Hall of Fame Expands Educational Outreach Program with Morgan Stanley Grant

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has received a grant from Morgan Stanley that will fund a four-year effort to support students in low-income communities across the country, including Morgan Stanley-funded affordable housing developments, through inspiring and educational programming.

The programming initiatives will be based on the Hall of Fame’s award-winning educational curriculum, which is designed to provide an interactive learning experience that teaches core-curriculum topics through the lens of baseball, engaging students in the material for maximum impact.

“The National Baseball Hall of Fame truly appreciates Morgan Stanley’s support of this meaningful initiative, which will provide needed resources, guidance and structured educational programs to thousands of students across the country,” said Jeff Idelson, Interim President of the Hall of Fame. “This considerable expansion of the Hall of Fame’s educational outreach programs provides new opportunities for the Museum and Morgan Stanley to accomplish our shared goal of positively impacting students across the country.”

“As a history museum, education is central to our focus. Sharing the history of our National Pastime and how it helps shape the framework of American society is at the core of our mission,” Idelson continued. “The Hall of Fame is proud to provide these lessons while also inspiring the next generation of Americans through lessons of achievement and leadership.”

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with the Baseball Hall of Fame on this impactful program, as evidenced by participants and educators, and an increase in classroom engagement and performance,” said Mike Mantle, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley. The new Hall of Fame outreach initiatives serve as an expansion of successful educational programs funded over the past seven years in partnership with Morgan Stanley including financed affordable housing in Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, Calif.; and the Bronx, N.Y. “It is an honor to bring innovative history and civics lessons to students. Many baseball greats have dedicated their post-ball careers to teaching youth, including Bun Hayes and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn,” Mantle added.

As part of this initiative, Lincoln Avenue Capital – a mission-driven affordable housing developer, investor, and operator serving low-income individuals and families nationwide – will hold afterschool programs at several of its properties.

“Lincoln Avenue Capital does not just invest in properties. We invest in our communities for the long term,” said Jeremy Bronfman, CEO of Lincoln Avenue Capital. “We firmly believe that socially-minded businesses can set an example in our industries, and we are proud to be participating in this impactful educational program in partnership with Morgan Stanley and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.”

“One of the many reasons I’m so proud to be a Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame is the great work we have done together to support educational efforts in Cooperstown and beyond,” said Ozzie Smith, who has served as the Hall of Fame’s Education Ambassador since being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. “Baseball is the perfect tool to help students absorb the same important lessons of self-esteem and leadership that helped me reach my goals in the game, and in my life. This program will make a lasting impact on thousands of students of diverse backgrounds growing up in cities throughout the United States.”

The first properties to benefit from Morgan Stanley’s grant will be: Allapattah Gardens in Miami, Fla.; Orchard Place in Rochester, N.Y.; Paddock on Park Row in Arlington, Texas; Timber Sound in Orlando, Fla.; and Zephyr Pointe in Reno, Nev. The Hall of Fame’s educational outreach programs at these properties are slated to begin in October 2021.

For each program, the Hall of Fame provides all necessary supplies and training for local partner educators to successfully deliver eight engaging week-long lessons customizable from 16 modules – each aligned with NextGen learning standards – that span the broader topics of Social Studies, Character Development, Mathematics, Science and The Arts:

• SOCIAL STUDIES: Women’s History: Dirt on Their Skirts; Civil Rights: Before You Could Say “Jackie Robinson”; Cultural Diversity: Diversity in the Dugout; Popular Culture: Take Me Out to the Ballgame; Geography: Baseball Coast to Coast; Labor History: Hardballs and Handshakes
• CHARACTER EDUCATION: Character Education: The Iron Horse; Leadership: Leading Off
• MATHEMATICS: Statistics: Batter Up!; Geometry: Circling the Bases; Economics: Business of Baseball
• SCIENCE: Physical Science: Science on the Sandlot; Health Science: Be A Superior Example (BASE); Innovation: Tools of the Trade
• THE ARTS: Communication Arts: Going! Going! Gone!

In addition to lessons focused on baseball’s basis in statistics, geometry and economics, students engaging with the Hall of Fame’s educational curriculum will learn the inspiring stories of baseball and explore many of its key figures – including Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Ozzie Smith and Jackie Robinson, Baseball Writers’ Association of America Career Excellence Award Winner Claire Smith and renowned baseball architect Janet Marie Smith – who have faced and overcome challenges, including racial and gender discrimination. Lessons also reinforce the importance of hard work and perseverance to reach one’s goals.

Each off-site education program funded by Morgan Stanley will run for eight weeks, with local partner educators delivering the Hall of Fame’s curriculum. A weekly live connection to Cooperstown with a Hall of Fame expert educator is integrated into each week’s lesson plan, with these virtual field trips reinforcing the lessons being taught on-site using distance-learning technology. Participating community groups will have the opportunity to customize their individual curriculum to their own interests and needs.

Educators can explore and engage with the Hall of Fame’s educational curriculum for free online here. These lessons can be delivered as part of in-person field trips or virtual field trips via individual classroom distance learning sessions.