Cooperstown Comes to Washington, D.C.

Students to Experience Unique Educational Program from the Baseball Hall of Fame

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – The National Pastime and the nation’s capital converge this summer with an exciting educational outreach program from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

Students in Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C., will experience five virtual field trips throughout the summer, with programs covering Geography, Civil Rights, Statistics, Women in Baseball and the Hall of Fame. The 30-minute virtual field trips connect students to Cooperstown using distance learning technology. Baseball is used as the backdrop to help students discover objectives in the selected topics.

The curriculum has been culled from the Museum’s award-winning educational programs and customized to the young Washingtonians through Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

“Baseball’s reliance on numbers and statistics, as well as its significant intersections with American history and culture, make the game an ideal channel for student learning experiences,” said Jon Shestakofsky, Vice President of Communications and Education for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “We are grateful for the generosity of Congressional Sports for Charity, which has fostered this educational experience to benefit the many young learners participating in the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.”

“The passionate staff and educational resources at the Baseball Hall of Fame have helped us bring baseball alive in the classroom for our scholar-athletes at the YBA,” said Tal Alter, Executive Director of the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. “The opportunity to explore the story of America through the lens of America’s Pastime has brought a new passion for history and a new level of excitement for the game of baseball amongst our scholar-athletes.”

The programs, made possible via a grant from the Congressional Sports for Charity organization, also featured a trip to the 2018 All-Star FanFest for the students as part of the 2018 All-Star Game festivities in Washington.

“Congressional Sports for Charity is pleased to have been able to support the summer education program that the Hall of Fame conducted in partnership with the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy,” said Ryan Thompson, President of Congressional Sports for Charity. “Everyone loves baseball. This program brings children in D.C.’s neediest neighborhoods a passion for learning through the lens of our nation’s favorite pastime.”

The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s education team has previously delivered similar programs to students in Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, Calif.; and communities in the Bronx, N.Y.

For more information about the Hall of Fame’s education programs, please visit http://www.baseballhall.org/learn.

Media alert: Media outlets interested in coverage opportunities should contact Hall of Fame Vice President of Communications and Education Jon Shestakofsky at jshesta@baseballhall.org.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS ACADEMY

The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy uses baseball and softball as vehicles to foster positive character development, academic achievement, and improved health among youth from underserved communities in Washington, D.C. Since its inception in 2013, the Academy has created and implemented programs that make a holistic and lasting impact on the lives of children and families living east of the Anacostia River. In 2017, 150 3rd through 8th grade Scholar-Athletes enrolled in our core enrichment program, 900+ families joined adult education and community engagement activities – such as Cooking with Heart and Joyful Food Markets – and nearly 300 6-to-12-year olds participated in YBA PLAY, an effort designed to expose young people to positive and life-changing experiences through baseball free of charge. To learn more about the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, visit our website at www.nationalsacademy.org.