SCORES hits the airwaves in Seattle

Recently our Executive Director Carole Kelley and board member Taylor Graham-who played his full 90 during the winning game against BOCA Juniors on Wednesday- were interviewed on local Seattle radio show, The Soul of Seattle. Along with Taylor and Carole, a couple of our longest serving coaches were on as well, Maple Elementary's Coach Z., and Coach Stevenson. Both highlighted the importance of SCORES in their schools and their communities.

Here is a link to the segment.

New Auction Scarves just Arrived

Check out these new Scarves that were made for
us by our newest partners Ruffneck Scarves.

These are awesome!! All SCORES fans, Scarves up!

Thanks again to our Great Partner, Ruffneck Scarves!

Jamboree Today at Starfire

Please come and visit the SCORES students, staff and a few special guests today at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. Please click on the image above to link to a map and directions.

Who: All SCORES poet-athletes
Where: Starfire Sports Complex
When: 4 to 6:00 p.m.

Be sure and dress warm and be ready for the rain. We'll see you at Starfire!

Roxhill Girls have a Bake Sale

The Roxhill girls had a bake sale last Friday. As the SCORES staff members arrived at the elementary school, we were surprised to see so many signs the girls had made around the school promoting the event.
Then as the staff entered the outside play area where the sale was taking place and we were shocked to see so many kids in line to purchase the baked goods! It was great. There were at least two dozen fellow students in line to get the donuts, cookies, cake and other sweets the kids had made and received as donations.
This may not be the healthy eating habits SCORES usually tries to advance, but it's in the name of charity. So, we can't help but support it.
The girls all voted to take the proceeds from the bake sale and purchase as many non-perishable food items as they can afford. Then they will donate the items to the Northwest Harvest, a Seattle non-profit.

The Maple Boys Visit the V.A.

Yesterday SCORES staff went with the Maple Monarchs boys team to Veterans Administration facility on Beacon Hill. The boys walked from their school over to the facility and visited some of the residents there. They began the afternoon with simple conversation and refreshments, but it quickly turned into competitive games of checkers, UNO and other board games.

Many of the poet-athletes thought they were pretty talented checkers players, even bragging about beating friends and relatives. But when the older residents sat down with them, it turned out 50 or more years of experience mattered a little more. The students took their losses in stride, and the checkers champion, I think, let the one student winner win. He knew he shouldn't beat them all. It was a great inter-generational service project.

Highland Park Car Wash

Yesterday our staff's and dozens of community cars got the baths they needed at Highland Park Elementary's car wash. When the SCORES staff showed up, we were all shocked to have to wait in line for the wash, even though this was great for the students fundraising efforts.

So, while we were waiting to get our cars washed, we got in the spirit and helped the student volunteers wash the cars in line ahead of us. It was a blast. Well, at least when I "missed" the car and hosed off some of the kids!

The local Schuck's Auto Supply donated sponges, towels and soap so the kids could wash all the cars they could to raise money for new playground equipment at their school. The kids will conduct a student survey to determine what the other kids at school want, then they will discuss their survey findings and any budget restrictions with the school principal, and then get the equipment. We'll find out what they will have got at the year-end Jamboree in a couple of weeks.

Here is a video of the kids explaining their project to our program director, Jake Witt.

Maple Girls Help Grow a Forest

The Maple girls team was also out serving their community. They teamed up with the Nature Consortium to help protect newly planted trees. The girls all took a van ride from school over to the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest.

While there, the girls were taught about local ecosystems, invasive species, and the importance of citizens in maintaining public lands. The restoration project director at Nature Consortium, nicknamed buphalo, taught the girls about how weeds were choking out the newly planted trees.

So it was going to be the girls duty to use a pickmatic tool to clear away the weeds within a foot of the tree. This way the tree could get the nutrients it needs to survive, then they carried heavy buckets of mulch to lay down around the trees to prevent the weeds from growing back. The girls cleared around 10 trees together and put mulch down too. They did all of this in the hour they were there. It was a lot work done that afternoon, but it was great for Heather and Jake to get out there and have some fun in the dirt with the team.

Here is a video of how the afternoon went, and it shows what exactly they were up to. Enjoy!

Highland Park Brighten People's Day

Yesterday the Highland Park girls team went to the Fleming Home, a nearby assisted living facility, and brightened some resident's day with songs, cards and conversation.

As we walked over to the Home the staff got a glimpse of the students' West Seattle neighborhood, and we got to talk with the team about how their season was going so far. They all agreed, "great." One even came up to me and said she remembered me from our College Kicks event. It was very sweet to be remembered, even if it was only for getting her the coat she left behind at the event.

At the Fleming Home the students began the afternoon with a few songs for the residents. They received an enthusiastic applause. Then the girls went on to hand each of the residents a card they had handmade for the residents. Some of the residents eye sight wasn't very strong, so some of the students even read their cards to audience members. It was very heartwarming to watch.

For all of their efforts, the girls received some freshly baked cookies, fresh squeezed lemonade and a feeling that they brightened a few people's day. Way to go Golden Mustangs!!

Student Service Projects Begin Today

This afternoon the SCORES staff is going to two schools to watch them serve others. Jake and Heather will be going to West Seattle to the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest, to work with the Maple girls team as they clear the area of invasive species and even plant some new native species. The Maple ladies have already put together a butterfly garden at their school, fitting because the school's mascot is the Monarch Butterfly. This will be their first time doing restoration, but they'll be back at it on May 12th.

They will be working with the Nature Consortium, a Seattle non-profit.

The office VISTAs will be going to watch Highland Park, also over in West Seattle, to accompany the girls team's visit to the Fleming Home, an assisted living facility. We're going to walk with the students over to the Home and then the students will spend some time with the people living there. The poets already wrote letters to them and now will get to meet them.

We'll have pictures to update tomorrow for both events.

National Slam Poets Return

Photographer: Sirin Samman

The poets are back and working hard in their spring curriculum, but here is an update about their experience in NYC. SCORES is proud of their performance and the rave reviews we've gotten from our national staff about these two talented young people.

The event began when America SCORES CEO, Norma Barquet rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange. A reception on the trading floor that celebrated the program’s accomplishments from around the country followed.

After the reception, the attendees and young poet-athletes transitioned to a dining room where the elementary age students presented their poetry. Eddie and Milla both performed their individual poems and rhymed parts of a group poem featuring all 30 of young poets from across the country.

These 30 students were picked from 4,500 nationwide SCORES participants.Seattle’s Eddie Edwards was chosen to be the second to last individual performer because his poem eloquently summarized the relationship between SCORES and family. Milla was one of ten to receive the honor of sitting next to the CEO of SCORES when Ms. Barquet rang the closing bell at the NYSE.

Eddie also received a big surprise when his parents attended the SCORES soccer and lunch in Central Park on Sunday afternoon. His parents had previously told Eddie they would be unable to make the trip to New York City. It was a joyful reunion!

Here's a link to Milla on the balcony while the closing bell rang. (She's on the viewer's left.)