MEDIA ALERT- November 28, 2011
Contact: Thara Taylor- thara@livingclassrooms.org, (410) 685-0295 x. 205
Living Classrooms Foundation, Mayor Rawlings-Blake, Ravens Players, NFL, and Partners to Hold Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New City Springs Football Field in East Baltimore
Initiative Highlights Living Classrooms’ Ongoing Leadership in Fostering Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Communities and Promote Healthy Lifestyles for Youth
WHO: Living Classrooms Foundation, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore City Council President Jack Young, Greg Bayor of Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, Dick Cass of the Baltimore Ravens, Ravens players*, cheerleaders and mascot, Kwame Flaherty of NFL/Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC) Grassroots Program, Coach Joe Ehrmann, East Baltimore students, and others. *Ravens players scheduled to appear include Tyrod Taylor, Ricky Williams, Bryan Hall, Lee Evans, Albert McClellan, Rodney Bradley, and more are scheduled to appear.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: City Springs Football Field (field is adjacent to City Springs pool) at 1500 E. Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21231 (enter at Lombard Street just east of Caroline Street); RAIN LOCATION: across the street at Baltimore Freedom Academy cafeteria
WHAT: Living Classrooms is collaborating with the City of Baltimore, The Baltimore Ravens, NFL/LISC Grassroots Program, Coach for America’s Joe Ehrmann, and East Baltimore schools to deliver much-needed physical education and wellness programming for youth, as part of Living Classrooms’ health and wellness initiative in East Baltimore’s Target Investment Zone. Partners will come together in an inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new City Springs Football Field, which will offer youth a safe place to exercise, play team sports, and receive wrap-around services.
ABOUT:
The newly renovated City Springs’ Football Field features a regulation size football field that will offer community youth and families a safe place to play football and participate in physical education classes and health and wellness programming run by Living Classrooms Foundation’s athletics and education staff. City Springs’ field was initiated by an NFL/LISC Grassroots grant of $100,000 to Living Classrooms, that was supported by the Baltimore Ravens and matched with funding from Baltimore City Recreation and Parks of $153,000. This unique public and private partnership in the form of an Adopt-a-Field Agreement has designated Living Classrooms Foundation as the operator of the field by Baltimore City Recreation and Parks. As the designated operator, Living Classrooms will provide both the maintenance of this high quality athletic field and programming focusing on health and wellness for the East Baltimore Community.
Living Classrooms’ athletics and educational staff will manage the schedule for field use in coordination with Recreation and Parks ensuring that community youth have priority usage. This field will be used for physical education activities during the school day and will provide youth with safe and supervised recreation during the critical after school hours when they are more likely to participate in risky behavior. The program will also help youth to maintain a healthy lifestyle and achieve greater academic success, while promoting community engagement through the Living Classrooms Scholar Athlete Program. The Living Classrooms Scholar Athlete Program has been created in partnership with Joe Ehrmann’s Coach for America organization with the goal of creating a national model that uses sports as a means to advance a community. Living Classrooms will also partner with the educational programs and resources of USA Football. The programming vision for City Springs Field is to utilize athletics as an instrument aimed towards helping boys and girls become men and women of empathy and integrity who will lead, be responsible and positively impact their community.
*NOTE TO MEDIA: Media opportunities will be made available immediately following the ceremony.
