WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJZ) -- Former President Barack Obama surprised students of the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy on Wednesday afternoon and played a game with them.

The kids screamed "Barack Obama!" when they saw the president arrive.

"I see what you guys are doing, I think everybody here -- if you guys work hard, work hard, listen to your coaches, you guys are going to do great things," Obama told the children.

The scholar-athletes were celebrating the end of the school year.

Obama got a chance to see the after-school programming at the academy, including a scrimmage, field activities and a weekly farmer's market offering.

The academy provides afterschool enrichment through sports -- baseball and softball -- to improve health, academic achievement and character development to DC's underserved youth.