Dodger Adrian Gonzalez today gifted 200 Roosevelt High School and Math, Science and Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School students with Nike footwear at NIKETOWN Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - Dodger first baseman Adrian Gonzalez continued his offseason charitable work today when he gifted 200 high school students from Roosevelt High School and Math, Science and Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School with Nike footwear at NIKETOWN Los Angeles. These students are part of College Track, a program that makes a 10-year commitment to students from underserved communities and works continuously with them from the summer before 9th grade through college graduation to ensure they succeed in college and beyond. The Boyle Heights-area students were provided with transportation from school to NIKETOWN Los Angeles, where they met with Gonzalez for a photo session and took home a pair of Nike footwear. Gonzalez also spoke about the importance of education and held a Q&A session with the group.                                                                    

"This holiday season, my wife Betsy and I wanted to connect with high school students who have focused on their studies all year long," said Gonzalez. "Education and access to college is incredibly important and I am grateful for any opportunity in which I can encourage students to achieve their academic goals."

College Track's sixth center, i.am College Track in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, began with 57 students in 2012, but will expand to serve more than 300 students by 2016. Partnering with will.i.am's i.am.angel Foundation, The California Endowment, and the Wasserman Foundation, i.am College Track provides students the resources they need to get into and graduate from college. i.am College Track is teaching students skills in arts and digital media while guiding students toward the emerging careers of tomorrow in science, technology, engineering and math. Only five percent of residents age 25 or older in the Boyle Heights neighborhood hold a 4-year college degree and College Track Boyle Heights seeks to make college the expectation in the Boyle Heights community, not the exception.