The Giants Academy proudly hosted the graduation ceremony for the Youth Multipliers activity of the Baseball Cares project in the Dominican Republic. Through 40 hours of training, 37 students, ages 15 to 17, from two Dominican public schools in Boca Chica, learned skills to decrease levels of bullying, promote inclusion of students with special needs, and provide counseling.

These Youth Multipliers provide peer to peer training for their students and to date have reached over 775 students who live in communities surrounding the Giants complex.

The students had the opportunity to tour the Giants facility, watch a game, and have lunch with the top prospects practicing at the academy. The Director of the Giants operations for Latin America, Pablo Peguero, expressed the team's support for the activity. Each student received their graduation medal from a Giants player. The students also provided a special tribute to the Giants icon, Felipe Rojas Alou, for whom the academy is named.

The poorest children in the Dominican Republic attend public schools where school violence is increasing. The values of baseball, the national passion of the DR, can make a positive impact among students. Baseball Cares is an initiative supported by USAID (United States Agency for International Development), MLB (Major League Baseball) and MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Association). For more information, contact www.baseballcares.org .