Boston Red Sox honor Sport in Society

(5-4-06) BOSTON, Mass. - The Boston Red Sox honored the Center for the Study of Sport in Society, for its important work of creating social change through sports, at the annual Northeastern Day at Fenway Park on Thursday, May 4, before they faced the Toronto Blue Jays.

�We are extremely proud to be honored by the Boston Red Sox, an organization, that shares our values and has taken great strides toward achieving our goals of eliminating violence, promoting the value of diversity and raising awareness about important social issues,� said Director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society Peter Roby.

The Boston Red Sox for two seasons have participated in Sport in Society�s Mentors in Violence Prevention Program. MVP, an innovative gender violence prevention and education program uses a unique curriculum of leadership training and awareness raising. MVP has also trained the New England Patriots, New York Jets, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Baltimore Orioles, Major League Lacrosse, and more than 100 college student athletes across the country.

Sport in Society�s programs address the most pressing issues in our society including: the healthy development of urban youth, gender violence, diversity, physical activity, and violence prevention. To address these issues it enlists five programs, Urban Youth Sports, MVP, Project TEAMWORK, Disability in Sports, and Athletes for Human Rights.

About the Center for the Study of Sport in Society
The Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University is the world�s leading social justice organization that uses sport to create social change both nationally and internationally. The flagship organization located in the heart of Boston, Mass. was founded in 1984 by Dr. Richard Lapchick and touts branches in Baltimore, Md. and Phoenix, Ariz. Through research, education, and advocacy the center promotes physical activity, health, violence prevention, and diversity among young people and college and professional athletes. Sport in Society�s innovative programs are all staffed by former college or professional athletes and have been awarded America�s most successful violence prevention program by Lou Harris, the Peter F. Ducker Award as the most innovative non-profit program in the social sector, and have been cited as the National Crime Prevention Council�s 50 Best Strategies to Prevent Violent Domestic Crimes. For more information please visit http://www.sportinsociety.org.