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Youth Empowerment Center News Padres target youth charities
Education, recreation, health at the center of their efforts
By Mike Scarr / MLB.com
Ever since John Moores took over the club in 1995, the Padres have targeted their charitable efforts through a three-pronged attack. The three main areas have been and still are: education, recreation and children's health.
Under those pillars are three marquee programs with education highlighted by the Padres Scholars program, recreation spotlighted by the Little Padres Park program and children's health with the Cindy Matters Fund as its top charity.
"First we had the theme and then we found a program to headline under each theme," said Michele Anderson, Padres vice president of community relations. "There are a number of worthwhile charities, but we feel we can be more effective if we narrow our focus."
The Padres Scholars program targets bright students who face financial challenges and who also may not necessarily be straight-A achievers. The program recognizes a broad range of factors goes into a student's success and therefore endeavors to identify underrepresented groups and otherwise overlooked students.
Each student who advances through the program is given a $5,000 scholarship plus accrued interest to attend a four-year college or university upon their high school graduation.
Students are selected as seventh-graders based on the idea they will choose a more positive life course during their secondary school years if they have the guarantee of embarking on a college education.
"Awarding it at that time will hopefully give them a vote of confidence at a vulnerable time in their lives and hopefully it is also a carrot to keep them from resisting temptations," Anderson said. "We go after at-risk kids who have the potential to be a 4.0 student but may not have the family model to teach them to work hard and stay focused."
To that end, all Padres Scholars are enrolled in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a college-preparatory program that provides students with the academic support and counseling to succeed.
AVID is the brainchild of Clairemont High English teacher Mary Catherine Swanson, who wrote the lesson plan in 1980. AVID is now used in schools throughout the world.
"That partnership makes it possible,' Anderson said of AVID. "They are there in the schools and they can monitor the student's progress."
Each Padres Scholar must remain in the AVID program through high school graduation to receive the scholarship.
Players have been a part of Padres Scholars since its inception and still provide financial support, putting up $62,500, which is matched by Moores for a total of $125,000 to finance 25 scholarships each year. To date, a total of $1.4 million has been committed in scholarships on behalf of Padres players and ownership.
"The fact that the players are still involved from a personal standpoint is pretty neat," Anderson said. "It has an impact on the kids, too. They feel that Trevor Hoffman, for example, has a personal stake in their lives and not just the club."
Four members of the inaugural class of Padres Scholars (1995) graduated from college this year, two in June and two after the fall semester, earning degrees from Howard University, San Diego State, the University of California at Berkeley and UCLA.
The Little Padres Parks Program was launched in 1996 to provide updated playing facilities around the San Diego County area, including Baja California. All parks feature grass infields, big league landscaping, scoreboards, and signature palm trees in the outfield. Moores made 60 diamonds an initial target and to date, 24 Little Padres Parks have opened.
The field at Memorial Community Park in Logan Heights, just three miles from PETCO Park, was dedicated with the help of Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn, on Sept. 3, 2004, as part of Tony Gwynn Weekend.
"We realize we are going to have to be patient," Anderson said of their ambitious goal of adding six to 10 fields a year. The Padres are averaging three to four a year. "We want to do it right. But it is a program that we're really proud of."
The Cindy Matters Fund targets the Padres' effort to help fight children's cancer. Named for a woman who died of colon cancer on Jan. 18, 1997, at age 28, the fund has raised more than $850,000 for the UCSD Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory.
The UCSD project has since merged with Children's Hospital to bring research together with patients.
"That [alliance] has made this a stronger program," Anderson said.
A number of players contribute their time throughout the year, among them Ryan Klesko, Brian Giles, Phil Nevin and Hoffman. It was Giles who was named the winner of this year's Chairman Award, annually given for contributions to charity.
Giles hosted patients from Children's Hospital for games throughout the season in his private suite at PETCO, providing limousine service to and from the park and a buffet. He also met with the kids and signed autographs.
"That was something he wanted to do in the new ballpark as soon as he came to the Padres in 2003," Anderson said of the San Diego native. "He was involved in that right away."
Mike Scarr is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Youth Empowerment
Lorraine Bowman, President
4249 Manzanita Drive
San Diego, California 92105
info@empowering-youth.org
