 annually percent staged(90%) inof suchthese cities Urban as DoverYouth, Delaware, Inc. weekend Toronto basketball Canada, tournaments Philadelphia have PA, Atlanticbeen annually City NJ, stages Germantown in such cities MD, asOcean Dover City Delaware, MD, Chester Toronto PA, BaltimoreCanada, Philadelphia MD, Washington PA, Atlantic DC, Chantilly City NJ, VA, Germantown Charlotte NC,MD, Atlanta Ocean CityGA, MD,Montgomery Chester PA, AL, Baltimore Pensacola MD, FL, amongWashington many others.DC, Chantilly VA, Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA, Montgomery AL, Pensacola FL, among many others. Operationally,Operationally, Urban Youth, Urban Inc., Youth, promotes Inc. organized, promotes weekend organized basketball weekend tournaments basketball throughtournaments its website: through Urbanyouthinc. its website: comUrbanyouthinc.com - with an internet - with marketing an internet focus marketing on teams focus located on teams in the located geographical in the geographical area designated area designatedfor weekend for basketballweekend tournaments.basketball tournaments. Interested teamsInterested are ableteams to arepay able their to registrationpay their registration fees on-line. fees The on- line.registration The registration fees are feesthen areused then to usedcover theto costscover ofthe facility costs of rental facility space; rental game space; referees, game referees, insurance, insurance, trophies/medals trophies/medals and other and otheradministrative administrative costs. costs. Mark Mark Sills notesSills thatnotes “we that have "we been have fortunate been fortunate in attracting in attracting a constituent a constituent core of coreyouth of (ages youth 10-17) (ages basketball10-17) basketball teams which teams annually which registerannually to registerplay in ourto play state in and our regionally state and basedregionally weekend based basketball weekend tournaments.basketball tournaments. Much of this Much attraction, of this Iattraction, believe, can I be attributed to the greatly expanded interest girls in organized basketball; the fact that basketball has proven to be the believe, can be attributed to the greatly expanded interest girls in organized basketball; the fact that basketball has proven least costly of all organized sport and to the budgetary cuts in youth recreational programs of local municipalities.” to be the least costly of all organized sport and to the budgetary cuts in youth recreational programs of local Inmunicipalities." the pursuit of his youth serving business, Mark acknowledges the support of his public service oriented family, includingIn his the father pursuit James of his (Jim) youth H. serving Sills, business,Jr. (former Mark first acknowledges time Black theMayor support of ofWilmington his public DE);service Jim oriented Sills III family, (former Delawareincluding State his father Secretary James of (Jim) the Department H. Sills, Jr. of(former Information first time and Black Technology Mayor andof Wil currentmington CEO DE); of M&FJim Sills Bank III of (currently Durham, NC),Delaware and his State late grandmotherSecretary of Marjoriethe Department E. Duckrey, of Information formerly aand well-known Technology), social and worker his lateof Philadelphia, grandmother PA.Marjorie He also E. is gratefulDuckrey, for formerly the support well of-known his wife, social Raynell, worker his of son,Philadelphia Ryan and PA. his He sister, also Julie.is grateful In 2012, for the supportCity of Wilmingtonof his wife, Raynell, awarded Markhis son, Sills Ryan “Father and ofhis the sister, Year.” Julie. Mark attendedMark Delawareattended Delaware State University State University where he where studied he business studied business administration administra andtion recreation and recreation studies. studies. He is a memberHe is a ofmember the Phi ofBeta the SigmaPhi Beta Fraternity. Sigma Fraternity. He can be He reached can be reachedat [email protected]. at [email protected]. He is a memberHe is a ofmember the Delaware of the Delaware Afro American Afro American Hall of FameHall of Committee. Fame Committee. Mark is He also was a inductedboard member into the of Philadelphia th Delaware SportsAssociation Broadcaster’s of Black Associations Sports and Culture (D.S.B.A.). Hall of He Fame was on inducted September into 13, the 201 Philadelphia2 in Philadelphia, Association PA along of Black with basketballSports and Culturelegends Hall Gene of Banks, Fame Coachon September C. Vivian 13, Stringer, 2012 Wiltin Philadelphia, Chamberlain PA and along Norman with Oliver. basketball legends Gene Banks, Coach C. Vivian Stringer, Wilt Chamberlain and Norman Oliver. On April 17, 2014 Mr. Sills was inducted into the Delaware Mark Sills has worked with The City of Wilmington on numerous community based projects over the last several Afroyears. American He works Sports with tHallhe Howard of Fame High in Dover,School DE.and HowardIn late 2015,High MarkAlumni