Recipients of the scholarship will be selected by a committee of individuals involved in the establishment of the program. This includes Arnie Fielkow, the former New Orleans City Council President and current CEO of the NBA Retired Players Association, who made a $40,000 donation in his father’s name via the Jack Fielkow Scholarship Fund. Louisiana-based First NBC Bank matched Fielkow’s donation to the scholarship program. Arnie Fielkow was instrumental in the establishment of the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy.
“We are very excited that our kids will have this opportunity to secure a college scholarship,” said Eddie Davis, Manager, New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy. “We stress the importance of academic success and strong character just as much as we do the fundamentals on the field, so, we are happy that they will have this chance to help them fulfill their dreams through higher education.”
“Just as he has been a true supporter of youth in New Orleans, Arnie Fielkow has been a long-time supporter of Each One Save One,” said Cathy Harris, co-founder of Each One Save One. “We are thrilled to have Arnie and his family once again behind us through this scholarship program in conjunction with the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy.”
The New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium opened in 2012, replacing a 55-year-old facility that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The facility operates in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commissioner on a dynamic youth program that provides free, year-round baseball and softball instruction as well as educational and baseball vocation programming for young people from underserved and urban communities throughout southern Louisiana. For more information on the New Orleans Urban Youth Academy and how to get involved, please visit MLB.com/urbanyouthacademy or call Dale Brock at 504-282-0443.
Each One Save One is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children in the greater New Orleans community by providing an army of volunteer mentors throughout the metropolitan area. For more information on Each One Save One and how to get involved, please visit EachOneSaveOne.org or call 504-896-9979.
Only members of the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy and Each One Save One are eligible scholarships.