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Athletes in Action

Athletes in Action

AFH University Spring 2024 Roundup

Developed in 2013, our AFH University program helps college athletes explore leadership, life skill development, advocacy, their role in the community, and how to discover their philanthropic passions. 

This spring our student-athletes combined their efforts to create lasting positive change in their communities!

Athletes from Davidson College, Georgetown, Southern University, Howard, and LSU visited elementary schools, children’s hospitals, miracle leagues, and more! Read about all of their springtime service efforts below.

Davidson College

Continuing The Mission

The women of the Davidson field hockey team went to Continuing the Mission, which is a comprehensive assistance for veterans providing assistance dogs and support. 

Since 2023, the team has been going each week to assist with letting the dogs out, playing with them, and helping them socialize before they get adopted out to veterans.

Ada Jenkins Center

This spring, members of the Davidson football team visited the Ada Jenkins Center during enrichment time to put on CHAMPS lessons.

Additionally, Rosie Deegan of the Davidson women’s basketball team visited the Ada Jenkins Center to mentor students at the club.

Mental Health U

In Episode 2 of Mental Health U, Sara Keane, Assistant Director of AFH University at Athletes for Hope, moderates a conversation surrounding women’s mental health in the student-athlete space.

Joined by Rosie Deegan of Davidson College women’s basketball and Helen Feldmeth of Georgetown women’s rowing the three discuss the effects of social media on student-athlete mental health, how to use your experience as an athlete to empower other women, the fulfillment they have found in giving back and more!

Watch Mental Health U Episode 2: Women’s History Month here.

Georgetown

CHAMPS Program

Members of the Georgetown women’s rowing made continuous visits to HD Cooke Elementary where they reinforced the importance of physical activity and children’s mental wellness through CHAMPS lessons.

During their visits this spring, children learned how to foster a positive mindset as the student-athletes encouraged them to uplift themselves and their classmates even when it may be hard to do.

Southern University

Progress Elementary

This spring, members of the Southern tennis and track & field teams visited Progress Elementary School where they volunteered with the kindergarten PE class.

Both the student-athletes and the children had so much fun during this visit. From learning fun, new ways to stay active and the importance of teamwork, there was no shortage of smiles throughout the day.

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital

Every other week different student-athletes from various Southern University teams spend their time at OLOL Children’s Hospital. Through these frequent visits, the student-athletes can create meaningful connections that the patients can look forward to each week!

During their latest visit, members of the Southern soccer and golf teams visited OLOL Children’s Hospital to help host trivia in the activities room and share a few smiles with patients who were able to leave their rooms.

Howard University

CHAMPS Program

This spring, members of the Howard women’s lacrosse team visited DCPCS Brightwood to reinforce the importance of physical activity and children’s mental wellness through a CHAMPS lesson for 2nd and 4th graders at the school.

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Read Across America

Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.

To celebrate Read Across America Day, members of the LSU football team visited Cedarcrest Southmoor in Baton Rouge where they read their favorite children’s books to elementary classes.

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital

Every other week different student-athletes from various LSU teams spend their time at OLOL Children’s Hospital. Through these frequent visits, the student-athletes can create meaningful connections that the patients can look forward to each week!

Members of the LSU baseball team visited OLOL Children’s Hospital where they surprised patients with in-room visits, handed out and autographed baseballs and ended their trip by hosting trivia in the activities room. A special shoutout to LSU baseball players Griffin Herring, Brady Neal, Chase Shores and Jared Jones who took time out of their busy spring season prep to spread smiles!

Additionally, members of the LSU track and field team visited OLOL Children’s Hospital where they played trivia and spent time with hanging out with children at the hospital in the activities room.

The Miracle League of Louisiana

The Miracle League of Louisiana is a registered non-profit organization that gives children with any type of disability or special needs the opportunity to play baseball as part of a team and an organized league.

Members of the LSU track and field team volunteered at the Miracle League where they were “buddies” to the players. Miracle League Buddies are assigned a player for each game. The buddy is there to protect the player from balls, assist the player in batting and running the bases (if needed), and to be a friend on and off the field!

With the spring 2024 semester nearing its end, we are grateful for our AFH University student-athletes who are continuing to make an impact in their communities each day. It is the relationships formed during these service opportunities that provide the greatest impact and allow our student-athletes to grow in their leadership and philanthropic skills.

Athletes In Action

Honoring The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On the third Monday of each new year, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by engaging in service projects throughout our communities nationwide. To many, Dr. King was a visionary. Uplifting his community through systemic change and encouraging others to take an active role in improving their communities.

His example is our call to action.

Our AFH University student-athletes from LSU, Southern, and Howard answered that call through eight (8) service projects in their own communities ranging from mural painting, planting shrubs, walking dogs, providing food and clothing for the less fortunate, and more.

Serve D.C.

The Howard University women’s and men’s golf teams kicked off volunteering on Saturday, January 14, with Serve DC. Together they packaged meals, created go kits, and learned critical CPR training.

Life’s most persistant and urgent questions is, “what are you doing for others?”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Peace Walk & Parade

On MLK Day, the Howard Swim & Dive team and the tennis team participated in the Peace Walk and Parade in the morning- a tradition that started over 40 years ago. The Peace Walk and Parade symbolizes the need to continue Dr. King’s work and reinforces the idea that every individual has a role to play in human progress and justice. 

If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Louisiana Key Academy

Monday, LSU Athletics hosted a “Live the Dream” Field Day at Louisiana Key Academy. Over 50 kids participated in the interactive service initiative with various stations facilitated by student-athletes highlighting their perspective sports.

MLK Day is special to me because I love giving back to my community. God has blessed me all my life and being able to give back to these kids and see them happy and smiling means the world to me.

Aristotle Abraham II, LSU Football

Forest Community Park

On Monday, Southern Volleyball, LSU Men’s Basketball, and LSU Volleyball assisted in forest restoration by planting shrubs and trees at Forest Community Park. Student-athletes moved plants from the parking lot to the restoration area, dug holes, and planted and watered plants.

Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.

Martin Luther King

So What Else

On Monday afternoon, Howard women’s basketball, football, and lacrosse took various shifts at So What Else – whose mission is to improve the lives of children and families living in underserved communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area- where they distributed meals and clothes to those less fortunate in the D.C. area. 

Doing community service on MLK Day is important to me because he [Dr. King] dedicated his entire life to service in the Black community. It’s only right that on this day we pay tribute and serve those around us.

Kaniyah Harris, Howard Women’s Basketball

The Walls Project

Southern Baseball, Southern Soccer, LSU Golf, and LSU Soccer joined The Walls Project for their annual mural painting. Student-athletes painted a mural design sketched by a local artist and assisted with clean up at Jewel J. Newman Community Center.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

Martin Luther King Jr.

St. Vincent de Paul

LSU student-athletes from various sports served in the dining hall at St. Vincent de Paul which provides hot meals to Baton Rouge’s homeless community daily.

Friends of the Animals

At the final service project on Monday, student-athletes from various LSU sports teams engaged with a new partner, Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge Shelter. They walked dogs and assisted shelter staff with general cleaning.

The life and legacy of Dr. King lives on through people like our student-athletes, who continue to dedicate themselves to bettering their community. While MLK Day has passed, you can still honor his legacy by taking the AFH MLK Service Day Pledge.