SUCCESS: ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, THROUGHOUT LIFE - The Washington Nationals DC Baseball Academy is a year-round youth development program committed to preparing youth with the skills necessary to succeed in life and become responsible, productive citizens in their community.
"Every child deserves to have access to recreational opportunities. The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy will not only give kids the chance to play sports, but it will also provide the structure and guidance they need to do better in school. If it weren't for a similar program that I took part in as a kid, I may never have had the chance to succeed in school, learn the game of baseball and make it to the Majors."
- Nationals Short Stop Ian Desmond
Mission Statement:
The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is focused on creating an enduring environment for high-quality after-school and summer programs that integrate baseball, academics, and the value of teamwork in a safe environment for youth living in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.
Purpose:
Never has it been more imperative to give youth in the District of Columbia access to recreational facilities and after-school programs. Children growing up in Ward 7 are especially at risk and face many challenges to success and achievement as a result of the poverty, poor health and limited opportunities available in the neighborhood.
The Academy aims to meet the needs of these underserved youth in communities east of the Anacostia River and strives to transform vulnerable children into resilient young adults by:
- Providing a first-class facility for after-school and summer programming
- Implementing a nationally proven program that uses baseball to raise educational aspirations, improve physical health and well-being, and develop leadership skills among youth
Located only a few miles from Nationals Park, the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is in Ward 7's Fort Dupont Park on land that was secured through the cooperation of the DC and Federal governments.
- Three baseball fields (youth field, softball field, and regulation baseball field)
- State-of-the-art educational clubhouse with classrooms
- Office space
- Meeting rooms
- "Teaching kitchen" suitable for cooking and nutrition lessons
- Additional indoor training facilities
The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy's programming responds to the interests and needs of low-income youth in a dense, urban community by combining baseball and softball instruction with after-school mentoring and tutoring. Based on a model developed by the Harlem RBI organization, the Academy's programs focus on the concept that baseball is more than just a game; it's a powerful tool through which children can learn health and nutrition, teamwork and the self confidence to do better in school.
Emphasis is placed on:
"So many young people will come off the streets. These children are going to have something to look forward to. They are going to have a place to go after school. They're going to be better citizens. They're going to be more productive individuals and they are going to be better students for having gone through this experience."
- Alfonso Maldon, Washington Nationals Founding Partner
Make your donation online, using a credit card:
BY PHONE contact 202-640-7124
BY MAIL, to the following address:
The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation
Nationals Park
1500 South Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tax ID Number: 34-2034830
