CnXn (Connection) Apparel

As a current 7th grade teacher in an inner-city Cleveland Public Charter School, I witness the inequities of our educational system on a daily basis. Due to a variety of reasons, many minority students are not performing up to their full potential in the classroom. These students are unable to master their 3 R's (reading, writing, and arithmetic). As an educator, I believe the basis of one's education depends on the mastery of the 3 R's, particularly the ability to read and write at an adequate level. Many low-income, minority communities, fall victim to poor graduation rates, and alarmingly high incarceration rates. A recent set of NY Times articles, and corresponding studies, show that “On any given day, about one in every 10 young male high school dropouts is in jail or juvenile detention…. The picture is even bleaker for African-Americans, with nearly one in four young black male dropouts incarcerated or otherwise institutionalized on an average day, the study said” (NY Times, Study Finds High Rate of Imprisonment Among Dropouts). President Obama, in his 2010 State of the Union Address, said, "In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class education." With an increasingly unforgiving economy, the lower class is suffering the most. Without an education it is virtually impossible to have any social mobility. Every high school dropout costs society $292,000 on average during his or her lifetime. CnXn will provide low-income minority students with the resources they need to be successful, in effect lowering the dropout and incarceration rate, and saving taxpayers millions of dollars on prisons and government run programs. CnXn gives you the chance to be a part of something incredible; we give everyone an opportunity to fulfill his or her philanthropic visions. Please take a moment and think back to your childhood dreams. As young children, Michael and I dreamed of becoming professional baseball players. While we were not able to take our game to the highest level, we were fortunate enough to play four years of collegiate baseball. Every young child has dreams of his or her own when growing up. Unfortunately, many children are unable to pursue those dreams because they do not have access to the resources that you and I have. CnXn addresses those problems afflicting many inner-city youth across the country through the sales of our sports apparel, and subsequent donations to inner-city schools and their athletic departments. CnXn takes individuals that are viewed as being fringe members of society and brings the issues they face to the forefront. CnXn allows you to feel a personal connection to the recipient of your gift. Customers will know that their purchase will benefit a child in their city. As former college baseball players, we see athletics as a driving force in the development of many young children. We want to give our youth a better experience of and off the field. We want to promote baseball in inner-city communities in particular. Black participation in Major League Baseball is at an all-time low. Our long-term vision is to raise enough CnXn brand awareness to build an indoor athletic center and academic enrichment center in the heart of Cleveland. The facility will serve as a safe space for Cleveland youth to work on their game and their studies. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2155&id=100000625054869&ref=mf#!/pages/CnXnConnection-Apparel/184720936556?ref=ts