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Monday, June 24, 2013

DC SCORES summer camps begin throughout the District for over 200 youth

 

DC SCORES is wasting no time keeping the District youth's minds and bodies engaged.

DC Public Schools (DCPS) let out for the final time Friday afternoon; our free summer camps for low-income youth begin today. 

It may not be as widely publicized a problem as, say, graduation rates or truancy, but learning loss is a serious issue for children whose families don't have the means to send them to traditional, not-cheap summer camps. So is childhood obesity, with many of the gains made during the school year erased by time spent sitting idly on the couch. Opportunities for students living below the poverty level to participate in a structured, positive environment during late June and July are few and far between.

That's why DC SCORES' four camps are so important -- they offer the rare chance for students to stay physically fit (through soccer drills and scrimmages), engage their minds (through learning and practicing different arts mediums), and make new friends in a safe, organized place where they can feel comfortable ... all for free.

DC SCORES provides the summer camp T-shirts, the soccer balls, the art supplies and instructors, the healthy lunches and snacks. The students simply have to bring themselves. That's a reason why our six-week Soccer & Arts Camp (see below) has a waiting list. 

"I would probably just be at home, sleeping and watching TV."

That's what former camp participant Jhoana H. said about what she would have done if not for DC SCORES summer camp. Her response has been echoed summer after summer by other children, all thankful for the chance to play soccer, write poetry, go on field trips, and spend time with their peers. 

Heck, students even came to camp when temperatures reached the triple digits. It beat sitting at home. 

Below are the DC SCORES camps for this summer. We encourage you to visit one -- or two -- of them and witness for yourself how much they mean to the participants.

Marie Reed soccer & arts camp
  • When: June 24-Aug. 2, 12-6pm
  • Where: Marie Reed Elementary School (map)
  • What: Students participate in daily soccer drills and scrimmages led by DC SCORES soccer coordinators and alumni counselors working through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Students also learn a different art form each week -- dancing, poetry, etc.. -- and go on field trips to help further their understanding of the art medium. 
  • Who: Elementary school students

Kelly Miller soccer camp
  • When: June 25-28, 10am-4pm
  • Where: Kelly Miller Middle School (map)
  • What: Students learn soccer drills from DC SCORES soccer coordinators and program coaches, then practice them in daily scrimmages. This camp is also a great opportunity for students from different parts of the city to meet each other and develop friendships. A bus is provided for students in Northwest interested in attending.
  • Who: Grades 5-8

Bancroft  soccer camp
  • When: July 1-August 2, 1-5pm
  • Where: Bancroft Elementary School (map)
  • What: Elementary school students participate in the DCPS-funded camp, learning soccer skills, DC SCORES' values of teamwork, leadership, and commitment, and the importance of healthy living.
  • Who: Grades 3-5

Tubman soccer camp
  • When: July 15-26, 12-4pm
  • Where: Tubman Elementary School (map)
  • What: A similar camp to Kelly Miller, Tubman camp occurs in the heart of Columbia Heights not far from many DC SCORES schools and is an extremely popular destination for hundreds of youth -- even kids from schools that don't have our school-year program. Participants learn and polish soccer drills from a staff of soccer coaches, scrimmage daily, and are given awards for showing teamwork, leadership, and more.
DC SCORES' summer camps are funded by the DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation,  the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (New Communities), the Gannett Foundation, and our annual Couch to Camp Campaign.

Get excited for DC SCORES summer camps by visiting our YouTube page and browsing through dozens of videos from previous summers. 

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