Teen raises $45,000 for south El Paso school

Playing outdoors in a safe environment is something all children should be allowed to do.

Sam Schwartz, 13, is making it his mission to build a “Field of Dreams” for Lydia Patterson Institute.

Lydia Patterson, located in south El Paso, has been serving students from both sides of the border for 100 years, but it has no playing fields for its baseball and soccer teams.

Sam saw the need for the fields and decided to launch a campaign with the help of the Hunt Family Foundation. He raised $45,000 at his recent Bar Mitzvah.

Sam also launched an account through Ingiegogo, where he has raised $2,000.

His goal is to raise $100,000.

An empty lot across from the school on Florence Street will be transformed into playing fields.

He said his grandmother is his inspiration.

“She told me she used to always play on that asphalt parking lot.”

Sam said his grandmother attended the school and she later received a scholarship that allowed her to go on to college. He said he just wants to give back to the school.

Sam was recognized at a ceremony Wednesday outside Lydia Patterson along with students and the school’s baseball team.

“I’ve always had a place to play but they’ve never really had a place to play. I just thought that it’s not fair that they didn’t have a place to play, said Sam.”

The Hunt Family Foundation is also helping make the “Field of Dreams” possible.

It awarded the school a $750,00 dollar challenge grant.

Lydia Patterson will have to fundraise double the amount in order to get the $750,000.

No date has been set to break ground for the field.