The Tampa Bay Rays visited Escuela Basica Patria Mirabal, a primary school adjacent to the Rays Academy in Guerra, Dominican Republic, last week to help get students ages 4-14 ready for the school year and see progress made on renovations to the school.

Members of the Rays community engagement team joined Rays Academy staff to deliver school supplies, backpacks, uniforms, hygiene products and Rays giveaway items to students at the school, in addition to providing new shoes to more than 125 students.

¡°As a Dominican, I¡¯m really proud to be a part of an organization that not only cares about winning on the field, but more importantly, cares about the people in the community; to me, that means a lot,¡± said Rays Assistant Director of Latin American Player Programs Jairo DeLaRosa.

The partnership between the club and Escuela Basica Patria Mirabal began back in 2019, when the Rays hired a local contractor to make significant improvements to the school that included running water. The addition of a well and a functional sink made the school eligible for a government-funded hot lunch program. Additional improvements included new restroom facilities, painting both the interior and exterior of the buildings on campus and laying the foundation for a brand-new basketball court, complete with all the corresponding playing equipment.

Similarly to that initial visit, the Rays once again hired a local contractor to make additional improvements this month. A leaky roof meant frequent school closures on rainy days, so the first project tackled was a newly replaced roof. A new water pump, an additional restroom, an expanded gazebo and fresh coats of paint both indoors and outdoors completed this year¡¯s renovations.

"Baseball brings us together in a very unique and beautiful way and through that connection we want to ensure the school, its students and teachers, have the tools necessary to succeed," said Rays Chief People & Community Officer Jenn Tran. "Our goal with the renovations, was to provide a newer, safer place for the children to learn and grow, free from school closures due to weather."

The Rays are excited to continue making connections in the community surrounding the Rays Academy and plan to make annual visits to Escuela Basica Patria Mirabal.