River Cats to honor Esurance Rising Star

The Esurance Rising Star Students program awards select high school students a $5,000 college stipend

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento River Cats, Esurance and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento will recognize Sam Walker, a local high school senior and one of 14 Esurance Rising Star Students program winners, during a pregame presentation at Friday's game versus the Memphis Redbirds. The Esurance Rising Star Students program, which highlights and celebrates Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) participants for their outstanding service to their local communities, awards select high school students a $5,000 college stipend each, courtesy of Esurance.
Walker plans to study psychology and pursue a career working with animals. Growing up, he struggled with school, but found ways to manage the difficulties and overcome the setbacks. Sam credits his "Big" from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento for "helping him learn patience and not be so hard on himself."
The Esurance Rising Star Students program submissions included unique and inspirational stories, academic accolades, college and career plans and more, emphasizing why each individual was a "Rising Star" in his or her community. To be eligible, nominees were required to be "Bigs" or "Littles" in Big Brothers Big Sisters.
"With the help of Esurance and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, we can recognize a Rising Star Student in our community getting ready for his or her own call-up to college, and honor the student with a unique ballpark celebration," said Jeff Savage, President of the Sacramento River Cats.
Last June, Esurance and Minor League Baseball announced a multi-year partnership making them the exclusive home and auto insurance partner of Minor League Baseball. Together, they created the Esurance Call-Up Worthy platform, which launched exclusively on MiLB.com and MiLB team websites. The platform celebrates the iconic moment in Minor League Baseball when a player is called up to Major League Baseball^®, highlighting his journey through shareable digital and social content, such as virtual trading cards, video highlights and the Esurance Farm Report.
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About the Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats are the Triple-A affiliate of the three-time World Champion San Francisco Giants. The team plays at Raley Field in West Sacramento, consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2017 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.
About Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball^® clubs through their farm systems. Fans are coming out in unprecedented numbers to this one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found at Minor League Baseball ballparks. In 2016, Minor League Baseball attracted 41.3 million fans to its ballparks to see the future stars of the sport hone their skills. From the electricity in the stands to the excitement on the field, Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information, visit www.MiLB.com.
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