Two Los Angeles Dodgers players took part in the first dual-language storytime for elementary school kids as a part of a flagship program by the Dodgers Foundation. Pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Evan Phillips hosted the storytime in English and Japanese at the Amestoy STEAM Academy in Gardena. The Academy is the only Japanese dual-language elementary in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Dodgers and @DodgersFdn hosted its first-ever dual-language Storytime in English and Japanese with Evan and Yoshinobu! The reading was held at Amestoy STEAM Academy in Gardena, the only Japanese dual-language elementary school in LAUSD. pic.twitter.com/CbZFX0mIql
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 20, 2024
Yamamoto, born in Japan, was signed by the Dodgers this offseason after a seven-year career in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The 26-year-old made a quick impact on the field for the Dodgers, going 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 starts before a rotator cuff injury. The Japanese rookie is still impacting the community around him despite this injury after taking part in the Dodgers Foundation projects.
The Foundation began in 1995 and has changed several lives around Los Angeles. There are many programs inside the Foundation. One is the LADF’s efforts to instill knowledge in children and promote the good habit of reading from an early age. According to its page on Major League Baseball’s website, the Dodgers Foundation has four main areas of focus, which include education, social justice, homelessness, and health care.
This reading is another instance of Dodgers players giving back to the community. Yamamoto has continued to become a fan favorite since he joined the Dodgers this season. It was a unique experience for the kids to meet professional baseball players and enhance their learning. Pictures posted to the Dodgers Instagram showed the players signing autographs for the children on top of the reading.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (C) of the Los Angeles Dodgers bumps fists with teammate Evan Phillips during spring training at Camelback Ranch on February 22, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)
