Harlem RBI Summer and After-School Programs 
- Award Entered:
UNICEF Sport for Education Award - Parent Organisation:
Harlem RBI - Project Host Nation:
United States - Overview of Project:
Harlem RBI’s approach to youth development and education addresses the barriers inner-city youth typically face by providing concrete opportunities to build the skills and confidence needed to break the cycle of poverty through sports, academic and enrichment activities during after-school and summer hours. All Harlem RBI participants play on a baseball or softball team, which serves both as a “hook” to attract youth participation and as a tool to help youth develop as leaders, teammates and friends. Harlem RBI is ultimately interested in its youth to graduate high school and complete post-secondary education. Harlem RBI recognizes the clear connection between physical fitness and learning: studies have concluded that regular physical activity not only improves learning, raises test scores and increases attendance rates but also raises self-esteem and lowers stress, both of which have been associated with better academic performance. Participation on a team also provides opportunities for youth to practice teamwork, develop leadership skills and accept responsibility for themselves and their peers. In a community where organized sports programs are scarce, Harlem RBI provides an outlet for healthy competition where youth can feel proud of their accomplishments, which leads to positive social, mental and physical growth.
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Cat DeSantis: 19 Nov 2011 - 01:42 GMT
Harlem RBI is most deserving of this award. They are a phenomenal organization that is made up of a staff of true devotion and generous hearts. The work they do everyday all year long evens the playing field for so many children. They do this by meeting the needs of all aspects of children. They also do a wonderful job of preparing children for the future by providing them the opportunity to dream and then teaching them the skills they will need to make their dreams come true! Hopefully, someday in the future Harlem RBI's model will become the norm and not the exception.
Mallory Garcia: 18 Nov 2011 - 15:47 GMT
Volunteering along side of the Harlem RBI team is such an honor. I am able to see the amazing opportunities, hope and care these children are given. This acknowledgment is well deserved, and I wish you all the best! Congratulations, and keep up the great work!
Marisa Garcia: 17 Nov 2011 - 21:18 GMT
Harlem RBI gives these kids opportunities and experiences that they maybe wouldn't already have. It's opening the door and possibilities for children in our own city - what's better than that?! Nobody deserves this award more than Harlem RBI.
Adam W. Bloom: 14 Nov 2011 - 00:52 GMT
Well deserved and a wonderful tribute to Harlem RBI - a fantastic organization led by Rich Berlin. Congrats!
Rob Georges: 08 Nov 2011 - 05:31 GMT
Congratulations to Rich Berlin and his amazing team. It is especially appropriate for Rich and Harlem RBI to be honored this year at they celebrate their 20th Anniversary. Rich is a true leader, a visionary in both education and management.
Samantha Fraser: 08 Nov 2011 - 01:10 GMT
Harlem RBI is such a great organization. They deserve this award and many more! Good Luck!
Giselle Quesada: 08 Nov 2011 - 00:43 GMT
Volunteering along side of the Harlem RBI team I know this award is something they deserve so I wish you guys the best!
Tom Fraser: 08 Nov 2011 - 00:38 GMT
The educational and baseball aspect of what we provide is at the very core of the organization. That’s the really cool thing about this organization: that we can bring kids together, in a fun-loving and supportive environment, to help teach them life lessons through a common love for baseball. What Harlem RBI is doing in NYC is a great thing!
Christopher Capece: 07 Nov 2011 - 17:13 GMT
This award is just a small recognition of the amazing work Rich Berlin and his team at Harlem RBI do in NYC. Creating change in the largest and most complex big city in the world is no easy task. It certainly shows the level of sophistication and commitment the folks at Harlem RBI have created in helping to positively impact childrens lives in meaningful and quantifiable ways. Congrats on a well deserved recognition.