Cruz, Mariners deliver big on Education Day

SEATTLE — When Nelson Cruz stands up and talks to kids about the importance of staying in school and getting their education, the Mariners slugger is speaking from the heart.

As the son of two school teachers in the Dominican Republic, Cruz had to finish high school before his parents would let him join the Mets baseball academy in his home country after signing with them.

Cruz and his Mariners teammates fanned out Tuesday to deliver that message and more to elementary students at four area schools as part of the team’s Education Day “Dream Team” assemblies, a tradition now in its 19th year.

“I have kids. I love kids,” said Cruz, a father of two. “To be able to help any way you can is always good. They see us as role models, so it’s nice to go there and show them that we are human and anyone can make it. If we make it, anyone can make it.”

The Mariners put on assemblies at Van Asselt and Roxhill elementary schools in Seattle, Concord International School in Seattle and Challenger Elementary in Issaquah.

“It’s very important and I think it’s good for our players to do as well,” said first-year manager Scott Servais, who spoke to about 550 kids in the Van Asselt event. “It’s something I was a big proponent of when I was overseeing …

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