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Fields
of Dreams Out-of-School Time Program
Fields
of Dreams (FOD) is an out-of-school time program initiative of
A Greater Washington (AGW), and works in collaboration with
Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI). Fields of
Dreams is currently in 6 elementary schools and 3 middle
schools in Wards 6, 7 and 8.
Elementary
Schools:
Middle Schools:
Green
ES (Ward
8)
Hart Middle School (Ward 8)
Kimball
ES (Ward
7)
Jefferson Junior High (Ward
6)
Ludlow
Taylor ES (Ward
6)
Sousa Middle School (Ward 7)
Malcolm
X ES (Ward 8)
Moten
ES (Ward 8)
Simon
ES (Ward
8)
FOD
supports youth baseball and softball in the District of
Columbia as a means of developing the athletic and life skills
of young people in disadvantaged areas of the city.
Our
mission program is to develop the athletic, educational, and
life skills of young boys and girls in disadvantaged areas of
the District of Columbia while increasing their self-esteem.
The program is motivated by the belief that there is
great value in combining athletic, educational, and
citizenship training in a way that connects and reinforces all
three for children. FOD gives young participants in the program, known as
“Dreamers,” the opportunity to further their education while
engaging in academic, athletic and social activities within a
safe and constructive environment.
The academic enrichment
component is focused on math and reading skills utilizing a
curriculum using baseball.
Character education is built upon the nine values that
guided the life of baseball legend and pioneer Jackie Robinson
using his daughter Sharon Robinson's book, Jackie's Nine.
Jackie’s Nine teaches lessons to live by through
readings on courage, determination, teamwork, persistence,
integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. At the middle school level, we also use a mentoring
curriculum designed by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and
provide homework help after school.
Last year, we formed a partnership with DC Central
Kitchen’s Healthy Returns program to provide healthy snacks
and nutrition education for our students.
Since 2002, Fields of Dreams has
served more than 1,200 children. The Fields of Dreams program
has demonstrated that there is great value in combining
fitness, academics, nutrition, and citizenship education in a
way that connects and reinforces the four to help build the
self-esteem and life skills of children. George
Solomon of The Washington Post captured it perfectly: "It
all looked right: Kids competing in a league that incorporates
academics and baseball, playing on once-abandoned dust patches
converted into neat little ballfields."
The Spring program runs for
twelve weeks and includes seven games with other FOD teams and
a Ward Series Championship. The Fall program is seven weeks.
Fields of Dreams also operates a free, all-day summer
camp for more than 100 children for six weeks at Kimball ES in
Ward 7 that provides 3 hours of academics (to address the
issue of summer learning loss), 3 hours of baseball/physical
fitness, some free playtime and two free meals. We recently
added a pilot seven-week winter program at Malcolm X
Elementary School.
Fields
of Dreams would not be possible without the generous support
of our many friends. Please visit our Supporters
page to view a list of our our partners and to learn how your
financial contribution can make a difference.
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Become
an FOD
SUPPORTER! |
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