About 80 students from Lowell, in red, attend the July 31 Red Sox game against Seattle (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)

LOWELL — Superintendent Greg Hudon is pleased to report that the Lowell Police Department, in collaboration with the Police Activities League of Massachusetts (PAL) and Massachusetts State Police, sent 80 students to see the Boston Red Sox last week.

In the spring, Lowell Police Youth Services, in collaboration with the PAL of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, Lowell Public Schools and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, hosted a six-week baseball clinic at several of Lowell’s middle schools, creating an opportunity for students in Grades 5 to 8 to attend a Skills & Drills Baseball Clinic as an engaging after-school activity, while also creating mentor relationships between police officers and youth.

The six-week program taught basic baseball skills to the youth, led and coached by law enforcement officers representing the Lowell Police Department and Massachusetts State Police.

The clinic rotated through four Lowell Public middle schools and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, with an estimated 15 to 30 youth participating in each location. With the rotating schedule, officers traveled to the youth, eliminating the need for youth and families to find transportation to the clinic.

As part of the baseball clinic, 80 students who participated were also invited to attend a Red Sox game on Wednesday, July 31, thanks to a grant the PAL of Massachusetts received from The Yawkey Foundation, which also helped to fund the clinic.

During the trip to Fenway Park, the PAL of Massachusetts provided food and chartered buses for youth. The Red Sox ended up beating the Seattle Mariners 3-2 in extra innings.

“PAL is a committed partner in building positive relationships between community and police, and are thrilled to have had such success for our first collaboration with the Lowell Police Department,” said Karen O’Sullivan, executive director of the PAL of Massachusetts. “The Skills & Drills Baseball Clinic exemplified the power of law enforcement and community partners coming together to provide youth with positive experiences and meaningful interactions with officers in their communities. It was amazing to see the smiles on the kids’ faces at Fenway last week, and we look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.”

“It was a phenomenal experience for the kids and we left with a win in extra innings provided by Rafeal Devers,” said Sgt. Michael Marshall, who oversees Lowell Police Youth Services.

To learn more about the PAL of Massachusetts, visit: https://palofma.org/.