DODGERS CATCHER WILL SMITH TO UNVEIL NEW WORLD SERIES LEGACY LITERACY CORNER BEAUTIFCATION AT LANGDON AVENUE ELEMENTARY
Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation partner with Will & Cara Smith’s Catching Hope Foundation to beautify learning spaces and improve reading proficiency and interest among young Angelenos.
Smith to read to students, provide free books and participate in a Q&A session with students on Tuesday, August 26 at the local elementary school
LOS ANGELES – Dodgers All-Star catcher Will Smith will join students at Langdon Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 26 for the third and final World Series Legacy project. In partnership with Will and Cara Smith’s Catching Hope Foundation, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) are continuing their commitment to beautifying literacy spaces at local schools.
Three schools from across the Los Angeles Unified School District were selected to receive outdoor literacy corners designed to encourage reading and promote literacy. Clifford Street Elementary in Echo Park unveiled its reading corner during the 2024 World Series last October, while South L.A.’s Manhattan Place Elementary’s outdoor literacy space was unveiled at the start of the 2025 Regular Season and served as the official launch of the ninth season of LA Reads.
“Creating spaces where children can expand their learning environment beyond the traditional classroom allows their imaginations to expand and their love of learning to grow, said Kristin McCowan, Vice President of Government Affairs and Community Relations. “We’ve renovated countless literacy corners and outdoor educational areas since the launch of the LA Reads program, and we couldn’t be prouder of this World Series Legacy project and the hundreds of additional students across our district who are benefiting from the beautiful and thoughtfully curated literacy spaces we’ve unveiled this year.”
“Reading proficiently at a young age is essential to long-term academic success, which is why we deeply value partners who share our commitment to literacy through programs like LA Reads,” said Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation CEO Nichol Whiteman. “We are grateful to Catching Hope and the Dodgers for investing the time and resources needed to help children build strong literacy skills today so they can thrive as adults in the future.”
Will and Cara Smith’s Catching Hope Foundation has been an integral part of the World Series Legacy Project. The Catching Hope Foundation is committed to empowering students with essential skills for leadership and self-sufficiency through community engagement initiatives. Their programs focus on promoting literacy, community building, and physical fitness, providing children with the tools they need to achieve success in all aspects of life.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and LADF have partnered on LA Reads, promoting literacy through Storytimes and book giveaways with Dodger players, coaches, broadcasters and alumni. The initiative also includes the Dodgers Reading Champions challenge, which encourages youth ages 5-14 to read 30 minutes or more daily, along with partnerships with libraries and literacy nonprofits. LA Reads also supports Literacy Corners, renovated after-school centers and libraries furnished with new flooring, paint, furniture, and stocked age-appropriate bookshelves. Since its launch, the program has logged more than 6.4 million minutes of reading and placed thousands of books into the hands of young Angelenos.
About the Los Angeles Dodgers:
The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with eight World Series championships and 25 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence. The Dodgers, baseball’s 2024 World Champions, have been recognized as ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year and are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world. Visit the Dodgers online at www.dodgers.com, follow them on Twitter @Dodgers and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dodgers. For media information, visit www.dodgerspressbox.com.
About the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation:
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) tackles the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice for all Angelenos. Reimagined in 2013, LADF has since raised over $204 million. Under its new strategic plan, “Lasting Impact for Los Angeles,” LADF is amplifying best practices, scaling solutions, growing its capacity and refining its work with investments exceeding $71 million in its programs and grants to local organizations. To date, LADF has positively impacted over 11 million youth. LADF is the proud recipient of ESPN's Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award, Beyond Sport's Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award, and the Aspen Institute Project Play Champion. To learn more, visit Dodgers.com/LADF and join the conversation on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
About the Catching Hope Foundation:
The Catching Hope Foundation works to help underprivileged youth with critical skills needed for leadership, self-advocacy, and self-sufficiency. With the goal to help students develop the tools needed to achieve success through partnerships with various organizations in the Los Angeles and Louisville communities, we strive to provide resources and create opportunities, starting with those who need it most. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and we strive to continue making that a reality.