For girls in low-income urban areas, lack of organized sports opportunities is striking

This morning, America SCORES and DC SCORES Executive Director Amy Nakamoto is speaking on a panel at Title IX and Beyond: How To Get the Rest of our Girls Into the Game hosted by the Aspen Institute. You can follow a live stream of the event here. Below, Amy gives her thoughts on the issue of a lack of organized sports opportunities for girls in low-income communities such as Washington, DC.

By Amy Nakamoto
America SCORES and DC SCORES Executive Director

This year represents the 40th anniversary of the passing of Title IX - the groundbreaking legislation that has made it possible for millions of girls to play interscholastic and collegiate sports.

As someone who grew up ‘post-Title IX,’ I personally didn’t know a world where girls were denied an opportunity to play sports. As a teenager growing up in a middle class community in Fairfax County Public Schools (VA), I had ample opportunities to learn and excel in multiple athletic endeavors. Our schools had the resources and placed a priority on JV and varsity teams (and, in some cases, freshman teams, too) so as to expand the offering and accommodate varying skill levels.

The youth sports culture I grew up in was school-based and club-based, allowing me to develop skills and off-the-field abilities that ultimately led to an opportunity to continue playing soccer in college. Because of those opportunities, I developed a love of sports, a love of being active, and a confidence and drive that I’m not sure I would have developed otherwise.

There is a different story, though, in what I see day-to-day in DC public schools.

More specifically, there is a somber narrative that is associated with girls from low-income communities. Many - actually, most - middle and high schools are not flush with opportunities for girls to participate in sports. The limited menu of options, lack of JV teams, and inconsistent supporting infrastructure have left girls literally and figuratively ‘on the sidelines.’

These observations could be perceived by girls as a disinvestment in their education. I know I have seen it this way and worse. I see it as a gap in understanding the link between sport participation and positive health and academic outcomes.

I have to believe that the powers that be are working to change this narrative. And I believe it has to be a comprehensive and evolving strategy to make these strides for all our girls in the District.

For our part at DC SCORES, we are part of the strategy in that we feel we have a model for instilling in girls a love of sport (soccer), a love of being active, and a deep connection between what it means to be an athlete and a dynamic and engaged student.

Our holistic after-school model targets multiple modes of learning, students’ varying levels of motivation, and aims to create an environment that introduces sports in a manner that is supportive, team-oriented, and steeped in youth development principles. By combining self-expression, service and sports, girls can learn concepts of teamwork, develop on and off the field skills, and foster positive peer and adult relationships that are inherent in any traditional ‘sports’ team.

Further, girls can learn a game they have never seen or have been discouraged to play in a safe space that allows them to achieve multiple successes in a variety of ways - ways that make them feel part of a team even if they don’t understand the rules yet. We feel this is a key for engaging girls for multiple years - to create an association to ‘sport’ that is infused with feelings of success, a peer group that is a team on and off the field, and a learning environment that represents healthy, yet challenging competition.

I can only hope it does not take another 40 years for girls from low-income communities to have the same reflections that I have when thinking back on my school sport experience. It’s long overdue for millions of girls in urban and rural settings with fewer resources. Let’s shift the focus and dig deep into strategies that will change their narrative.

Inside Thomson Elementary Part V: Learning to like salad

This spring, Gabby Ingersoll, a student at American University, is volunteering for DC SCORES by spending each Monday afternoon with the poet-athletes at Thomson Elementary School observing them as they go through the stages of their service-learning project.

Each week, Gabby will write about her first-hand experience with the Thomson students as they strive to make improvements to their school and greater community.

See pictures from Gabby’s trips to Thomson on Flickr.

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Our dearest Chef Susan made yet another visit this past week, and the immediate question what, What’s on the menu?

The answer? Salad!

The fourth graders slowly inspected their freshly harvested lettuce to decide which leaves they wanted to use for this “interesting salad.” “Interesting” is what Chef Susan calls it since the ingredients aren’t what you would find in any conventional salad. The recipe called for tomatoes, carrots, strawberries, lemon juice and zest, pineapple, melon, nuts and golden raisins.

A couple of students seemed skeptical about this concoction, but I’ll save their reactions for the end.

Each took turns tearing up the spinach while one asked if he needed to eat this mixture. Derek responded, “You for sure NEED to eat it, it’s healthy for you!”

Thyme, parsley and chives were then placed into the bowl; Arlet said that the chives “look like grass,” a comment that made the rest of the DC SCORES team giggle. Chef Susan explained to the class that these herbs added flavor to the salad.

After mixing the ingredients, a couple drops of oil and white vinegar were added, a gentle dressing to adorn this already flavorful salad. I took a bite — YUM! It was a bittersweet mixture that the kids had produced. Some loved it — like Derek, who craves sourness. Others only wanted the sweet stuff — like Arlet, who sneakily grabbed an extra spoonful of strawberries.

Meanwhile, on the third grade side of town, students were plenty busy helping Coach Eric make peanut butter bars for the next bake sale! Instead of using real peanut butter, you know, from peanuts, they chose a healthier route and used sunflower butter instead.

Glob after glob was added to the container and combined with granola. The mixture started to take shape and the students slowly cut perfect squares to be sold.

As Thomson’s service-learning project begins to wind down, I can already see how much these students have learned. I cannot wait to see what’s in store for next week.  

DC SCORES Athletic Director Kenny Owens receives Community Leadership Award

A DC SCORES staff member has won yet another award (see the full list).

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) has selected DC SCORES Athletic Director Kenny Owens to receive a 2012 PCFSN Community Leadership Award. The award is given annually to individuals who improve the lives of others within their community by providing or enhancing opportunities to engage in sports, physical activities, fitness or nutrition-related programs.

This is the second prestigious award Owens has received in 2012. In March, he was one of 13 recipients nationwide of a ‘Let’s Move and Physical Activity Champion of Change’ award and visited the White House to speak on a panel. For the award, Owens wrote a blog about his passion for youth development through soccer in DC.  

Now, Owens has received another award honoring him for his commitment to the DC community through running the DC SCORES soccer program for over 800 youth. Owens has been the Athletic Director since 2006 and is responsible for overseeing and organizing elementary and middle school soccer leagues each spring and fall and summer camps in addition to training coaches.

“It is our pleasure to present this award to Kenny Owens,” said Shellie Pfohl, executive director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. “Individuals like Kenny are working tirelessly to encourage physical activity and proper nutrition to positively impact the health of their communities. Together we are all working to make our nation a healthier one.”

This year, the President’s Council presented the Community Leadership Award to 47 individuals across the country for making sports, physical activity, fitness and nutrition-related programs available in their communities.

About the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN)

PCFSN promotes healthy lifestyles through fitness, sports and nutrition programs and initiatives that educate, engage and empower all Americans. PCFSN is a committee of volunteer citizens appointed by the President who serve in an advisory capacity through the Secretary of Health and Human Services. For more information about PCFSN, visit www.fitness.gov. For more information about the President’s Challenge Physical Activity, Nutrition & Fitness Awards Program or the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, visit www.presidentschallenge.org.

Highlighting our youth poets: Lincoln Middle School

NOTE: Each week, we are featuring a school's performance from the 14th Annual Poetry Slam!. During the two-night culminating event of the fall season, each of the 27 schools DC SCORES serves had the opportunity to perform original poems and songs in front of their peers, families and community members.

On the first night of the Slam!, host Lincoln Middle School put on a musical performance that had audience members swaying back and forth in their seats. The students kicked off things with their hit song "Life is for Love" and performed two more original musical creations to claim second place in the middle school division. 

Check out Lincoln's students representing on their home stage!

To view any performance from the Poetry Slam!, visit the DC SCORES YouTube page.

Coach profile: David Pharis Owens, Thomson Elementary School

David Pharis Owens
Soccer and writing coach, Thomson Elementary School

How long have you been with DC SCORES and how did you get involved?

About five or six years. I got started after volunteering at Jamboree!.

How did you get into education or start working with youth?

I started working with youth in high school at the Maryland Soccer Academy summer camps and then progressing on to work for The Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology. There, our goal was to increase the number of minorities involved in science, technology, engineering and math.

Why did you choose to work for DC SCORES, what attracted you to the program?

From the volunteer work I was doing, I loved the cause. Seeing the smiles on all the kids' faces, it was something I just totally wanted to be a part of.

Now that you’ve been doing it for a while, what do you enjoy most about it?

The students. Being a mentor to the students and having that relationship with alumni, passing them on the street and them saying, "Coach Pharis, this is what I'm doing now."
What I enjoy most is the joy of being a positive influence in a person’s development, especially a young child.

Was there an experience you had growing up that pushed you into education or toward doing a program like DC SCORES? Were you in a similar program?
 
What really stuck out to me was at that soccer camp. Also, my high school soccer coach Sam Debone at Walt Whitman High School knows my relationship with the kids and how they love me, and he was like, "You definitely should go into education. Him making that comment, it didn't really click until recently."

What’s your most memorable DC SCORES experience?

This past Poetry Slam!. This is the first full season I've been a service-learning/poetry teacher as well as soccer coach, so working with the kids to prepare material for the Poetry Slam! was pretty interesting and fascinating to see how talented they can be. The stuff they were coming up with was pretty intriguing.

Who is your favorite athlete?

Pele. In our generation, he was that soccer player that everyone wanted to emulate. When I was in high school, myself and two of my friends had an opportunity to meet him.

Who is your favorite poet?

Langston Hughes and Mos Def

What is your favorite food?

Porterhouse steak with broccoli and orzo.

DC SCORES students' visit to White House includes photos with Michelle Obama, Q&A with L.A. Galaxy

Last Tuesday, coach Shannon Nelson and her team of Brightwood poet-athletes got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A trip to the White House.

This was far from an ordinary tour of the President’s residence. The students sat in the same room as Barack Obama. They posed for pictures with First Lady Michelle Obama. And they asked questions of two of the world’s most famous and accomplished soccer players.

All in an afternoon.

The 22 Brightwood students joined students from America SCORES affiliates in Denver and St. Louis as well as children from the District, Houston and Miami who participate in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success program (DC SCORES will begin implementing Soccer for Success in a group of schools next fall) and United for D.C. participants.

Oh, and they were accompanied by the L.A. Galaxy, who were in town to be honored by the president for winning the 2011 Major League Soccer (MLS) title.

The afternoon began with a presentation by Obama to the Galaxy. The students sat in the room, just rows of folding chairs from the President of the United States as he spoke about David Beckham, Landon Donovan and the team’s exploits.

Minutes later, the president had other matters to attend to -- imagine that! -- but the students’ afternoon at the White House was far from over. They were escorted to a side room for a special photo shoot.

Now getting your picture taken inside the White House is pretty cool to begin with, but it holds a little more cache -- OK, a lot -- when it’s taken with the First Lady. That’s right -- Michelle Obama, who is the face and leader of the Let’s Move initiative to curb the unsettling childhood obesity trend, chatted with students and posed for pictures.

The students’ beaming faces said it all -- they couldn’t believe what they were doing. Awe is the best word to describe it.

If they were in awe at that moment, just minutes later they were in heaven. Brightwood’s poet-athletes are extremely passionate about soccer. There’s a reason they’re playing in both elementary school semifinal games this week. They LOVE to practice and play.

Thus, the chance to ask the likes of Donovan, Beckham and other Galaxy players questions about their soccer careers had them almost in a tizzy. After they listened to the First Lady talk about the importance of living healthy lifestyles with the final message of “Eat your vegetables!,” she opened up the floor to the young soccer players to ask their idols some questions.

The inquiries ran the gamut. From the serious ...

“Is it hard to play soccer and be a professional?”

“What inspired you to play soccer?”

“Do you inspire kids to be the best?”

To the inquisitive…

“I’m a Madrid fan,” stated a young boy. “Why did you move from Madrid?”

“Is it any kind of food you like to eat before the game?”

And, from a St. Louis poet-athlete to Beckham: “What did it take for you to become the man you are today?”

The professionals enjoyed the 30-minute back-and-forth and gave great advice to the young players, including Donovan talking about the importance of knowing the foods you’re putting in your body and the effect they will have on your athletic performance.

When the session was over -- and the students had all received autographs from the soccer stars -- so too was an action-packed, celebrity-filled day at the White House for Brightwood’s poet-athletes and their new friends from Denver and St. Louis.

And while they’ll likely be trying to bend it like Beckham for days, they also took several lessons from their visit.

From the First Lady’s message about “learning to lose,” to Donovan’s words about learning to take care of themselves, the students won’t soon forget their memorable day and the words their heroes bestowed upon them.

See video from the poet-athletes’ Q&A session with the L.A. Galaxy.
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Over 225 guests moved by Inspired Art Gala's performances, speakers, artwork

When Kennijah D. of Arts and Technology Academy was handed a program to sign, he not only scribbled his name, but added a message:

“Keep fighting.”

The DC SCORES poet-athlete didn’t know the guest whom he was writing to; he was simply relaying a message he and five other poe-athletes had been sending all night. An inspirational message.

Performances by six poet-athletes highlighted the third Annual Inspired Art Gala, which was held for the first time at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. More than 225 guests attended the gala, with all the proceeds benefiting DC SCORES’ 800-plus poet-athletes.

On Thursday, all it took to inspire were a half dozen incredible students — aided by a slew of thought-provoking speeches by people touched closely by the program; a silent auction of student poetry-inspired artwork; and an excellent venue.

“I’ve been to a lot of nonprofit events and I’ve never been more moved,” said Quin Woodward Pu, who writes Little Black Blog.

The Gala, which raised over $77,000 for DC SCORES, was sponsored by: American Beverage Association; Amor, LLC; CIT Group; Clark Construction; DC Magazine; D.C. United; DIRECTV; Merrill Lynch; Volkswagen Group of America; and Walmart.

When guests began trickling in at 6:30 p.m., they entered a medium-sized room featuring tables of artwork propped up next to the student poems that inspired the artists. A bar lined the back of the room. In an adjacent, small atrium, tables with more artwork were interspersed with food stations.

It was a relatively small space that perfectly fit all the guests without becoming too crowded for people to easily move around. And a bit after 7:30 p.m., everyone headed through two sets of doors to the auditorium.

It was showtime.

The first presenter was nationally renowned Zachary Oxman, a sculpture artist who talked about the importance of having an outlet for self-expression.

“By providing our youth the opportunity to explore their creativity and self-expression, we are providing the tools for they themselves to become agents of change,” Oxman said.

“This powerful combination will help provide our youth the ability to not only change the way they view the world, but empower them to want to change the world.”

 
Oxman’s presentation was followed by an introduction to DC SCORES by Board Chair Jay Grauberger and Executive Director Amy Nakmoto, and then a few ‘agents of change’ took the stage, under the bright lights.

Decked out in Army fatigues, Trenton S. of Brookland Education Campus gave a moving tribute to his father, brother and the U.S. troops. Alternating between English and Spanish, Tubman’s Nohemy S. spoke passionately of her Hispanic heritage. And Tadjanique W. of Kelly Miller Middle School, the oldest member of the group, spoke of the pride she takes in being herself — regardless of what others want her to be.

Students with Inspiration Award honoree Ben Olsen

Ayanna V. (Noyes Education Campus) and DeAndre W. (Perry Street Prep) were no strangers to the big stage, coming off performances on NBC in January and at the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! last month. Their demeanor was cool as Ayanna performed her hit “What Happened to the Dream” poem and DeAndre shared an ode to his mom.

The student performances were capped off by third-grader Kennijah D. (Arts and Technology Academy), who paced back and forth on the stage during his tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sandwiched between the student performances, Grammy nominated songstress and longtime DC SCORES middle school music specialist Carolyn Malachi gave a dramatic and impressive performance dedicated to Go-Go pioneer Chuck Brown, who had passed away the day before.

D.C. United head coach and DC soccer legend Ben Olsen was presented the Inspiration Award for his work in the District promoting youth development and healthy lifestyles. Olsen was introduced by his former teammate and good friend John Harkes, who is a longtime DC SCORES supporter and serves on the America SCORES Board of Directors.

Olsen quickly provoked laughter with his story about judging the DC SCORES Poetry Slam! 10 years ago despite having no idea what a poetry slam was. But that was also his introduction to the program, and it had a profound impact on him.

“I realized quickly that DC SCORES was not your average after-school program — very quickly,” said Olsen, who enjoys painting as a form of expression when he has spare time. “I found an organization in DC that spoke to me through my passions  — through art and the great sport of soccer.

“It was beautiful to find DC SCORES thinking the same way I was.”

The program was capped off by someone who has seen first-hand the impact DC SCORES has on kids and school communities. Ms. Kim, a parent of a poet-athlete — with two more ready to join the program, she said — gave an emotional speech about the effect the program has had not only on her daughter but on kids in the neighborhood they share.

“What DC SCORES has given to the children in my neighborhood is hope, self-respect, validation and oneness — love for themselves,” Ms. Kim said. “You guys are a lifeline to our children. You guys give them hope, purpose, and a chance to dream about better futures for themselves.”

The poet-athletes sitting in the front row had already proven her points with their poems about standing up for their beliefs and being proud of their backgrounds. Ms. Kim validated those words.

But the night was far from over.

The silent auction remained open after the program, and to add a little motivation to bid on the 28 pieces of inspired art, the six students stood by the paintings and photographs their poems were paired with, signing the programs of guests.

Nohemy, stationed on the edge of the rows of tables, couldn’t move as she was swarmed by several guests, one of whom quipped, “Man, it’s hard to get her ear.” Kennijah wrote messages to each guest who handed him a program while DeAndre bounced around, chatting up guests with the same energy and enthusiasm he displays on the soccer field.

When the night was over and all the bids had been made, people began filing out and expressed how much they loved the new venue, the program, and the night as a whole. The evening had flown by, it seemed, and the majority of guests stayed until food was being whisked away and the bar disassembled.

It was a sign that DC SCORES had inspired, once again, and left guests eager to hear, see and learn more.

For a list of the silent auction winners, visit DC SCORES on Flickr. For videos of the evening, visit DC SCORES on YouTube.

Inspired Art Gala preview: Meet a pair of the silent auction artists!

We are just two days away from the third Annual Inspired Art Gala, and final preparations are being made around the office.

Among them is assembling the array of artwork inspired by the poetry of DC SCORES students. On Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 28 professional pieces will be on display as the silent auction opens.

See all the artwork in this Flickr gallery. Then, if you haven’t, buy your ticket(s) to the Gala before 12 p.m. Thursday.

The art was created by a diverse collection of local and national artists interested in supporting the DC SCORES mission and the Gala. Many of them will be on hand Thursday to meet the children who inspired their works.

A couple weeks ago, we profiled a pair of artists. Today, we highlight two more who were kind enough to donate to our cause.

Kari Wojtanik (in her own words)
“I like to think of my work as a place where art and nature intersects. When I was young I loved playing in the dirt and making mud pies. Now I make art from them. There is nothing more satisfying to me than creating something from a lump of clay. For the past 30 years I have been evolving my ceramic style, form and function. I delight in creating just the right shape and combining just the right glazes. Attention to detail is very important to me. Each piece is one of a kind. Much of my inspiration comes from nature … its colors, textures and sounds. You would be surprised at what surrounds you on the city streets when you take the time to notice.

“While I spend every spare minute in my studio, I am a science geek by day. I have dedicated my career to promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly for our children. This is especially important in the District, where there are many underserved communities and growing health disparities. We must support our youth so that they can become healthy adults. DC SCORES offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to this ever-growing need.”

Rose Jaffe

Rose Jaffe is an illustrator and portrait artist from the District. She studied printmaking and drawing at the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan, graduating in May 2012. She works part-time as an intern at Iona Senior Services, exploring the connection between art and healing. The rest of her time is spent teaching comic art and illustrating for freelance gigs across the country. Her work has been featured in Smith Magazine's six word memoirs, Consider Magazine, Gargoyle Humor Magazine, the Occupied Washington Times, and Hook Online Magazine.

To work with Rose on editorial illustration, comic illustration, children's books, commissioned portraits and more, contact her at jaffe.rose@gmail.com. Most of Rose’s work can be seen at www.rosejaffe.com, and the fun stuff is at www.rosejaffe.tumblr.com. Follow her on Twitter at @rozejaff.

Vote today with a simple click, help DC SCORES win a car!

 

One of DC SCORES’ biggest challenges each year, among many that come with running the District’s largest after-school program, is transportation.

Busing kids on game days is no simple -- or cheap -- task. That’s the huge, unavoidable, buses-are-necessary transportation need.

And then there’s everything else.

Transporting goals to schools. Transporting goals, tents, tables and other supplies to our special events. Taking kids to Starbucks readings. Driving kids to special appearances -- whether they’re performing on live TV or visiting the White House.

Those are just a few of the needs that are currently handled by our staff. In our mostly small cars. It’s not easy, nor is it terribly efficient.

Which is why we could really, really use a Toyota Sienna. And this is where you come in.

TODAY from 10am-midnight, as part of the Toyota 100 cars for Good program, DC SCORES is competing against four other organizations to win a brand-new Sienna.

That’s right -- a NEW CAR!

The competition is simple: Whichever organization receives the most votes during the 14-hour period wins.

There’s no way we can do this without you, our loyal supporters. As is the case with everything we do here, it will have to be a complete team effort.

Here’s how you can help TODAY:

1. Visit https://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/ today and vote for DC SCORES (Note: You must have a Facebook account to vote).

2. Visit www.Facebook.com/DCSCORES and like, comment on and share DC SCORES’ status to spread the word.

3. If you are on Twitter, Retweet DC SCORES’ Tweets and/or Tweet: “Help DC  nonprofit DC SCORES & its 800+ students win a car 2day for their program. It’s simple-vote b/t 10am-midnight http://bit.ly/dFvPft”

4. Spread the word! Have your family members vote. This is a great way to support DC nonprofits and make a huge difference for over 800 low-income District youth!
5. Help DC SCORES win a Sienna!!! Thanks, as always, for your incredible and unyielding support.