Riis Settlement Youth get Insider Tour of CitiField Ten Riis Settlement after-school participants and group leaders were special guests as Citi, the New York Mets, and United Neighborhood Houses of New York hosted Mets Citi Field Kids Youth Service Day on January 13th. The Riis participants, along with their colleagues from The Door and Grand Street Settlement, were invited to the event because of their efforts in improving their communities through volunteering, service learning projects and tutoring/mentoring their peers. Also on hand were scholars from the Jackie Robinson Foundation, who led a tour of the incredible Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field. Mets stars including David Wright, Mike Pelfrey, Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, and the Mets’ newest pitcher, Ryota Igarashi, surprised the young people during welcoming ceremonies in the clubhouse, then took questions from the audience. Riis’s own Nzingha Freeman got the most animated responses when she asked each of the players about the best moments of their careers so far. After each guest received a baseball signed by the players, Wright and Murphy led the young people on tours of the stadium including the training rooms, Mets dugout, and indoor batting cages. The day ended with a hearty lunch and several Mets’ players joining the young people in games like Guitar Hero and pool. Citi Field Kids provides young participants in New York’s Settlement House community with educational and motivational activities, in partnership with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Riis Settlement wishes to thank Citi, the New York Mets, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and United Neighborhood Houses of New York for their continued support and for opening the doors of opportunity to the young people of Western Queens. |