Summer learning part IV: Six weeks of enrichment on and off the field

This summer, intern Roland Walker is visiting DC SCORES’ four summer camps and talking to participants and counselors about teamwork -- one of the program’s key values -- and what it means to them. View pictures from the camps on our Flickr page and on Facebook.

Written by Roland Walker
DC SCORES Intern

DC!

SCORES!

DC!

Scores!

During this summer, I seen the different emotions that call and response caused.

At the sound of it, campers would get real loud and then — silence.

Tearing through the silence would be DC SCORES’ staff and camp counselors with a message of what the next activity was.

DC!

SCORES!

DC!

SCORES!

Mostly, all of the campers heard that as a sound to say, “Let’s play soccer!”

“I love playing soccer with all my friends,” Kevin said.

“Playing soccer was my favorite activity over the summer,” Ali explained.

I watched as the kids would attempt to play soccer no matter where they went.

Many drills were executed. Many games were played; boys versus girls and coaches versus campers. Some of these kids have potential of playing soccer at competitive levels but all of the kids have fun playing.

DC!

SCORES!

DC!

SCORES!

For some kids, it triggered instant excitement because it was field trip time. Amongst the camps at Harriet Tubman, Bancroft and Marie Reed, the kids got the opportunity to go to the National Air and Space Museum, the United States Botanical Gardens, the pool and other places in D.C.

“My favorite trip was when we went to the Air and Space Museum,” Emily said.

“I liked seeing all of the different stones and jewelry at the Natural History Museum,” David said.

“I liked going to the pool the most,” both Gloria and Chantelle said.

Many of the kids said going to the pool was their favorite activity. How can you blame them when temperatures reached close to 100 degrees this summer!?

DC!

SCORES!

DC!

SCORES!

For the engaged artists in our camp, this was a call to pull out the paintbrushes and markers. Thanks to our professional art specialists, the kids painted, made piggy banks, designed T-shirts, recorded lyrics and many more activities.

Week after week, the kids helped each other make masterpieces.

Ms. Tara said it best: “Teamwork is dream work.”

Under the guidance of Ana, Tim, Libby, Emily, Zaryn, Shakeria and Carlos, the coaching of Popsie and Carlos, and the leadership of all the counselors and volunteers, we had very successful summer camps.

A special acknowledgement goes out to Wendy, Ana, Sebastian, Joana and Jermaine for their efforts in gaining “leader of the week.”

Despite what the kids were doing, this summer with DC SCORES I have seen the power of teamwork, so how fitting it was that camp ended Friday with a final...

DC!

SCORES!

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Together we can stand hand and hand and proudly say we are the world
Everyone doing their part promising a brighter day for every young boy and girl
Aiming for opportunities beyond the borders of their communities
Meeting new faces that can join this group we call unity
Working with our eyes on one prize, with one goal in mind
One step at a time, investing in the youth because it’s always their time to shine
Remembering without each cloud joining, we cannot reach our dream
Knowing that we are all strong links is knowing what it is to be a team

-Roland E. Walker IV