Jensen, Cameron help make holidays unforgettable for KC youngsters

KANSAS CITY -- Carter Jensen and Noah Cameron weren’t wearing red outfits or carrying around big sacks of presents, but the two Royals players might as well have been Santa Claus for 12 Kansas City-area teenagers last week.

On Friday, Jensen and Cameron gathered a group of Urban Youth Academy baseball and softball players at a local Dick’s Sporting Goods for what the high schoolers thought was an autograph and meet-and-greet session. But after signing some baseballs and taking photos, the two Royals made an announcement. Together, Jensen and Cameron had gifted each teenager there a $500 gift card to Dick’s. It was time to shop, and after, they would head to a local pizza place for dinner.

At first, the group was silent, not quite believing what they just heard. Then, smiles, laughter and joy spread around the room. Once the gift cards were distributed, the group dispersed around the store. The baseball section was, predictably, popular, and Jensen helped a few pick out new bats. Shoes were next up, and both Jensen and Cameron offered advice on style and practicality. Jensen pointed out the cleats he had on when he recorded his first Major League hit this past season. One of the boys listening quickly asked an employee if they had his size.

“I had no idea they were going to do this,” 14-year-old Abby Huskey said. “This is just super cool.”

After participating in the Royals’ annual Thanksgiving turkey drive this fall, Jensen wanted to do more with the UYA and approached executive director of administration Donease Smith about it. They came up with the holiday shopping spree, and a few weeks later, Cameron came on board. Events like these are special for Jensen and Cameron, who were drafted by the Royals from the Kansas City area -- Jensen from Parkville, Mo., and Cameron from farther up north in St. Joseph, Mo. Cameron now lives in nearby Liberty, Mo., with his family.

“If I can help put something on like this, I’m going to do it every time,” Jensen said. “I’m blessed to be in this position to help out and help give back. Kansas City -- I always tell people -- is a tight-knit community. That’s what I love most about this city. Being able to give back means a lot.”

Cameron added: “It’s just cool working with the Urban Youth Academy. Finding a way to not only give back, but give back to a Kansas City Royals-affiliated and baseball-[related] thing. When we grew up, it was always there. So it’s really cool for [us] to give back to them and give back to some of these kids that we’ve met before.”

The two got some financial help from their teammates, too. Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Wacha contributed to the shopping fund, allowing the gift card price to increase for each teenager.

“They didn’t second-guess a thing,” Jensen said. “They heard what they were doing, and they were amazing. They helped out and pitched in.”

The Urban Youth Academy opened its doors in 2018 and provides several opportunities, including camps, clinics and educational programs, for youth in the Kansas City area. Its impact extends beyond the field, providing resources to families like health and dental screenings and continuing education opportunities for parents and children.

“We went down to the Urban Youth Academy because we had come across an article about their offerings,” said Jess Fullen, the mom of two boys at the shopping event Friday. “My oldest, Bryce, got a chance to pitch again, and he just fell in love with it again. He’s been pitching ever since. The Urban Youth Academy gave him that opportunity.”

Bryce Fullen, 17, and his brother, Micah, 14, made a beeline to the baseball equipment when they got their gift cards.

“You don’t think things like this will happen to you,” Jess said. “It’s super generous and unexpected. Seeing the kids light up in disbelief -- my youngest goes, ‘I feel like this isn’t real.’”

It very much was, and the gratitude was apparent from both the kids and the parents as they headed toward the checkout lines with new gear in hand. The feeling was mutual, though, because both Cameron and Jensen were thankful they were there and able to help.

“If we were in this position in another city, it’s still awesome,” Cameron said. “It’s still a really beautiful thing that we’re able to do. But I think we know how blessed we are being in Kansas City. All the guys [on the team] tell us, ‘You don’t know how lucky you are.’ Being able to give back in our community is just a lot different than other people’s experience. We’re excited to give back to where we grew up and impact their future and their lives doing this.”