Stumbled upon this awesome organization working to renovate or rebuild 44 sport fields across the Oklahoma City Public Schools district. [did a thread search and didn't find anything] This is exactly the sort of community support that OKCPS needs to continue strengthening. Athletics can play a HUGE part in a child's outcome as it is a positive outlet and distraction from so many other less desirable "paths".

The program, Fields and Futures, also aims to "have an adult mentor assigned to every 7th-grade athlete". The pilot site at Jefferson Middle School has resulted in all new sports fields, "including football/soccer, baseball and softball." The website also says that the first year has resulted in a considerable decrease in discipline issues among students in the mentoring program; "at one site, students involved in the mentoring program have no discipline issues, compared with 100 this time last year."

I recommend checking out the site as it has a few pictures, plans, and more info as to the purpose/plan of the program. It seems the current projects include the completed Jefferson fields, new fields for Webster Middle School, and Speagle Stadium at Capitol Hill, which is already being completely rebuilt. Wes Welker dedicated the Jefferson Field and I believe Gerold McCoy held some sort of dedication at Webster a few weekends ago. Very cool. Wes Welker also helped rebuild Southeast High School's weight-lifting room a few years back when I attended; it is so cool for students to see these guys come out to their school and really want to help.

http://fieldsandfutures.com/