This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon's Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- "Pomp and Circumstance" played on Thursday morning. There were caps, gowns and diplomas on hand. What made this high school graduation ceremony quite unique were the graduates and an audience of uniformed ballplayers.
For the second straight year, the Reds held a high school graduation ceremony -- this time for seven of their Minor League players who earned their diplomas. Most Reds big league players, several Minor League players, coaches and front office executives were all gathered together in seats to watch the hourlong ceremony.
"This is absolutely one of the best days of the year," player development director Jeremy Farrell told the graduates. "Regardless of where your baseball career takes you¡ you now have your education and that can't be taken away from you."
This year's graduates were Johnny Ascanio, Jose Franco, Carlos Jorge, Anielson Rabrun Buten and Stharlin Torres. Also honored were 2023 graduates who could not be at the previous year's ceremony -- Khristian Guevara and Lisnerkin Lantigua.
Started in 2019, the Cincinnati Reds High School program has graduated 35 current and former players. It's done in partnership with Dawere International High School, which offers a Spanish-speaking adult online education program of 21 classes that include U.S. History, Math, Chemistry and Physics. Even players who are released by the club are able to stay in the program to complete their degrees.
Students either take classes via Zoom or in person with educators from the organization's wellness and education department.
"I think we take education for granted in the U.S., but for a normal person it¡¯s a big deal. For players, who are the definition of athlete-students and not student-athletes, it¡¯s an even bigger deal," said Kaitlin Beltre, the Reds' education coordinator.
The path from starting classes to receiving a diploma isn't always linear. Players often fit in their studies on days off, after games, after workouts, at night or on weekends.
Franco, who hails from Maracay, Venezuela, and pitched at Single-A Daytona and High-A Dayton last season, began his coursework in January 2020 only to be derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as injuries and other issues. But the right-hander never gave up, resuming classes a couple of years later and finished his degree.
Toward the end of the ceremony, video messages from family members congratulating the graduates were played.
Beltre, who led the ceremonial proceedings with Reds director of wellness and education Becky Schnakenberg in both English and Spanish languages, became emotional while talking about each student's efforts for doing his coursework. It meant a lot to her because she knew getting diplomas meant a lot to the players.
"English class is required for all of our international players. The high school program is not," Beltre said. "It¡¯s something they choose to do. Them showing up after practice or after games and even after English class -- whether in person or online -- is really, really incredible.¡±