PROGRAMS
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program of Baltimore is committed to providing a positive environment that nurtures physical and mental development through wrestling, mentoring, and tutoring programs.
African Cultural Exchange
2023
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Beat the Streets Baltimore (BTS-B) and Beat the Streets Cleveland are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity and collaboration between the United States and Africa. This partnership will serve as a platform for BTS-B and BTS-C to expand their efforts to empower under-resourced communities and create accessible learning opportunities for youth from different countries.
As part of this initiative, BTS-B, in collaboration with the United States Embassy – Nairobi, United States International University of Africa (USIU), Ageing Concern Foundation (ACF), Kenyan Amateur Wrestling Association (KAWA), and BoxGirls Kenya, has designed a unique program that will send 30 youth leaders from Baltimore and Cleveland Public Schools to Cairo, Egypt, Mombasa, Kenya, and Nairobi, Kenya in August 2023 for a three-week exchange program.
The program seeks to stimulate mutual understanding between urban youth in Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH, Egypt, and Kenya, empower and advance the grassroots development of Kenyan Amateur and Olympic-style wrestling in primary, and secondary schools, and universities, and improve the living conditions of promising youth while providing them with an opportunity to gain exposure, scholarships, and accessibility to the sport of wrestling. The secondary objectives of this project are to strengthen cultural, social, political, and economic ties among the African communities, the African Diaspora and the United States.
“The young people of the African Diaspora hold immense potential for leading in their respective communities and beyond,” said Lydell Henry, Executive Director at BTS-B. “Their unique experiences within the African Diaspora shape their understanding of cultural diversity and provide a valuable perspective that is crucial in building cross-cultural relations. Our future leaders will have the power and capabilities to positively impact both Africa and the United States.”
Through this unique program, BTS-B and BTS-C offer urban youth from Baltimore, Cleveland, Mombasa, Nairobi, and Cairo an opportunity to explore each country’s social and cultural history while participating in Olympic-style wrestling.
To support this effort, BTS-B has launched a crowdfunding campaign that will allow students from Baltimore City to participate in game-changing experiences in academic enrichment and sports education.
Community Programs
We offer a full range of Education and Community Engagement programs.
BTS-Bmore is dedicated to providing resources for their coaches.
As the coach you set the tone for the BTS student-athletes. And in order for you to do the work that is required to shape the minds of the student-athletes proper tools are needed. Below are links to resources. We will continue to add to the resources available.
Leadership Skills
We identify the children’s interests and encourage their participation in group activities. Participating in sports or community activity teaches valuable lessons about teamwork and commitment.
After School Programs
Kids achieve more, productivity goes up, and risky behaviors go down. BTS offers after-school programs in Baltimore to keep kids safe, boost student success.
SUMMER CAMP
Beat the Streets – Baltimore (BTS) has developed summer camp opportunities that continue to utilize the sport of wrestling as a hook to develop students’ personal, academic, and social skills, while also incorporating relevant, 21st Century financial knowledge and skills through engaging, cutting edge learning experiences.
Mental Health Mentoring
Mentoring can provide easy access to supportive relationships with caring adults when they are in need. They also may provide a positive relationship that could act as a corrective emotional experience.
Tutoring
We are dedicated to providing our students with supplemental tutoring services so that they can catch up to grade level in both math and English language arts.
We provide a range of study support services, including a dedicated Personal Tutor, extensive online resources and supportive staff who can help the children gain the skills they need to need to do well in the classroom. Our support services is one of the reasons that our students thrive.
Bigger.Faster.Stronger
Beat the Streets
MISSION
The mission of BTS is to provide disadvantaged youth with a positive environment that nurtures physical and mental development through wrestling, mentoring, and tutoring programs. Our goal has been to develop a network of BTS program sites throughout the Baltimore area’s underserved communities.