BRUINS in the COMMUNITY UCLA’S Student-Athletes Volunteered Over 3,000 Hours in Community Outreach Events During the 2018-19 School Year
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COMMUNITY SERVICE BRUINS IN THE COMMUNITY UCLA’s student-athletes volunteered over 3,000 hours in community outreach events during the 2018-19 school year. UCLA Athletics hosted over 20 events on campus and attended several community-related outings throughout the Los Angeles area. These service opportunities have allowed UCLA’s student-athletes the chance to mentor youth, give back to their community and serve as ambassadors for UCLA Athletics. Some student-athletes have also created, initiated and implemented service projects and activities with assistance and support from the Bruin Athletic Council. Examples of the past year’s events include: • Dribble for the Cure • Bruin for a Day with Emerson Middle School • Visits to Mattel Children’s Hospital • Cleveland Elementary School “Reads & Leaders” • Mattel Children’s Hospital Halloween Party • Ross Initiative for Sports Equality (RISE) Fan Engagement • Mattel Children’s Hospital Teen Adventure Program • Clothing drive for the Veterans Hospital • Mattel Children’s Hospital Bruin Run/Walk • Veterans Hospital visits • Team Prime Time • Baseball Fantasy Camp with Veterans Hospital • Prime Time Games: Championship Saturday • Bruin Belles at PLAY Day • ‘I’m Going to College’ Program • Kids Play International • Lab School Fit Day • Harper for Kids Youth Development Program • Adopt a Classroom • RADD (Rockers Against Drunk Driving) Men’s basketball player Kris Wilkes at Dribble for the Cure. coach and play alongside children with developmental disabilities ("athletes") in the only after-school sports program of its kind. Over 100 student-athletes volunteered at the seventh annual event May 19, 2019, hosted on UCLA’s campus. UCLA student-athletes served as honorary coaches, captains and officials for the inclusive soccer and basketball games. Participants were awarded medals and received high-fives and autographs from the Bruins. Baseball Camp with Veterans UCLA’s baseball program hosted a Fantasy Camp for residents of the West Los Angeles Veterans Home in conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day. Players offered hitting and fielding instruction to military veterans. Head baseball coach John Savage spoke to veterans in the stands at UCLA’s home field, Jackie Robinson Stadium, on April 10, 2019, five days prior to the date celebrated nationwide as Jackie Robinson Day (honoring UCLA’s legendary alumnus). The event at Jackie Robinson Stadium was free for all veterans and included a free barbeque dinner, along with a baseball t-shirt, that was supported by the Gary Sinise Foundation. The starting line at the 2018 Dribble for the Cure (hosted at UCLA’s Drake Stadium). Elementary School Visits For the past 11 years, members of the UCLA football Dribble for the Cure 50 elementary and middle school students enrolled in Team program have teammed with a local elementary school to UCLA hosted the 11th annual Dribble for the Cure at Drake Prime Time’s Sports Camp spent the afternoon participating celebrate the students’ commitment to academic excellence. Stadium and Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Hundreds in interactive activities with members of the football team. UCLA’s football players visited Cleveland Elementary School, of participants helped to raise more than $130,000. The The Bruins taught students UCLA’s eight-clap cheer, handed returning to an elementary school that was once attended men’s and women’s basketball teams led participants on a out posters and signed autographs for the participants. by former UCLA standout Jackie Robinson. The Rose dribble tour as they dribbled basketballs and walked around Bowl has recently adopted Cleveland Elementary School, a course through UCLA’s campus. Dribble for the Cure has RISE Fan Engagement establishing a readership program named “Readers and grown every year with an 11-year event total of more than RISE (Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality) has partnered Leaders.” Dymond Lee, Rahyme Johnson, Ryan Parks and 8,000 participants contributing over $1.6 million to benefit with UCLA, USC and the Los Angeles Dodgers to bring the Josh Wariboko volunteered their time to read some of these the Pediatric Research Foundation (PCRF) and the Cancer message of unity, understanding and respect to fans at the newly donated books to children. Research Program at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic. Building on an existing partnership with both institutions, the “It Takes All Mattel Children’s Hospital Colors” fan engagement experience at Dodger Stadium had Throughout the year, several Bruin student-athletes visited the support of SAAC groups from UCLA and USC. The “It playrooms at Mattel Children’s Hospital to spend time with Takes All Colors” engagement is a digital photo experience the patients and their families. They are often asked to make that provides an opportunity for RISE partners and their fans special visits to patients who are not able to leave their to show a commitment to equality. The fan engagement rooms. Student-athletes also volunteered their time with platform embodies RISE’s mission of using the unifying Mattel’s Teen Adventure Program and the annual Halloween power of sports to improve racial relations and to drive “Trick or Treat” event for patients at the hospital. social progress. Fans sign a pledge to end discrimination or harassment of any kind and couple their commitment with Team Prime Time a branded photo or GIF that can be immediately shared on Student-athletes volunteered their time with Team Prime social media platforms. Time (TPT), an after-school program for at-risk children from low-income areas of Los Angeles that combines Prime Time Games: Championship Sunday academics, athletics, leadership training and the arts in For the past 10 years, student-athletes have participated order to prepare them for the future and allow them to reach in Team Prime Time's fully inclusive sports program, the their full potential. During past seasons, the UCLA football Prime Time Games. This sports program helps economically team has taken time from its practice schedule to visit Team disadvantaged and under-served middle school students from Team Prime Time’s after school program ("coaches") Prime Time at Webster Middle School in Los Angeles. Over Baseball student-athletes at Mattel Children’s Hospital. 8 COMMUNITY SERVICE Bruin for a Day Adopt a Classroom Program RADD – Rockers Against Drunk Driving Members of the Bruin Athletic Council (BAC) and their The Adopt a Classroom pen pal program paired Bruin teams UCLA’s student-athletes have become involved with teammates hosted over 50 students from Emerson with elementary and middle school classrooms across L.A. RADD, which stands for Rockers Against Drunk Driving. An Middle School to experience being a “Bruin for a Day.” Unified School District. UCLA’s student-athletes exchanged internationally-recognized non-profit organization, RADD Student-athletes coordinated a day of presentations, group letters with students throughout the year, and the classrooms seeks to empower celebrities and media partners to create discussions, interactive activities, a campus tour and lunch were invited to attend a home event to meet their Bruin positive attitudes about road safety. RADD was founded in in the dining hall for students. The student-athletes taught pen pals. The Adopt a Classroom program stresses the 1986 and advocates the use of designated drivers, seatbelts them about the Pyramid of Success and gave the students importance of both education and athletics and aims to and safe driving through control behind the wheel, making tips on academic success, time management, hard work and motivate students to work toward their goals in school and responsible behavior the norm. RADD looks to use messages leadership. in life. that are non-judgmental, hip and positive. ‘I’m Going to College’ Harper for Kids Program UCLA had over 47,000 students from the L.A. Unified School The Harper for Kids Youth Development Program is based District participate in the annual “I’m Going to College” upon former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden’s program. This unique program brings youngsters, aged from “Pyramid of Success,” striving to teach youngsters how to kindergarten through the 12th grade, to UCLA events and achieve their personal best in life. UCLA’s student-athletes couples the excitement and tradition of athletic contests with are able to interact with youngsters and talk to them about a message about the importance of higher education. Upon how their athletic opportunities are vehicles to heighten arrival at the event, students are greeted by a UCLA alumnus, personal development and how the benefits of athletic current students or student-athlete volunteers and are led to participation can greatly help one’s personal growth. the IGTC fair area. Students are immediately immersed in Bruin traditions, as they learn the spirited “eight-clap” cheer and receive educational information about questions they may have regarding education and preparing for college. Cassandra Durgy, Aidan Jackman and Robert Knights. Autographs at the Dribble for the Cure event. Student-athletes from UCLA’s Bruin Athletic Council (BAC) in the J.D. Morgan Center’s Hall of Fame. WOODEN ACADEMY The Wooden Academy is a leadership development program that educates and supports Bruin student-athletes. Named after legendary Coach John Wooden, this program teaches the principles of his Pyramid of Success. These skills help UCLA’s student-athletes in their pursuit to be successful leaders and teammates within the university and beyond. Student-athletes have the opportunity to participate in the Wooden Academy each year by attending seminars to learn practical leadership lessons from coaches, administrators and Bruin alumni. UCLA hosted its annual Wooden Academy Speaker Series on Jan. 15, 2018, with Kevin Plank, the founder, CEO and chairman of Under Armour. Plank, who grew up in Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland in 1996 with his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He started the apparel company Under Armour in the late 1990s, after graduating from the University of Maryland.