SeaDogs Project / SeaDogs Game!

On Wednesday, the BAFF students were introduced to their first project in the program, the SeaDogs Project. The SeaDogs are a local minor league baseball team here in Portland, Maine. For the SeaDogs Project, the students first had an introductory seminar regarding the project which was then followed by a visit to the Hadlock Stadium where the SeaDogs play. During their introductory session to their project, the students had the opportunity to learn about baseball by watching the movie Moneyball followed by an afternoon of playing baseball with the Program Leaders.

For this project, the students were tasked with identifying and developing strategies that will help bolster the number of millennials that attend the SeaDogs games. The students had the chance to meet the manager of the stadium who provided them with a tour, and presented them with their project. The students were then expected to work within their designated groups to come up with solutions in addition to creating survey questions that were to be distributed around Portland the following day.

Today, the students went out into Portland with the main purpose of finding participants for their surveys as a means to collect data for their project. Many students said that they were uncomfortable at first; however, after their first few participants they felt more at ease with asking people to participate in their survey. After a few hours of data collection, the students had the chance to visit a small startup in Portland called CoworkHers, a company that focuses on providing a safe space for women to work and socialize. The students heard from an entrepreneur who spoke about the moving company she had started with her husband, and their journey to becoming entrepreneurs together.

Finally, the students ended their day with a SeaDogs game at the Hadlock Stadium where two of them had the opportunity to throw the first pitch to start off the game. The students had the opportunity to socialize at the game and experience the atmosphere that makes attending baseball games an incredible experience, especially for first timers.

After a long two days, the students will be unwinding tomorrow with a day filled with fun and adventure through kayaking and shopping.

-Program Leader Khaddija J.

P.S. Here is video of Brita and Paulius throwing the first pitch of the game!