Big Papi Recording Wake-Up Calls for BPS Students

BOSTON, MA — In his final season with the Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz has partnered with Boston Public Schools to help curb chronic absenteeism.

"Big Papi" will be recording morning wake-up calls to encourage students who are chronically absent or late from school to arrive on time. It's BPS' response to a White House-led push to get students into class and on-time.

Quoted in a BPS press release, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. called chronic absenteeism a "national problem" potentially "devastating to a child's education."

"Missing school leads to low academic achievement and triggers drop outs. Millions of young people are missing opportunities in post-secondary education, good careers, and a chance to experience the American dream," he said.

A student who misses at least ten percent of school days in a year is considered chronically absent, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

"We hope David's morning wake-up call helps inspire, motivate, and encourage children throughout Boston to attend school, and serve as a reminder of the importance of education to our Boston-area children," Red Sox President Sam Kennedy said in the release.

Families will be able to opt in their high and middle school students to the service. Automated calls will be made available in several languages, the BPS release said.

>> Photo by Keith Allison, via Flickr/Creative Commons