From Pitching to Pitch In
By Daphne Ortiz
hicago Cub Kerry Wood may have retired from the game of baseball in 2012, but it hasn’t stopped his pitching when it comes to “pitching in” and helping enhance the lives of Chicago students through mentorship. He and wife Sarah launched the Wood Family Foundation in 2011 and three years later, created the Pitch In program where students meet with mentors on a weekly basis for two hours in a time span of nine months. Pitch In’s social-emotional learning curriculum is based on monthly ‘themes’ which include a spectrum of structured, age-appropriate activities and hands-on learning. By incorporating the values of teamwork and critical thinking, the program aims to ensure students complete middle school and are on-track to graduate from high school. During the summers, Pitch In also hosts a two-month program that features field trips and enrichment experiences in the Chicagoland area.
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Former Chicago Cub Kerry Wood
working with Pitch In students