Spring Break
Local middle school students shoot hoops with URI athletes
David Twomey
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: News
11/06/09 - Local middle school students shot hoops and shared slices with University of Rhode Island student-athletes yesterday as part of the 3rd annual Hoops and Pizza program hosted by the URI Peer Advocates.
Students from the Reaching Youth through Support and Education School in Chariho, R.I, participated in the program aimed to provide a mentoring opportunity for local youths, Jim Gwiazdzinski, the community outreach/service learning coordinator from the RYSE School said.
Chariho's RYSE School is an integrated and comprehensive school program catering to at-risk youths and their families.
"The goal of RYSE is to provide students with the necessary educational and clinical supports in order to be successful at home, at school and with their community," Gwiazdzinski said.
At this years Hoops and Pizza program, RYSE students played pick-up basketball with URI basketball players, Ben Eaves and Caitlin Kearns, tossed the football with tight end Tom Lang and broke a sweat with Katrina Hines of the women's track team.
"What makes it so successful is the enthusiasm from the student athletes," Gwiazdzinski said.
"Allowing the kids to interact with the athletes enriches their lives and schooling experience."
The program, co-sponsored by the URI athletic department and violence prevention and Advocacy Services, utilizes resources, like Keaney Gym, in order to expose the children to the responsibilities that encompass the college environment and get them communicating in a different venue, Gwiazdzinski said.
"Suddenly they're in a URI gym and playing with real athletes," he said. "To them, it means the world."
After students worked up an appetite in the gym, festivities continued with a pizza party where RYSE students were given the opportunity to partake in a question-and-answer session with the student athletes.
Subject matter included everything from life as a Division I athlete to the children's Halloween costumes. Athletes also gave insight to students about the places they were from. Ben Eaves talked about what it was like coming from England and Caitlin Kearns shed some light on her home state, California.
"It's important for the kids to make that social connection," Gwiazdzinski said. "They come back with their eyes wide open, and hopefully come away with some lessons learned."
Other student athletes, who also serve as URI peer advocates and were present at the event, included Shawn Leonard from the URI football team, Greg Borrelli from the men's track team, and former URI field hockey player Meg Walsh.
"The students really look up to them," Tina Piccoli, a communications major in her sixth semester as a Peer Advocate, said. "They have a lot of fun shooting hoops with an actual college basketball player or throwing a football with someone who plays Division I football."
The URI peer advocates plan on hosting a follow-up to Hoops and Pizza this spring once the weather warms.
Students from the Reaching Youth through Support and Education School in Chariho, R.I, participated in the program aimed to provide a mentoring opportunity for local youths, Jim Gwiazdzinski, the community outreach/service learning coordinator from the RYSE School said.
Chariho's RYSE School is an integrated and comprehensive school program catering to at-risk youths and their families.
"The goal of RYSE is to provide students with the necessary educational and clinical supports in order to be successful at home, at school and with their community," Gwiazdzinski said.
At this years Hoops and Pizza program, RYSE students played pick-up basketball with URI basketball players, Ben Eaves and Caitlin Kearns, tossed the football with tight end Tom Lang and broke a sweat with Katrina Hines of the women's track team.
"What makes it so successful is the enthusiasm from the student athletes," Gwiazdzinski said.
"Allowing the kids to interact with the athletes enriches their lives and schooling experience."
The program, co-sponsored by the URI athletic department and violence prevention and Advocacy Services, utilizes resources, like Keaney Gym, in order to expose the children to the responsibilities that encompass the college environment and get them communicating in a different venue, Gwiazdzinski said.
"Suddenly they're in a URI gym and playing with real athletes," he said. "To them, it means the world."
After students worked up an appetite in the gym, festivities continued with a pizza party where RYSE students were given the opportunity to partake in a question-and-answer session with the student athletes.
Subject matter included everything from life as a Division I athlete to the children's Halloween costumes. Athletes also gave insight to students about the places they were from. Ben Eaves talked about what it was like coming from England and Caitlin Kearns shed some light on her home state, California.
"It's important for the kids to make that social connection," Gwiazdzinski said. "They come back with their eyes wide open, and hopefully come away with some lessons learned."
Other student athletes, who also serve as URI peer advocates and were present at the event, included Shawn Leonard from the URI football team, Greg Borrelli from the men's track team, and former URI field hockey player Meg Walsh.
"The students really look up to them," Tina Piccoli, a communications major in her sixth semester as a Peer Advocate, said. "They have a lot of fun shooting hoops with an actual college basketball player or throwing a football with someone who plays Division I football."
The URI peer advocates plan on hosting a follow-up to Hoops and Pizza this spring once the weather warms.
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