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Fog/Mist N.Y. Mets players visit Nike School
Major leaguers present $50,000 grant, speak to students — and do some gardening
N.Y. Mets outfielders Chris B. Young and Eric Young Jr., and pitcher Zack Wheeler paid a special visit to the Nike School on Thursday, May 22 to speak with students, tour the campus and help plant vegetables in the Nike gardens.
The players presented a $50,000 grant on behalf of the Major League Baseball Players Trust to help restore the damage by Superstorm Sandy at the Nike South Shore Environmental Center in Lido Beach.
The boardwalk and surrounding area were destroyed by the storm, severely limiting the educational and environmental uses of the center, which is also home to the Long Beach School District’s Nike Alternative High School program.
The Long Island Volunteer Center, an affiliate of Points of Light’s HandsOn Network, secured the grant from the MLB Players Trust, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created and administered by active Major League baseball players.
The Nike School has 10 garden beds that have not been utilized since Superstorm Sandy. Volunteers recently worked to refurbish the beds and prep them for gardening, setting the stage for the players to help students plant tomatoes and other crops.
Student speakers Eric Wiener, Steven Richards and Destiny Jackson explained to their guests the history of the Nike facility and their school, and the story of how the gardens came to be. Students then asked the Mets players questions about baseball and life.
When asked if being a Major League player is stressful, Chris B. Young replied, “We have our times, but playing baseball is our dream – we are doing something that we love for a living. But with that comes pressure and responsibility. The trick is to use stress in the right way – as a motivator.”
When asked what motivated them to help the Nike School, Eric Young Jr. said, “I’m a Jersey boy, so any time I can give back to my home area, I’m all for it.”
“I’m from Houston,” added Chris B. Young. “I saw firsthand the impact that Katrina had in that area.”
“When I heard about this project, I was in,” said Zack Wheeler.
The players then shared some sage advice about teamwork.
