Ravens Provide Educational Space for Baltimore City Schools

$150K signature project of the Ravens Foundation to create safe, innovative & vibrant learning environments.

BALTIMORE — The Ravens hosted their annual volunteer day on Wednesday, June 9, to establish new educational spaces at Baltimore City’s Edgecombe Circle and Curtis Bay elementary schools. 

Fully funded by the Ravens Foundation, Inc., the $150,000 investment features multiple renovation projects at each school, with the goal of further supporting students and teachers as they return to the classroom following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event is coordinated in partnership with Heart of America, a national nonprofit focused on educational equity through space transformation and resource distribution.

Ravens executives, including team president Dick Cass, comprise the nearly 100 volunteers who will participate in Wednesday’s renovations. The objective of this project is to create educational spaces that are safe, innovative and vibrant learning environments, helping students thrive in the near and long-term future.

Major components to these renovations include:

• Construction of an Outdoor Classroom (Edgecombe Circle)

• Outdoor classrooms expand access to in-person instruction, allow for social distancing and offer a change of scenery for students.
• Recent studies have found that students receiving instruction outside were more engaged in lessons and able to better retain information.

• Creation of Peace and Mediation Rooms (Edgecombe Circle and Curtis Bay)

• Mindfulness practices in schools have been found to vastly improve grades, increase executive functions and decrease stress, all while improving resiliency and optimism.

• Assembly of Educational Packs (Curtis Bay)

• Influenced by needs outlined by Baltimore City Public Schools officials, these packs will include age-appropriate, culturally relevant books, school and art supplies, STEM activity kits and personal protective equipment.
• Educational packs will be assembled for all students at Edgecombe Circle Elementary, Curtis Bay Elementary and Mary Ann Winterling Elementary (which was renovated as part of the Ravens Foundation’s 2017 signature project).

The COVID-19 pandemic has created and exasperated economic hardship for many families, including those in Baltimore City. Through these restoration projects, the Ravens and Heart of America support Baltimore City Public Schools students, providing critical resources that help promote learning success.

In addition to these school transformations, this past March the Ravens made an additional investment of $200,000 to Baltimore City Public Schools to assist students, faculty and staff as they returned to in-person learning for the first time since the pandemic began.

— The Baltimore Ravens