The City of Bakersfield’s Recreation and Parks Department announced plans yesterday to launch a Youth Sports and Education Academy in 2025, aiming to uplift and inspire youth in Southeast Bakersfield.
The City stated that it believes in creating new opportunities for youth in disadvantaged communities and will instill the importance of academics, proper nutrition, physical fitness, and mental health. The Academy will also feature community service projects, leadership development programs, and cultural experiences designed to nurture social responsibility and personal growth among participants.
This program, made possible by a recent $150,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente, will be available to youth ages six to 14. It will operate out of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center.
“The Sports &Education Academy will create new opportunities for youth who reside in a community that greatly needs and deserves high-quality programming,” said Darin Budak, Recreation & Parks Director. “The opportunity at hand – made possible by Kaiser Permanente’s support – is to fully realize a foundational youth program that will have a lasting impact on the community.”
The ongoing revitalization project for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park and Community Center played a crucial role in the Recreation and Parks Department receiving this grant, and the Academy is expected to create an even greater impact on youth in the community thanks to the improvements being planned there.
The public can support the revitalization project through partnerships and donations.
The Academy is expected to launch in Spring 2025 and will run through the summer. Registration information will be released at a later date.
