At W.B. Saul High School, baseball is what gave Kyrell the discipline necessary to be successful in school.
Many students at the Philadelphia high school could not afford the cleats, gloves, or bats necessary to be able to play. At W.B. Saul, 100% of the students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.
Kyrell began playing baseball in high school, and by his senior year he had become one of the leaders on the team, hitting four grand slams to help the team go 10-2 in division play. Kyrell was one of the team captains, and was named First Team All-Public.
At graduation, Kyrell said that baseball was one of the things that helped him mature and become a leader at the school. One of the awards he received was a beautification award for working tirelessly at landscaping parts of the campus. Kyrell now plans to study horticulture at Wilson College.
“The experience of being part of a team provides the necessary discipline many of my students lack due to growing up in poverty or a single-parent family,” said James Peterson, a teacher and baseball coach at W.B. Saul.
“My players show constant improvement in grades and leadership.”
In fact, 60% of the students on the baseball team improved their academic scores.
“From attendance, to grades, to leadership, students who participate in baseball improve,” Peterson said. “Many students can not afford the equipment to play. Without the donation, we would not be able to run this program.”
At PIFBS, we need your help to provide support for schools like W.B. Saul and give students the benefits and lessons that the game provides. If you have new or lightly-used equipment you can donate, please schedule a donation here or email info@pifbs.org, or click here to provide a monetary contribution.