Red Sox Scholars Class of 2013 to be inducted at Fenway Park Sunday
10 Boston Public School 7th Graders to receive $10,000 College Scholarships And Mentoring from the Red Sox Foundation; Program Presented by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
The Boston Red Sox and the Red Sox Foundation will introduce the Red Sox Scholars Class of 2013 in a pre-game ceremony at Fenway Park this Sunday, June 9. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the program, which is presented by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the Official Hospital of the Boston Red Sox.
In addition to welcoming the new class, the ceremony is a homecoming for scholars from each year and a recognition of those graduating high school this spring. The program provides scholarships and mentoring for academically talented, financially challenged middle school students from Boston Public Schools.
The new class brings the total of Red Sox Scholars to 230, ranging from 7th graders to rising seniors in college. The Red Sox Foundation provides $10,000 in college scholarships for each new scholar, along with mentoring from foundation staff members, tutoring, and after-school and summer enrichment activities.
The program received baseball's highest honor, when in 2010 it was awarded Major League Baseball's inaugural "Commissioner's Award for Philanthropic Excellence."
"This program helps fund the dreams of hundreds of Boston students dedicated to scholarship and citizenship," said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. "The talent, energy, and commitment of these students inspire us. We look forward to welcoming and getting to know our new class members as they navigate the path from middle school to high school and to college."
Before Sunday's Red Sox-Angels game, a Red Sox player and a health professional from BIDMC will escort each Red Sox Scholar onto the field, where they will join previous awardees.
Each year, BIDMC provides volunteers to serve as "Medical Champions" for the new class of Scholars. The health care and administrative professionals help introduce the children to health professions and serve as hosts of a "Shadow Day" at BIDMC during the Scholars' 8th grade year.
"We have been proud to be a partner of the award-winning Red Sox Scholars program," said BIDMC President and CEO KevinTabb, MD. "We enjoy opening students' eyes to the many opportunities that await them in the world of health care, and we are proud to help make the dreams of these Boston students come true."
The Red Sox Scholars program was inaugurated in 2003. Applications to the scholarship program are open to academically talented, financially challenged Boston Public School students in 7th grade. In addition to BIDMC, donors include the Highland Street Foundation, the Sunshine Lady Foundation, Target, the Peter Lynch Foundation, and the Klarman Family Foundation. The program is also the beneficiary of various fundraising events conducted by the Red Sox Foundation.