Brooke Charter School’s Mattapan Campus recently revealed an athletic field. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to unveil the new field, made possible by the Patriots Foundation and LISC Boston. It marks a significant change for the school over the last few years.
Prior to the new field, students suffered plenty of rolled ankles on an unlevel playing field. Not only was it somewhat unsafe, but it did not provide students with the same opportunities that students in other districts would receive. The new field changes that. The field is an important addition to the campus, a school that students now want to come to each day, thanks to a number of initiatives and changes.
A New Field Spurs Hope
The new field is thanks to the efforts of Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots Foundation, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Boston. At the ribbon cutting, Sean McKenna from the school’s athletic program made it clear just how grateful the school was for the field. He stated, “These kids, they want this. They deserve this. We’re so, so grateful. It means the world to the kids. They get to play on this every day, practice on it every day, and even just being able to like take part in an event like this is something they’ll remember forever.”
At the ribbon cutting, students were greeted by Kendrick Bourne, a wide receiver with the NFL’s Patriots team, along with Pat the Patriot and the New England cheerleading team. The energy coming from the students, along with their signs expressing thanks for the donation, lit up the afternoon.
Robert Kraft said the experience made his day noting, “This project will provide opportunities for inner-city youth to participate in the athletics that you enjoy — especially including youth football.” He also teased that he expected to see one of the athletes from the school on the Patriots team in 15 to 20 years.
A Field Designed to Reach Many
The field will be used by the Mattapan Campus but also by other students. More than 1,200 children across the Brooke Center School’s charter network will have access to the field. That includes five different school campuses. In addition, other groups within the Lena Park community outside of Boston will also be able to use the field.
The field is already seeing appreciation. During the month of May, McKenna noted there were only three days that the field was not booked for a game or practice. It is clear the field is both appreciated and needed in the area.
The new football field is an outstanding addition to the school and the community itself. It follows the implementation of basketball courts and a large playground located behind the school.
Also speaking at the event was Andre Tippett. Tippett is an NFL Hall of Famer and is currently working as the Executive Director of Community Affairs for the Patriots. He began his statement by stating, “The field is a classroom.” He went on to offer some wise advice to students, “Think about it, Brooke Charter School, we used to call what we did on the practice field the ‘eighth period.’ Think about this. If you fail, you get up and do the same thing again tomorrow. Think about that. You think about the environment and the folks that you’re around and the quality that you get from being out on this eighth period in the classroom: work ethic, perseverance, resiliency, mental toughness, accountability, and most of all, developing compassion for others. This is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity for you guys. I hope you take full advantage of it.”
Continued Giving to Support the Community
The New England Patriots Foundation has also taken center stage in these types of giving opportunities to support communities, especially in underserved areas. In partnership with LISC, the New England Patriots Foundation has funded a total of 12 community fields like the Brooke Charter School’s field throughout the state of Massachusetts. This was done through the issuing of more than $1.7 million in grants.
Robert Kraft states, “In a small way, us helping to get this field here will allow these kids to compete and stand on equal footing with everyone else.” He also stated, “It’s a great feeling. This is a real uplift being here today, and we’re honored to be a small part of this field.”
Robert Kraft and The Kraft Group have made donations to support the communities throughout New England a big part of their efforts. Kraft and his family have consistently donated not just money but also time and relationships to help support many charities throughout the world. This has resulted in lifetime giving in excess of $500 million. The field is one example of the philanthropic activities that have made the Kraft legacy what it is today.
More about Kraft on https://www.crunchbase.com/person/robert-kraft