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.)

Corporate Soccer Hooligans to Mob Local Pubs for SCORES

The Sounders FC Corporate Cup 2010 is coming this summer and the buildup events are beginning on Wednesday.

When Seattle's business men and women sneak out of the office to watch Barcelona FC face off against Inter Milan FC in the Championship League Semi-finals, they're going to get mobbed by by Corporate Hooligan crews. These hooligan men and women will challenge any of the soccer fans playing hooky to assemble a corporate crew and enter the soccer charity event to benefit America SCORES Seattle this July.

Soccer players from Amazon.com, Expedia, Microsoft, Puget Sound Energy, UPS and America SCORES Seattle will storm Fado Irish Pub, Fox Sports Grill and George & Dragon Pub on Wednesday to recruit businesses for Seattle Sounders FC Corporate Cup 2010.

Please check out the link to register your crew, or learn more at Seattle Sounders FC Corporate Cup 2010.

Here is a link to the Seattle Times Sounders FC blog that has a write up about the events.

Sounders FC's United We Serve Campaign Kicks Off

Our community partner, Sounders FC are kicking off their first United We Serve event event of the 2010 season. The volunteering opportunity will be this Sunday, April 18th at Franklin High School going from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be players and coaches attending from 9 to 10 a.m.!

The United We Serve events are monthly volunteer opportunities where fans can work together with Sounders players and coaches to improve local Seattle communities. The event is being led by the non-profit, Rebuilding Together Seattle along with support from Seattle Bank.

This community service ties in with the SCORES spring program because our kids focus their writing efforts on a community project. The student-athletes develop an idea for a project, implement it, and then share it with the community at our spring Jamboree event on May 20th.

SCORES is teaching the students that they can make a difference in their community and the Sounders are showing that off the pitch, they can too. The kids realize that with their own individual projects are part of a larger effort going on throughout the Puget Sound. This is an awesome example for the students!

Thanks for being role models Sounders, on and off the field.

Link for more information.

National Poets Nailed it on New Day

Yesterday was a pretty exciting day for our the America SCORES Seattle national poets, Eddie and Milla, they were on New Day Northwest on KING5 here in Seattle! It was a great experience for them and our staff.

The morning began with them missing morning of school to go to the KING5 studios. Which they didn't seem to mind, but they both said they did their homework the night before. There they met got to tour the show's set, practice their poems before they went on air and then sit in the green room (which is actually peach colored).

You could sense their nervous energy as they were waiting to get to the taping. Eddie was juggling water bottles, and he could actually do about three or four full juggles. Milla was quiet compared to her normal talkative self and always drawing cats and mice on a piece of paper.

Then the producer came in and said it was time for makeup. Eddie was not pleased. But they went into the dressing room got their anti-shine makeup on and waited a few more moments before they, and Carole, our executive director, made it on the stage.

SCORES wants to thank New Day Northwest for the opportunity! Also, great job Eddie and Milla!

Seattle's National Poets to be on TV Tomorrow

America SCORES Seattle's two National Poets are going to be on a weekday mid-morning show tomorrow! Eddie and Milla are going to be on New Day Northwest and slam their poems before a live studio audience and host Margaret Larson. The program airs at 11 a.m. on KING 5.

Eddie and Milla will answer a few questions on air too. They are going to practice answering questions and rehearse their poems tonight. It is one of their last rehearsals before the April 19th National Slam at the stock exchange in New York City.

In addition to Eddie and Milla, our executive director Carole Kelley will be on too to answer questions about SCORES and what we do. It's really exciting for all the staff as well as the kids.

Here is a link to New Day Northwest's web site.

College Kicks Went Great!!

College Kicks was a huge success yesterday!! All of the players had a great time running drills, seeing what a college campus looks like and asking real college students how they got to where they are today.

We want to send a huge thank you to the Seattle University men's soccer team for helping run the drills and be on the panel discussion. Thanks to our board for helping the event run smoothly. Also, thanks to all the law and undergraduate students who took time from their schedules to be tour guides for the kids and show them around campus, and last, but definitely not least, to Seattle University for allowing this inspiring event to happen on their campus.

Here is a slide show of the event.

We got a little press on event too!

Seattle U. Spectator

The Examiner

Autographed Sounders FC Lithographs

-Image from sanfordholien.com

America SCORES Seattle Benefits from the Sale of These Prints

The prints not only display many of Sounders star players from their inaugural MLS season, but they're also autographed by the Sounders FC's world-class goal keeper Kasey Keller. They are a true collectors item, each print is numbered and autographed by the artist, Sanford Holien. Holien has pledged to donate a portion of the royalties from the sales of the prints to America SCORES Seattle. Holien is an artist with a studio in Olympia, WA.

Each print has the fan favorites from their first MLS season: Kasey Keller, Coach Sigi, Freddie and Fredy, Tyrone Marshall, Osvaldo Alonso, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Steve Zakuani, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Brad Evans, and Nate Jaqua.

These brightly colored lithographs would be great for any Sounders fan to have in their home, or at the office.

To learn more about the artist and these one-of-a-kind works of art, here is a link to Holien's web site.