The Ducks will highlight their Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation & Education (S.C.O.R.E.) program this Sunday, Jan. 8 at Honda Center when it takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets (5:05 p.m.). In support of the program, fans are encouraged to donate new or like-new books at S.C.O.R.E. Night’s Book Drive taking place from 3-5 p.m. at The Hockey Spot.

All donated books at The Hockey Spot (north side of Honda Center in the parking lot) should be age-appropriate for children in grades 3-6. Every fan who donates a book will receive a raffle ticket to win a 2011-12 team-autographed stick. The books will be donated to schools enrolled in S.C.O.R.E.’s Reading is the Goal program, a nationally recognized reading program that uses a rewards-based system for reading achievement and literacy.

S.C.O.R.E. Night will also feature the Davis Ducks Elementary choir (Grades 4-6) singing the national anthem. In addition, students from Friends Christian School of Yorba Linda, four-time champions of the S.C.O.R.E. Street Hockey Shootout (held annually in May), will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony for their achievements in the physical education portion of the S.C.O.R.E. program. Funds for the S.C.O.R.E. program will be raised with an in-game silent auction at Section 214. Fans are encouraged to visit the silent auction in-game and during intermissions to bid on autographed team merchandise, including a framed S.C.O.R.E. jersey.

The Ducks S.C.O.R.E. program was developed in 2005 with the ultimate goal of promoting healthy living and academic excellence to all students in Southern California. A past recipient (2008) of the statewide Celebrate Literacy Award, the Ducks were also recognized by the California Reading Association (CRA) for the high regard given to the Ducks S.C.O.R.E. program by the teachers and students from the schools in Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties where the programs are implemented. In addition to Reading is the Goal, S.C.O.R.E. also provides a street hockey program to over 50 schools, school supplies to over 18,000 students and the multiple-subject First Flight Field Trip. This free program has reached nearly 220,000 local children since the 2005-06 hockey season.

S.C.O.R.E. is the primary program of the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. The mission of the Anaheim Ducks Foundation is to facilitate and support programs that produce positive change for children and families throughout Southern California by providing educational opportunities, broadening access to the sport of hockey and addressing the health and wellness needs of our community. For more information on S.C.O.R.E. and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, please visit AnaheimDucks.com/foundation.

Tickets to Sunday’s game vs. Columbus are still available and can be purchased online, by phone with Ticketmaster at (714) 703-2545 or in person at the Honda Center Box Office. As part of the club’s “all-in pricing,” fans purchasing tickets direct from the Anaheim Ducks (AnaheimDucks.com, Ticketmaster or Honda Center Box Office) will pay the identical price regardless of purchase point.

For more information on S.C.O.R.E. and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, please visit www.anaheimducks.com/foundation.