Thursday, December 10, 2015

10 Reasons to give to SCORES this season!


It's the season for giving, here's 10 reasons to consider SCORES for a holiday gift!


1. SCORES is completely free for participants.

85% of SCORES students receive free or reduced lunch at school. Through generous support from our sponsors, we’re able to provide our services to schools, many of whom would otherwise be sending kids to an empty home while their parents are at work.

2. SCORES gives kids a safe place to play.

Violent juvenile crimes occur most frequently in the hours immediately following the end of school on school days, according to federal data​. By giving kids a place to go after school, SCORES provides a safe and supportive environment. 


3. SCORES improves academic performance.

Nationally, 75% of participants improved their grammar and writing mechanics after participating in the program while affiliates like Chicago and Seattle show classroom participation and critical thinkingincreased after participation. Beyond academic improvement, after-school programs can be an important tool in preventing at-risk teens from dropping out.


4. SCORES improves kids’ fitness.

Nationally, 85% of participants increased their cardiovascular capacity with affiliates like DC and Bay Area reporting that kids had improved self confidence and a lower BMI by the end of the program year. It’s especially important that SCORES operates in cities, with children in urban areas less likely to exercise than the national average.


5. SCORES strengthens communities.

Through the service learning component of the program, kids learn about empathy and social responsibility in their communities. With a greater need for places to play, communities work to redevelop areas that have been left dormant, even in times of strife.


6. SCORES is good for jobs.

A recent report by the Afterschool Alliance found that 83% of parents with children in after-school programs agreed that after-school programs helped working parents keep their jobs. In addition, SCORES employs over 650 teachers as coaches in our after-school programs.


7. SCORES helps kids grow creatively.

Encouraging kids to express themselves through poetry and spoken word can improve a child’s self-confidence and unlock feelings and thoughts the child may not be able to communicate otherwise. Furthermore, studies have also shown that exercise can substantially improve a child’s ability to think.


8. SCORES can become a career. 

SCORES programs are filled with countless stories of people who participated in the program as kids coming back to coach or intern or volunteers coming back to work full-time! SCORES has become a model of sustainability with alumni coming back to help the next generation of poet-athletes eager to join the family.


9. SCORES creates leaders and teaches teamwork.


Poet-athletes come from all walks of life. By participating in a structured after-school program, it gives them the stability to grow more confident and achieve successes that would not have been possible otherwise. Similarly, our staff is constantly learning more leadership techniques to help them improve their teaching methods and improve the program.


10. SCORES is trying to address unmet demand.

SCORES currently has a lengthy waiting list of schools and cities who would like the SCORES curriculum to be implemented into their after-school programming. The problem is not unique to us, withtwo children waiting to get into an after-school program for every one that’s already in. Your support would help us expand SCORES and make this amazing program available in every public school!


***Bonus Reason***
11. SCORES is Fun!

As youth participation in team sports decreases, studies are increasingly showing that kids just want to have fun with sports! SCORES values fun above all else in our programming.




Wednesday, October 21, 2015

T-Shirts to Empower



T-SHIRTS TO EMPOWER: A MISSION

Studies have shown that when serving low-income or vulnerable populations there are a few things an organization can do to connect on a deeper level. One of them is to give youth something specific to them, something that's "theirs". As an after school program there are three things we hope to do for the youth we serve to make them feel supported- offer safety, consistency and something of their own. SCORES is something they can count on, a place where they can take safe risks, and make friends. This year we are making a push to provide them with something tangible, that ties them to the city-wide SCORES community. Something small but so meaningful- A T-SHIRT! 

It is rare that we have the ability to provide items unique to SCORES. Though we have had many great partners who have helped us garner equipment, uniforms for students to borrow, and occasional funding to offset transportation and organizational costs, our Poet-Athletes don't get the chance to own a part of their SCORES experience. 


We did have an opportunity a few years back to hand out scarves to our participants: 





We hope to raise $500 in order to give away SCORES T-Shirts to each Poet Athlete by the Poetry Slam on November 10th! 

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Poems for Game Day Friday!

In anticipation of Game Day Friday tomorrow we'd like to share some of this week's soccer poems from the girls at Maple Elementary!


Soccer

When I dribble the ball I feel excited
I pass, I focus, and I run
When I hear who got the gold card, 
I feel proud of my friends
When I see our team win I feel confident
When I remember my teammates scoring I feel awesome


SCORES is Me

When I score a goal, I feel fantastic
and very proud of myself
I kick, I run, and I cheer for my team
When I hear "Arianna" being shouted
I feel appreciated
When I see the other team, 
I feel determined to beat the other team
When I remember playing soccer I feel excited
SCORES is awesome



It seems clear to us that soccer and SCORES are AWESOME! We are so excited to have our first Fall Game Day Friday tomorrow, and so are our Poet-Athletes! 

Thursday, August 20, 2015

All aboard The Magic SCORES Bus!

What exactly makes The SCORES Bus magic?


Busing provides unique opportunities that our 
Poet-Athletes otherwise would not have access to! 

These are just a few examples:


Game days! These are special days when our Poet-Athletes are bused to other schools to play each other. They have the chance to make new friends and engage with the Seattle community on a larger scale. 


Our annual poetry SLAM is another event during which we rely heavily on busing. During this event, Poet-Athletes have the opportunity to take the stage at Town Hall and share their work with friends, family and the community!


Not only does busing allow our Poet-Athletes to do amazing things, it also allows their families to become involved! Because many of our families have limited or no access to a vehicle, we encourage siblings and parents to join us on for the ride to game days and other important events. This way they are able to witness special moments like a child's first goal or time on stage! 


Maybe most important, riding the bus is an invaluable time for team building! The Positive Coaching Alliance has stated that, "Plain and simple, riding the bus improves team unity," (PCA, 2014). Belonging to a team plays a huge role in empowering our Poet-Athletes and time spent on the bus reinforces this essential aspect of SCORES culture!


Now you know what makes the SCORES Bus magic, 
help us make it possible! 






Monday, July 27, 2015

SCORES Cup 2015: The hottest tournament around!

In case you missed the preliminary rounds of 

SCORES Cup 2015...

HERE'S YOUR RECAP!



One thing we can say for sure is that SCORES Cup 2015 at Marymoor Park was hot! A huge thank you to all of our teams who showed up and really gave their all despite the heat! Everyone truly rocked it on and off the field! 







There was plenty of fancy footwork!  














And the fans were out in full force!






The competition was fierce! 











The teamwork was admirable!














Of course, congratulations to our finalists! 














And particular thanks to all of our participants and friends who came out to lend a helping hand...











You truly do make a difference!!!












Join us this Saturday, August 1st at 9:30AM when our finalists take to the field at CenturyLink!

Please bring family and friends!

Entry begins at 9AM at the NW VIP entrance! 

Friday, June 12, 2015

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBA!



Join America SCORES Seattle, Lamar Neagle and fellow Sounders FC Players for Camp Rumba!

Kick back, relax, and indulge at Rumba while your favorite Sounders FC mix things up behind the bar! 







Rumba is located in Seattle's vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood and over the past few years has gained quite an exceptional reputation for its Caribbean style food and beverages.

Wednesday, June 17th
5:30-7:30 PM
 
1112 Pike St. 
Seattle, WA 98112








Novo Fogo Logo
All proceeds from cocktails made with Novo Fogo's Cachaca will go directly to support SCORES Camp for at-risk youth! SCORES Camp is designed to reduce summer learning loss, provide nutritious foods and keep kids active! 




In addition to great food and libations, America SCORES Seattle will be raffling off an autographed Sounders FC
game ball and more!

So, come one, come all and join us for this exciting event! 

We look forward to seeing you there!



Wednesday, June 3, 2015

TAKE YOUR TEAM OUT OF THE OFFICE AND ONTO THE PITCH---AT CENTURYLINK!


SCORES CUP 2015 is just around the corner!


REGISTER YOUR TEAM TODAY FOR THIS ONE OF A KIND EVENT! 




Finals at Centurylink! Qualify to play like the pros in front of 67,000 (seats)!







Men's Teams...









And Co-Ed, too!





Together we can make our goals! Use this opportunity to build your office team, enjoy a little competition and have fun! At the same time you will be making an important contribution to the enrichment of the lives of at-risk youth in Seattle's Public Schools!

For more information or 
to register your team, 
call (206) 988-1000 
or e-mail Carole Kelley at ckelley@americascores.org! 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

EVERY KID DESERVES TO GO TO CAMP!

Summer is just around the corner!


For many people that means a whole lot of fun is coming up, but for at-risk youth in Seattle, summer can often be a very challenging time. 

We need your help to ensure that our #PoetAthletes are well fed, avoid the summer slide and above all, have tons of fun! 


What is the "Summer Slide"? 


The "Summer Slide" can potentially affect all youth, but low-income youth are at particular risk for losing valuable knowledge they have gained throughout the school year. 
  



Children who are already behind are especially vulnerable to these impacts!


It has been shown that access to resources, like books, can help diminish, if not reverse, the summer slide!






Together we can ensure that at-risk youth not only have increased access to these resources, but also attend a structured summer program which incorporates other skills children learn during school! 


Ensuring our #PoetAthletes have access to food and fun! 


America SCORES Seattle is concerned with the health of our #PoetAthletes whether it is on the field or in the cafeteria! 

83% of students we serve at America SCORES Seattle receive free or reduced lunch throughout the school year. These students are far more likely to be vulnerable to summer hunger.



For many children, summer can be a boredom filled, very inactive time. At SCORES Summer Camp, students will participate in regular activities which stimulate mental and physical health! 





These are just some of the reasons we believe that 

EVERY KID DESERVES TO GO TO CAMP!


Help our #PoetAthletes enjoy a reading-filled, safe and healthy summer by DONATING today! 



Find out all of the ways that you can help, by visiting 

https://seattlescores.ejoinme.org/FillTheField

or simply click HERE!

Friday, May 8, 2015

Welcome Home Cindy and Mohamed!

Our Poet-Athletes have returned from 

New York City and have lots to share! 

We sat down with them the other day and learned about their experiences! 

We are proud to say that they had a great time, met many new friends, and overcame challenges! 




"I saw a lot of places and I met a lot of new friends," Mohamed on his Big Apple experience.

Favorite thing about New York: New York Pizza!

Biggest Challenge: Flying. Mohamed was afraid the plane might crash. His first and only other time flying was when he was a baby and he did not remember. They experienced a rough landing, but everything turned out well!


Learn more about his trip by watching Mohamed's interview! 

Just click HERE!


"I feel like I gained a lot of confidence and I feel like I can actually talk to people without being nervous," Cindy on her Big Apple experience.

Favorite thing about New York: Sightseeing! She told us this was her number one priority when traveling and she was thrilled that they were able to go to N.Y.U., The High Line, Grand Central Station, The New York City Public Library, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center!   

Biggest Challenge: Cindy also found the landing hard, but she felt her biggest challenge was, "meeting and introducing myself to kids from around The States." 

Learn more about her trip by watching Cindy's interview!


                              Just click HERE!


We could not be more proud of our #PoetAthletes! 
WELCOME HOME!

If you missed the 2015 National Poetry SLAM! you can still view it online by clicking HERE

Monday, March 23, 2015

MEET OUR FINALIST, CINDY!

WE ARE INCREDIBLY EXCITED FOR HER TO COMPETE IN THE BIG APPLE! 



“Creativity” by Cindy

I am a very creative girl,
my mind is everywhere, everywhere, everywhere
thinking of writing a book to a movie,
(coming out in 2021)
My imagination is bigger than my knowledge,
my ideas are so fictional yet so realistic,
my ideas are sci-fi with a little help of wi-fi
award winning ideas,
I’ll have Oscars on my wall,
I’ll be a great director and author,
but that is miles away
but I know I’ll be in New York someday
And that’s today!




We asked Cindy what her favorite subject was, she immediately responded, "Writing!"


Similarly, when we asked Cindy what her favorite part of SCORES was, she told us it was,"That it's a mixture of writing and soccer." 


Want to learn more about this awesome #PoetAthlete?! Check out her interview on YouTube:



We know that Cindy will be an excellent representative of 

America SCORES Seattle in New York 

and we could not be more proud! 



Congratulations, Cindy!


Want to be a part of our #PoetAthletes' once in a lifetime opportunity? 
There is still plenty of time to donate to our Bite the Big Apple fundraiser!

DONATE HERE 

And help our #PoetAthletes tour NYU, take home cool swag, and capture their experience through photo! 

Friday, March 13, 2015

WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD?

With so many AWESOME things happening at 

America SCORES Seattle

 it's hard to keep track! 


SO...here is exactly what our #PoetAthletes have been up to! 



JR SCORES 

Last month we told you about our exciting new JR SCORES curriculum...now, we could not be more thrilled to say that students and coaches have loved it alike! This story was highly effective at teaching our students literacy and life-skills, both indoors and out! With all the excitement that you can imagine along the way, we are excited to hear from one of our favorite Maple Elementary coaches that Zumba the monkey, has almost escaped the zoo and the Golden Boot, lost early in the season, is sure to soon be found! Thanks to all of our coaches who continue to #EngageAndEmpower our youngest #PoetAthletes!   


#PoetsBiteTheBigApple

Maybe you've heard the buzz, but just in case, Seattle is excited to send two amazing #PoetAthletes to NYC next month! Since our finalists, Cindy and Mohamed were selected, we have done everything that we can to make sure that their trip will be one to remember! When these two awesome poet's mentioned that maybe they wanted to bring home a t-shirt and take a tour of N.Y.U., we wanted to make sure that could happen for them! We know how hard they have worked and believe strongly that they deserve the best experience possible! We are happy to say that we are well on our way and you can still donate HERE today! 


Reach for the Stars: Annual Gala & Auction

On April 24th America Scores Seattle will host its twelfth annual gala and auction. This year's theme will be "Reach for the Stars", something we see our #PoetAthletes do everyday! This is one of our most important fundraisers of the year and we hope that this year will be a great success! The event will include dinner, games, and both a silent and live auction. AND...maybe most exciting, this year's program will include four special speakers, our very own SCORES poets! If you are interested in becoming involved, sponsoring our special guest speakers or have questions about the auction, please don't hesitate to contact us at speppers@americascores.org! We look forward to sharing this special evening with you all on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! 


Spring Season

We can't believe it's already here...well, almost at least! Here in Seattle, we always look forward to a little sunshine, and this year is no exception! Spring Season will begin next month, April 20th, and we are so excited! Along with months of fun on the field and in the classroom, this season is one of our favorites, because it includes our #PoetAthletes commitment to their communities! This commitment is fulfilled through a season long service learning project, which is designed and executed by our students. This year, we intend to concentrate these projects within the schools which our students attend. It is our hope that this will allow our students to engage in service learning not only during the hour and a half they meet with their teammates and coaches at SCORES, but throughout the day, week, month and year...even in years to follow! Stay tuned to learn more about these projects, our #PoetAthletes, Game Days and other exciting upcoming events! 

Friday, March 6, 2015

HELP OUR FINALISTS EXPERIENCE THE BIG APPLE!

Next month, our finalists will be flying across the country to participate in the

America SCORES National Slam! 


We could not be more proud and excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity for our #PoetAthletes! Mohamed and Cindy were selected by our judges to represent Seattle in NYC -- we think that they will do an amazing job! Because this is such a special opportunity, we are hoping that they will truly be able to experience the city. 





In order to accomplish this task, we are asking for YOUR HELP! 



Help our #PoetsBiteTheBigApple by making a donation today! Any money that you give will ensure that these two will have the whole NYC experience with pizza, t-shirts, transportation for touring the prestigious N.Y.U. and so much more!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY! 






Friday, February 20, 2015

MEET OUR FINALIST, MOHAMED!

WE COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED TO SEND MOHAMED TO NYC!!!


“My People” by Mohamed

I see my people hurting each other sometimes
I wonder who’s going to stop them
Could it be me?
It can’t be me, I’m just a little seed
But I still got big dreams out there for me
My pain is rising deep inside of me
Playing this game called life
It’s like getting stabbed in my chest
If I’m stressing you out just confess
Because I’m just trying to address
What I can one day make a success
My people impress me
The people who paved the way for me
To say what I have to say today
My people


We thought, who better to tell you about this awesome #PoetAthlete than Mohamed himself? Check out the interview on YouTube:



Mohamed told America SCORES Seattle about the inspiration for his poem, "I just was thinking about the people I'm from and how bad stuff happened out there, and I just wanted to write about that."


When we asked Mohamed what he was most excited about in N.Y., he told us he was,"most excited about performing there." 


We know that Mohamed will be an excellent representative of 

America SCORES Seattle in New York 

and we could not be more proud! 



Congratulations, Mohamed!


While you can ANYTIME, stay tuned to hear ways you can 
to America SCORES Seattle to make our #PoetAthletes trip to the Big Apple extra special!!!





Tuesday, February 10, 2015

"The Legend of the Golden Boot": A NEW CURRICULUM FOR JR SCORES

Our JR SCORES program is well underway and there is already much excitement! 



Beginning this year, America SCORES Seattle launched an entirely new curriculum and we are thrilled to share the ways which our #PoetAthletes have been using "The Legend of the Golden Boot", an interactive workbook illustrated by Maybelline Chow.

In this story, Zoomba, a monkey from Brazil who lives in a zoo, finds himself sad that he cannot "eat ice cream, have friends, read books, and run freely like humans can." So, he decides to escape. Shortly after, Zoomba is given a magic boot which allows him human abilities, one of which, is soccer. Taught both in the classroom and on the playground, at the core of this curriculum are values which address student's need to interact with their environment, their sense of involvement in these experiences, as well as their creative, imaginative and emotional intelligence. Through Zoomba's story, students further develop reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, while also learning about respect, teamwork and community. Of course, throughout this time, these kids aren't missing out on any kicks and have been spending considerable time in the gym honing their soccer skills.   



Learn More About the Illustrator: 

Raised in Indonesia, Maybelline Chow was born in San Francisco, returning and attending The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. At the university, she received her BFA in illustration and enjoys "drawing, painting and everything in between." What we think makes her most awesome? How much our #PoetAthletes love her illustrations! 

Learn more about Maybelline and see what she had to say about illustrating for JR SCORES on her blog:




MAYBELLINE'S BLOG




 




Stay tuned to understand more about JR SCORES and hear first-hand how the program 

engages and empowers our young #PoetAthletes!