Yankee Mark Teixeira: 'I Am Here on Behalf of All Kids'

Last Thursday New York Yankees First Baseman Mark Teixeira joined Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Afterschool Alliance’s Jodi Grant, Richard Berlin of Harlem RBI and Lynne Lee of Team Up for Youth on Capitol Hill for a briefing on the connection between physical activity and academic success, and the critical role that afterschool programs play in providing a safe and enriching environment for children.

Teixeira spoke from his own experience supporting and working with Harlem RBI, an award-winning afterschool program in New York City, to make the case that quality afterschool programs can and do achieve academic and non-academic outcomes for the children that need it most. One hundred percent of Harlem RBI participants in the 12th grade graduated from high school last year and enrolled in college, while only 50 percent of their non-participating peers were able to do so. Teixeira went on to explain that quality afterschool and summer programs need federal support in order to leverage local and private funding.

Sen. Boxer, the chair of the bipartisan Senate Afterschool Caucus, hosted the congressional briefing to highlight the importance of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which helps provide 1.6 million children access to high-quality afterschool programs nationwide. These programs are proven to help improve students’ academic performance and provide opportunities for physical education, arts, music and other activities that are increasingly being cut from the school day. The briefing also highlighted recent research on the role that afterschool plays in promoting physical activity among young people.

See more photos from the briefing:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150585360673349.407805.24777553348&type=3&l=6ba194e6b4