Ripken Badges for Baseball National Program

Through Ripken Badges for Baseball, the CalRipken Sr. Foundation (CRSF) strives to promote healthy choices, helping at-risk youth stay in school, away from negative peer groups, and off harmful substances. Ripken Badges for Baseball combines character education (Healthy Choices, Healthy Children) with a fun, healthy activity (baseball/softball/Quickball) while engaging volunteers and law officers as mentors to foster positive relationships between youth and police. By increasing access and providing support to natural mentors (e.g. coaches, youth development staff), we create an environment for effective mentoring relationships for at-risk youth. CRSF will train 800+ mentors on implementing Healthy Choices, Healthy Children (HCHC) and effective techniques for group mentoring and coaching youth. Over 600 youth will attend a Summer Youth Experience; 6,000 youth will participate in HCHC through Badges; and 30,000 youth will be engaged in healthy, out-of-school activities. CA/NCF