Beat the Streets Announces First Full-time Program Coordinator
By: Cayla Mackey
June 30, 2015

Ed German, new Program Coordinator for Beat the Streets

Beat the Streets is excited to announce their first hire, Ed German, as their newly-appointed Program Coordinator. Beat the Streets starts and runs wrestling programs in local public schools where sports programming has been cut. Through the wrestling programs, students receive mentorship and support to do better in school and stay off the streets.

“This is a really exciting time for us,” says Billy Watterson, Founder and Executive Director, “Bringing on Ed will enable us to serve more people and do more good.”

Ed is from Providence, has taught in the Providence school system, and has wrestling coaching experience. Ed is currently a Consulting Teacher for the Providence Public Schools District working for the Teacher Retention and Induction Network (TRAIN). Ed started the middle school program in Barrington and is the current head coach of Hope High School in Providence. He was recently named Coach of the Year by the Rhode Island Wrestling Coaches Association, and was cited by Learning401, founded and curated by Social Enterprise Greenhouse Advisory Board Member Jen Hetzel Silbert, for inspiring his students to greatness and enabling them to succeed in school and in life. Knowing the lay of the land is important for making progress within the school system.

Ed is hitting the ground running. He has worked with Beat the Streets behind the scenes, and is eager to continue to develop the organization. As he says, “I’m excited that this is happening for our Providence youth. They will be receiving more than what was available to me and my peers. I hope they take full advantage of this great opportunity.”

Billy Watterson working with students through Beat the Streets.

Beat the Streets incorporates a study help component to enable team mates to do well in school.

Billy started Beat the Streets as a Brown University student and is a former Social Innovation Initiative Fellow through the Swearer Center for Public Service. Beat the Streets achieved 501c3 status last August. Billy graduated this Spring and received the Embark Fellowship, which will cover his salary for a year as he grows the venture. The first awards ceremony and fundraiser for Beat the Streets’ student athletes took place this June at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Beat the Streets has raised over $150K over the course of the past year.

Beat the Streets works of out of the Social Enterprise Greenhouse Hub through a Hub Scholarship made possible by a community sponsor. Learn more here.