The Boston Red Sox and Red Sox Foundation introduced the newest class of Red Sox Scholars including two East Boston students on June 24, at Fenway Park in a ceremony before the Red Sox-Mariners game. Now in its 16th year, the Red Sox Scholars Program is presented by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the Official Hospital and Official Health Care Provider of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park.
Charlize Hoeun, age 13, attends Excel Academy Charter School East Boston. Charlize is an honor roll student and received the “Perfect Attendance” award in 2017. She enjoys running on the cross country and track teams, and is also a member of the Model United Nations.
Yanira Barrientos, age 13, attends Hurley K-8 School. Yanira’s hobbies include art and dancing. She is fluent in both English and Spanish, and loves to read. Yanira received the “Hurley Hawk,” a prestigious award at her school presented to students achieving great academic success.
Proceeds from the Red Sox Foundation’s 50/50 Raffle for Sunday’s game will benefit the Red Sox Scholars Program. Fans who are 18 years or older and within the state of Massachusetts at the time of purchase can buy their tickets at redsox.com/5050. Tickets may be purchased from the time gates open (1 ½ hours before game time) through the bottom of the 5th inning.
This year’s induction of 14 new 7th graders brings the total number of Red Sox Scholars to 288. In addition to the new scholars, the induction will celebrate members of the program who are graduating high school, college and graduate school. Scholars from each of the previous 15 years will also be in attendance.
The Red Sox Scholars program is managed by the Foundation and designed to provide students from Boston Public Schools and Charter Schools with access to college by awarding $10,000 college scholarships. Students are chosen in the 7th grade and provided with academic, professional, and social support by the Foundation throughout their schooling to ensure they graduate from college with as little debt as possible. The program earned Major League Baseball’s first-ever “Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence” in 2010.
“The Red Sox Scholars Program has had an impact on hundreds of students since its creation, and we are pleased to welcome a new class of talented students while celebrating the milestones and achievements of previous classes,” said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Bekah Salwasser. “As the program has grown, so has the sense of community shared by these students. Our focus is not only on achieving academic success, but also ensuring that every student who comes through the program feels like they are part of a family with resources and mentorship they can depend on for years to come.”
In the ceremony, each new scholar will be escorted onto the field by a Red Sox player. Joining them will be BIDMC health professionals, who serve as “Medical Champions” and host a career exploration field trip to introduce students to the health professions.
The Red Sox Scholars program receives funding from American Student Assistance, Aramark, Biogen Foundation, Highland Street Foundation, Doris Buffett’s Letters Foundation, The Lynch Foundation, and PGA Tour/Dell Technologies Championship as well as by Red Sox Foundation fundraising events. Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and his wife, Erin, serve as the Program Captains.
Biographies of the newest Red Sox Scholars are attached.
About the Red Sox Foundation
The official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation has donated to over 1,680 organizations since its creation in 2002, and focused on making a difference in the lives of children, families, Veterans, and communities in need by improving their health, education, and recreational opportunities. Through partnerships with best-in-class organizations in healthcare, the Red Sox have helped raised over $135 million for cancer treatment and research for The Jimmy Fund, supported more than 15,000 Veterans and their families suffering from the “invisible wounds of war” with the Home Base Program, and helped the Dimock Center serve over 17,000 patients annually with health and human services. The Foundation’s self-run education and youth baseball programs have helped 274 Boston Public Schools students with college scholarships, and promotes healthy choices and valuable life skills to more than 700 urban youth annually through its RBI baseball and softball program.