DETROIT -- The morning of Monday, April 10, head coach
Ryan Kelley and the Wayne State University baseball program were in attendance at the John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy to make a $2,600 donation to Detroit Public Schools with attention to the Academy. The Warriors' donation is geared toward student attendance incentives at the school where the team's redshirt-junior pitcher Ryan
Szlachcic has been student teaching.
Through the Wayne State College of Education, Szlachcic is majoring in Special Education Cognitive Impairment with certification plans to teach general education K-5 and special education K-26. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent, Dr. Nikolai Vitti, joined Wayne State University baseball for the check presentation.
The WSU baseball program obtained the funds for the donation from the Detroit Lions after serving as ticket sellers for the Game on Cancer 50/50 raffle where WSU baseball student-athletes sold over $126,000 in raffle tickets.
Each Lions game, 50/50 Volunteers sell raffle tickets to Lions fans. One lucky fan takes home half the pot, while the other half is donated to Game on Cancer – a Henry Ford Health program which raises awareness and funds for patients of the Henry Ford Cancer Institute. This past season, the program raised $231,468 through nine games.
"We are thankful for our partnership with the Detroit Lions and the impactful opportunity our student-athletes obtain in an effort to make a difference via the Game on Cancer initiative, said coach Kelley. It is an honor for us to pay it forward via the $2,600 in the direction of the tremendous K-8 DPS community at John R King! This entire semester, our program and I have enjoyed witnessing
Ryan Szlachcic's enthusiasm from his student-teaching experience. It is evident that the John R. King Titans' amazing staff and students have impacted him and we are thankful to recognize and support them through this collaboration. A special thanks goes to John R. King faculty Stanley Wheelers, Markeeta Burr, coach John Carson, and Principal Jennifer Spencer for impacting Ryan and the youth in our community."
