Celebrating International Women's Day with DC SCORES stories

Written by Dahlia Chaudhury 
Communications Intern

In honor of International Women's Day, we're sharing some of our favorite stories and poems from an incredible group of DC SCORES young women. These are just a handful of the thousands of girls who find their voices, their power, and their sense of belonging through DC SCORES.

1. Alumna Ingrid Melendez

Ingrid Melendez was a DC SCORES student at Tubman Elementary School and Lincoln Middle School. She met some of her best friends playing at Lincoln as well as a coach, Asa, who served as a mentor and life coach during Ingrid's most difficult years. After aging out of DC SCORES, Ingrid stayed involved and worked for four consecutive summers at Marie Reed Elementary as a Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) counselor. After overcoming great obstacles during her high school years, Ingrid headed to college in the fall of 2015 -- the first from her family to attend college. Through all of her hardship, Ingrid found an outlet in playing soccer. On her time as a summer coach: “I always tell them it doesn’t matter if you’re a girl,” Ingrid said. “A girl can do anything a guy can do.”

Read Ingrid's inspiring story here.

2. A poem by Delaney B.
Kelly Miller Middle School poet-athlete, 11 years old

"Yes, I understand that I may have some ups and downs, but all people do/ But the fact that I'm black and I'm a girl makes it even harder too. These are the things you don't know about me/ I'm smart, intelligent, wise, strong and also pretty"

3. Alumna Claudia Umaña

Claudia Umaña participated in DC SCORES at Bancroft Elementary School. With her mother working to support the family, Claudia was tasked with taking care of her younger brother, and so encouraged him to join SCORES as well. Claudia went on to play soccer in high school, and became not only the first high school, but also college graduate in her family. Her brother followed in her footsteps as well. Claudia went on to work for the nonprofit Women's Policy to create opportunities for women and girls in sports and other areas. “I take a great amount of pride because that means these girls are being active but also being treated equally and taking advantage of sports in general that maybe before —even before my generation — (they) could not,” Claudia said recently.

Read Claudia's full story here.

4. Nohemy S. speaks on Capitol Hill

DC SCORES poet-athlete Nohemy, who participated in the Soccer for Success program at Chavez Prep Charter School, spoke in 2015 alongside professional athletes and members of Congress on Capitol Hill at the "How Sports Can Improve Girls' Health" briefing about her experience playing soccer and being on a team through SCORES.

"The biggest thing that I have learned from playing soccer is to feel confident in myself," Nohemy said. 

Watch her whole testimony here.

5. Arnye Y.'s poem at the 2016 Poetry Slam!

"I am a powerful young woman who raises my hand to speak/ I should be treated like who I am, and should always be offered a seat/ They say 'man down' but what about 'woman down?'/ They say 'man up' but what about 'woman up?'/ There has never been a woman president, that's what I see"

-- Arnye' Y., 10 years old
Thomas Elementary School

6. Alumna Nijah Armstrong

Nijah Armstrong scored a goal in her first DC SCORES game with the Burrville Eagles. After playing for one year with the Tigers, Nijah played for a year at Kelly Miller Middle School, though she never forgot her time at Burrville. Nijah went on to graduate high school and attend North Carolina A&T State, where she double majored in forensic science and psychology. She hasn’t played much since that year, but Nijah carried the lessons instilled in her by the Burrville coaches to where she is today. “They taught me never to quit even if it’s tough -- life in general and in sports,” Nijah said.

Read Nijah's story here.

7. Alumna Myiah's poem

As a DC SCORES poet-athlete, Myiah attended Burrville Elementary School. She is now a student at Georgetown University, and performed at the Our Words Our City poetry showcase earlier this year. Myiah embodies the confidence and passion DC SCORES fosters, and thinks that one of the best things in life is working with young minds to create.

8. Alumna Ana Galeas

Ana Galeas joined DC SCORES to play soccer, but in doing so found confidence and a voice that she has used in multiple avenues. After playing for three years in elementary school and in her final year at Lincoln Middle School, Ana kept lasting connections to her team and coach which led to her becoming the assistant coach at Lincoln, as well as a summer camp coach during her high school years. With each year of coaching, Ana’s confidence rose along with others’ trust in her. She became a strong leader and advocate for her team. In May 2015, she spoke on a President’s Council on Fitness panel about her DC SCORES experience, and in 2016 she spoke about the program in front of 150 people at a Brookings Institute event. “Continue to not stop and to never look back,” Ana tells her summer campers. “The more things you’ll do, the more you’ll be happy about yourself.”

Read Ana's story here.

We are the future -- message rings loud and clear at Eastside Poetry Slam!

Written by Jake Lloyd
Communications Manager

We are all more than just kids. We. Are. The. Future.

And with that line, Burrville Elementary School's poet-athletes -- wearing "Burrville Strong" T-shirts -- summed up the underlying message sent during the second night of the 19th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam! at H.D. Woodson High School.

DC SCORES school communities east of Washington, DC's Anacostia River are strong, and never was that more evident than Thursday night when the 20 teams who took the stage collectively told the audience -- and anyone else listening -- what shouldn't have to be said.

WE MATTER. WE WILL SUCCEED.

"Me and my peers will not shed tears, but we will persevere."
-- KIPP KEY Academy

----------------------

The night ended just like it had the previous two years -- with Aiton Elementary School's poets, coaches and parents rushing the stage. The Aiton Bears were Golden Mic champions, and no one was arguing.

Donning "Straight Outta Aiton" T-shirts and with their hands shackled by paper-created chains, the Bears delivered yet another powerful, united, inspiring, and thought-provoking performance.

I've been craving dreams to wake up without being assaulted
To live in a place where skin won't define any human
Where people won't gamble with our lives
To not see crying mothers burying their child



Aiton's 8-, 9- and 10-year-old kids interwove black history, today's struggles, and their perseverance beautifully in a performance that spoken word professionals would be proud of.

The Bears punctuated it by raising their chained fists in the air, the paper chains harmlessly falling to the ground, and saying, as one:

Choose to live a life that matters
Choose this day to make your life matter
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Our lives matter 

----------------------

That theme -- our lives matter -- was present throughout the night in front of the capacity audience. During a time of such uncertainty in our country and our communities, the Slam! was a refreshing reminder that these poet-athletes are wise and strong beyond their years. They may only be single digits in age, but their voices are powerful beyond any sort of measure.

There was Delaney B., 11, of Kelly Miller Middle School, taking the mic, stepping to the front of the stage, and being brutally honest about the disadvantages she faces.

Yes, I understand I may have some ups and downs but ALL people do.
Yes, I am Black but the fact that I’m a girl sometimes makes it even harder.

But Delaney reminded the audience that she's not complaining. She will show the world her fortitude.

I have a dream which is to overcome what you may think of me.


...

There was Arnye Y., 10, of Thomas Elementary School, with maybe the most captivating solo poem of the evening:

They say man down, but what about woman down?
They say man up, but what about woman up?

If Arnye isn't in public office within two decades, we'll be surprised.


...

And there was KIPP AIM, decked out in their red school uniforms with one kid holding a sign reading "For our past, our broken brothers," delivering a performance multiple generations of African-American could relate to. If DC's new Smithsonian Museum is looking for children's poetry from the District, it's right here:

For our past, our broken brothers
We are a family
Connected through blood, history, and shared struggle
Why do we fight one another?
We can choose to leave the hardships and troubles in our past
All we need is a breath that lasts
We’ve felt more pain than others
But we’ve been able to withstand it by standing together
We’ve been beaten and broken
Through slavery, segregation, mass incarceration
The wounds may heal and the scars may fade
But the pain of a thousand atrocities pulses through my veins
Beat us down, lock us up
I choose to beat the odds and lock those struggles in the past
I refuse to let this nightmare last

----------------------

It's too bad President Barack Obama wasn't in attendance, because he was included, too. Because while these DC SCORES teams from the District's most underserved areas decried the circumstances that make their lives difficult, they also made one thing clear:

They're proud. 

Of their school communities. Of their neighborhoods. Of their families (if KIPP QUEST Academy's "I love my Mom because..." poem didn't make you cry, you're one of the few). Of their city. And of their country.

Imagine Hope Tolson's students put on their best Hawaiian fashion, Wearing leis around their necks, the well-educated Soaring Eagles delivered an ode to the president:

Ma-Ha-Lo President Obama
For inspiring youth to reach for their goals.
MA-- HA-- LO
Ma-Ha-Lo President Obama 
For helping to open the new National Museum of African American History and Culture.
MA--HA--LO
Ma-Ha-Lo President Obama
For creating the largest protected marine wildlife preserve in the world.
MA--HA--LO
Ma-Ha-Lo President Obama,
For investing in education, technology, and renewable energy.
MA--HA--LO
Ma-Ha-Lo President Obama

Mashir C., 10, followed this ode with one to his hometown of Washington, DC, listing all the reasons he loves his city.



----------------------

I have the urge to be me
Myself because I am me
I will not change just for someone just like me

Amidon-Bowen Elementary School delivered these words to start the night, and they rang true for the following two hours. From when emcee Charity Blackwell asked the kids to yell, "I LOVE DC SCORES" and eardrums popped until D.C. United players Travis Worra and Jalen Robinson and Shayne Wells from the Deputy Mayor for Education's office handed out trophies, kids didn't act.

They were themselves. Authentic. Genuine.

Some were serious, such as Jefferson Middle School's Janiah P., 13, who won the Shine Award and helped the Trojans take home the Golden Mic. Others were funny, such as Payne Elementary School with lines like, "When I grow up, I want to rap like Fetty Wap."

All impressed. All cheered for each other.

Our community is strong. Our neighborhoods our strong. Our city is strong. And especially our kids are strong.

That's what came across in the WUSA-9 (CBS) segment during the 11PM news, and that was real.

"We are all more than just kids. We. Are. The. Future."

----------------------

Elementary Schools

1st place -- Aiton Elementary School
2nd place -- Amidon-Bowen Elementary School
3rd place -- Burrville Elementary School
Spirit Award -- Imagine Hope Tolson
Shine Award -- Arnye Y., Thomas Elementary School

Middle Schools
1st place -- Jefferson Middle School
2nd place -- Kelly Miller Middle School
3rd place -- KIPP KEY Academy
Spirit Awards -- KIPP AIM Academy
Shine Award -- Janiah P., Jefferson

Alumni profile: Nijah Armstrong leans on influence of former coaches

Written by Jake Lloyd
Communications Manager
@jakelam2116

Nijah Armstrong wasn’t in DC SCORES for a long time, but the program’s impact still affects her today.

It’s taken her to Greensboro, N.C., where Nijah has done everything she possibly can as a student at North Carolina A&T State at the expense of rest.

“I catch sleep when I can,” said Nijah over the phone one summer afternoon, sounding anything but tired.

Nijah spends the majority of each 24 hours during the school year studying (as a double major in forensic science and psychology), leading (as the president of a business club), playing sports (on travel flag football and basketball teams), working (the night shift at the gym), taking care of her 4-year-old son Mekhi, and participating in other extracurrciular activities.

When she has “free time,” Nijah watches Law & Order or writes poetry.

“I’m just so determined to succeed,” Nijah said. “As long as I can take little naps, I’m good.”

Nijah, a rising senior, is also preparing for the LSAT or GRE as she debates between going to law school or getting a master’s in clinical psychology in a year.

No one who knows her would be surprised if Nijah does both.

So where did Nijah’s drive come from? How is she able to juggle so many responsibilities while maintaining a positive outlook?

Much of it can be traced to her short DC SCORES experience.

----------------------

Nijah didn’t discover DC SCORES until her fifth grade year at Burrville Elementary School when her cousin, Brynee, told her to try it.

Brynee knew Nijah was fast, so thought she’d fit in well on the soccer field. Nijah clearly remembers being thrown into her first game against Aiton Elementary as a striker and immediately scoring a goal.

“After that, I just always would start there,” she said.

Nijah continued with the program for a little while at Kelly Miller Middle School, but it wasn’t the same without her Burrville coaches. Daryl Forte and Chiara Lee (now Mrs. Forte) made an immediate impact on the fifth-grader that extended well beyond playing her at striker.

This soccer story doesn’t go much further than that. There was a short stint playing goalie at Banneker High School that didn’t go so well -- “I’m scared to catch the ball!” Nijah laughs in reflecting -- and she hasn’t played much beyond that, but Nijah carried the lessons instilled in her by the Burrville coaches to where she is today.

“They taught me never to quit even if it’s tough -- life in general and in sports,” Nijah said.

Throughout middle and high school, Nijah had the ear of Forte and Lee. When she saw peers drop out of school or not bother with college applications, she had her former coaches' unyielding support and tough love in helping her stay on the right track.

So really, it’s no surprise that Nijah described DC SCORES -- despite her short time in the program -- as “like a bond. It’s bigger than sports. It’s everything -- the people you meet.”

----------------------

After completing her junior year of college this spring, Nijah returned to the District and was on the sideline at Jamboree! May 30 cheering on her younger brother Jalen, a 12-year-old who has participated in DC SCORES at Burrville and now Kelly Miller.

Watching all the soccer games, Nijah was impressed by the skill level she witnessed across the grassy expanse at Anacostia Park. “The kids are getting so little now,” she added. “It’s crazy!”

This summer is Nijah’s “downtime” -- she’s only working two jobs as a camp counselor and at a department store in addition to parenting and beginning that post-undergrad studying.

And while Nijah is on her way to a well-rounded successful post-academic life, she still occasionally leans on the influences of those DC SCORES coaches -- such as when she needed advice on cars recently.

“They’re trying to help me find a car because I know nothing about cars. I know everything else in the world!” Nijah said with a laugh.

“They’re like family now.”

Photo blog: The first 7 days of DC SCORES' fall season

Today is just the eighth day of DC SCORES programming for 1,500 youth across the District, but much has already happened. Here are some photos to illustrate the beginning of our 20th autumn providing the arts, athletics and academics for DC youth.

DAY 1: Lincoln Middle School, Ward 1

The Lincoln Knights were hard at work the first day of programming, warming up for soccer practice with several exercises.

DAY 3: Burrville Elementary School, Ward 7

Coach Daryl Forte is beginning his 15th season coaching the Eagles, and his approach doesn't change. Expectations are set during the first week of practice.

DAY 4: Truesdell Education Campus, Ward 4

Fifty kids. Fifty! That's how many elementary school children came out for DC SCORES programming during the first week. Truesdell also has a thriving middle school program. DC SCORES is a huge part of the school's identity and culture. Look for a Truesdell Trojan nearby!

DAY 5: Barnard Elementary School at The White House, Ward 2

Programming wasn't a week old, but the Barnard Bears were in midseason form when they put on a clinic for guests at The White House during the Social Innovation Fund's "What Works" Showcase.

DAY 6: C.W. Harris' alphabetic scavenger hunt, Ward 7

The Viking immersed themselves in self-expression during an early lesson, thinking of 36 words that identified their school's neighborhood and writing them in their journals.

DAY 7: Alphabetic string poems at Anne Beers Elementary, Ward 8

At Anne Beers Elementary, students studied their poetry classroom and identified objects beginning with each letter of the alphabet. They then wrote five-line poems using an alphabetic string of five words!

----------------

Check out our large collection of photos from Brightwood Education Campus' first week of writing, and see all photos from the season -- both soccer and writing -- on Flickr. 

Stay up to date with all things DC SCORES by following us on Twitter @DCSCORES and searching the hashtags #PowerOfPoetry and #SCORESfall114.

Coaches and volunteers celebrated at 2nd Annual SCORE Awards

ATA coaches receive the Teamwork Award.

The mission of DC SCORES is that we build teams through after-school programs for 1,500 low-income DC youth.

However, it's not just the youth at 47 schools who grow together, become friends, and inspire each other to become leaders in their communities — the same can be said for the writing and soccer coaches who make our program possible throughout Washington, DC.

That was showcased — front and center — at the 2nd Annual SCORE Awards celebration Tuesday night at LongView Gallery. Nearly 200 guests were on hand for a night of inspiration, including dozens of coaches.

Many of those coaches took the stage during the event's presentation to receive awards for their dedication to being DC SCORES champions at their schools.

They took the stage together.

The last two trophies handed out during the evening were for the Teamwork Award. First, a group of eight coaches from Truesdell Education Campus crowded in on the small stage to receive their award. There is no way that more than a fifth of Truesdell's K-8 student body would be able to participate in DC SCORES — on elementary and middle school teams — without the unified support of their coaches, who are also teachers in the school.

Next, it was time to celebrate Arts and Technology Academy. Before the coaches took the stage, a special appearance was made by all-star poet Xavier C. — you might remember him from his performance on MSNBC April 7 after the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! — who wowed the crowd of guests with his powerful and poignant school closing poem.

Charles Robinson and Shannon Nelson
(middle) receive the Kennedy Commitment
Awards from last year's recipients.

Watching Xavier, you could be forgiven for thinking that ATA and its recent streak of four consecutive Poetry Slam! Golden Mic championships is just blessed with incredibly talented students. In fact, it's been a 13-year process led by a group of four coaches who have been there for their poet-athletes from Day 1.

Writing coaches Joyce Newton and Natasha Davis and soccer coaches Rodney Curry and Robert Lancaster developed a tight-knit bond over the years that translated to the teams they built both on the soccer field and in the writing classroom.

"We're like family," Curry said after the coaches received their award. "I'm so thankful to be a part of our team. We've been together so long."

The Teamwork Award was only the last of many given out during the celebratory event. First, the Kennedy Commitment Awards — named after DC SCORES founder Julie Kennedy — were given to Shannon Nelson of Brightwood Education Campus and Charles Robinson of Truesdell, two long-time coaches who have built up their school communities around DC SCORES.

Then the Mingo Roberts Coaching Excellence Award was given to Daryl Forte of Burrville, who has been a staple at his former elementary school since the beginning of the millennium (read our blog from the fall) at Mark "Popsie" Lewis, who is the most recognizable man in the Columbia Heights neighborhood for his incredible dedication to coaching two DC SCORES teams and our older-youth U-16 team (also profiled in the fall).

Next, DC SCORES alum and current high school student Jarmar L. took the stage to read a beautiful ode to coaches that demonstrated the recognition so many of our alumni have for the difference coaches like Popsie — who mentored Jarmar — make in their lives.

Upon completing his poem and receiving a rousing ovation, Jarmar stepped off the stage and was greeted by Lewis' big embrace.

The night also demonstrated the immediate impact that passionate coaches and volunteers can have on DC SCORES students. Rich Myers of KIPP KEY received the Rookie of the Year Award for his work leading the soccer program at the school that began programming this fall. About a month ago, I had the chance to watch a KIPP game. The boys team was getting beat soundly by their opponent, but what impressed me was that the kids didn't let the score affect in any way their joy in playing soccer with each other.

The event was held at the beautiful
LongView Gallery.

That's a rare sight in this win-win-win society, and all the credit goes to Myers for building a program with the right priorities.

Another first-year difference-maker is Justin Feltman, who received the Chris Richardson Community Service Award. Feltman found DC SCORES through a google search this past fall, and has already become one of our most dedicated volunteers — refereeing elementary school games throughout the city and helping at any big event he can.

From our veteran coaching teams to our rookies, the SCORE Awards shone the light on the very best of our 190 coaches and hundreds of volunteers who make DC SCORES' mission a reality every day after school in all corners of the District.

Thank you to LongView Gallery, our sponsors Volkswagen Group of America and CIT Group, event planner EVOKE and everyone who attended Tuesday's event for helping us celebrate such amazing leaders.

Poetry Slam! performance of the week: Burrville Elementary School

Each Wednesday during the year, we will highlight one of the 41 performances from the 16th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam! that took place Dec. 4-5, 2013. The event is the largest youth poetry slam in the District and highlights the original poems of our 1,500 youth. To view any performance from the Poetry Slam!, visit our YouTube channel. You can also read recaps of the event on our blog: Westside; Eastside. 

Today we highlight Burrville Elementary School, which brought a unified, diverse and highly entertaining performance to the stage at H.D. Woodson Senior High School. The highlight of the Eagles' performance was a fun back-and-forth between two students on the team named David, which included lots of quick talking and fun poking at each other.

Click on the embedded video player above or HERE to watch Burrville's performance!

The Burrville Eagles Part II: Forte returns to former school to coach

Daryl Forte returned to his former elementary
school to teach PE and coach soccer.

Note: This is the second part of a series on the DC SCORES program at Burrville Elementary School in Ward 7, which has been in place since 1999. Read Part I here.

Daryl Forte stands on a small dirt patch near the goal he's breaking down. About 25 years ago when he was in kindergarten, this was where the school building stood. By the time he entered first grade, the new structure was in place. But it would be decades before Burrville had a soccer team.

"When I was coming up, we didn't have programs like DC SCORES," Forte said. "As a matter of fact, for me, I didn't get into athletics until middle school."

A couple years after Forte returned to his home neighborhood to teach, DC SCORES arrived at Burrville. He jumped at the chance to coach a sport he had always loved but not had the chance to play.

"I try to encourage the kids through coaching," Forte said. "You have an opportunity to have what I didn't have," he tells them.

Forte has the build of a middle linebacker, and during girls and boys games he paces the sideline constantly encouraging his players in a loud, boisterous voice. "Shoot, shoot!" he yells when a girl nears the opposing goal.

But when the game is over, Forte's even-keeled demeanor returns regardless of the outcome. After all, like Jenkins, he is one of the school's most recognizable faces. Everything he says and does will be mimicked by his young student-athletes.

He's a leader of not just a soccer team, but a community.

"With the coaches, we also try to encourage the kids that we're all one family," Forte said. "We win together, we lose together, and at the end we'll celebrate together as a family."

As darkness sweeps over the empty field, Forte can't imagine his life without Burrville. Growing up, any sports coaches he did have never stayed for long. He didn't get the chance to be a part of a strong school community molded together through athletics.

"Community wise, it means a lot being able to walk the same hallways that the kids are now walking," Forte said, "and share with them some of my experiences being a youth in the neighborhood."

---------------------------------------------

Nowadays — 25 years since Lillian Allen began at Burrville as an educational aide; about 17 years since Edythe Jenkins took her first job at the school in its cafeteria; and 16 years after Forte returned to teach at his former school — the trio observes the impact of the program through who returns.

At a recent Game Day, a pair of Burrville graduates asked Forte if he needed help. He enlisted them to run warmups. With each passing season, Allen said, the number of Eagles alumni who come back to the school to sit on the mini hill and support the soccer team increases.

Those cheers can also be heard loud and clear during the Eastside Poetry Slam! at the culmination of each fall season. When Burrville's poets take the stage, hundreds of Eagles watch in anticipation, with the occasional parent, grandparent (or maybe great grandparent?) yelling out "Go Eagles!"

"It's just amazing how it carries over from one year to another," Allen said of the community spirit.

The Burrville girls and coach Forte and  after winning their
seventh straight City Cup championship last spring. 

When the competitive spring soccer season arrives, community members remind themselves, Allen said, "Better get up to Burrville to watch a soccer game."

Forte's parents still live in the community and don't miss many of their son's games. And Jenkins, when she can get out of her post-retirement after-care duties, joins the Eagles cheering section, too.

Her grandchildren are graduating from college. Her great grandchildren are out of elementary school. But the Burrville community, in a sense, is an extension of Jenkins' family. A day rarely goes by when a student doesn't run up to her, give a hug, and greet Jenkins as "Grandma."

Much like a sports coach, Jenkins doesn't let her age make her think about retiring again. She's having too much fun within her Burrville family. Why step away now?

"I enjoy what I do, I really do," she said. "And whenever I can help (the team) with snacks or anything, I always contribute.

"It's something that I do because I want to do it."

The Burrville Eagles Part I: A family of DC SCORES participants

Ms. Jenkins, as she's known at Burrville, with members
of the Eagles DC SCORES team. 

Note: This is the first part of a series on the DC SCORES program at Burrville Elementary School in Ward 7, which has been in place since 1999. Part II comes tomorrow!

Because Halloween fell on a Thursday, DC SCORES coaches at 30 elementary schools throughout Washington, DC, faced a bit of a challenge: Convincing their team members — not to mention, parents, teachers, and others within their school communities — that, yes, there would be time to trick or treat after soccer.

There were no problems at Burrville Elementary School in Ward 7. At 3:50pm, the goals on the soccer field were set up, players were in neat lines taking shots on goal, and — on the slight hill that separates soccer field and school building — parents, teachers and others were gathering.

When the opposing team, Anne Beers Elementary School, arrived 10 minutes later, DC SCORES Game Day was set to begin — like it has hundreds of times over the past 14 years.

There's a reason things always run so smoothly at Burrville — stability. The same people have been at the school and available to students during the after-school hours every single year. There's a strong trust and mutual respect between pupils and adults.

Edythe Jenkins — or Ms. Jenkins, as she's known by most of the school community — arrived at Burrville in the mid-1990s, retired in 2006, then came back to work in after-care two years later. Today, at 77, she feels young spending every afternoon with elementary school students.

"Age is like numbers," Jenkins laughed while sitting in the Burrville gymnasium during Game Day. "I try not to pay much attention to it.

"I like to be active. I don't like sitting around."

Daryl Forte, 41, grew up in the neighborhood and attended Burrville during the 1970s when there were no programs available like DC SCORES. Following college, he worked in the federal government for a few years all while feeling the tug of his old school and neighborhood.

In the late 1990s, Forte returned and has been changing lives ever since. During the school day, he teaches physical education and listens to any problems his students feel comfortable sharing with him. Once the bell rings, he take his no-nonsense approach outside to teach youth the game of soccer and what it means to be on a team.

"I take seriously being a role model for the kids and just (them) knowing that they have me to come to," Forte said.

Lillian Allen is Jenkins' daughter, but to avoid confusion even her mother calls her Ms. Allen. She, to avoid confusing students, reciprocates by calling her mother Ms. Jenkins.

Allen arrived at Burrville in the late 1980s and hasn't left. She's held a few positions, including running the after-care program that Jenkins now helps her with.

Allen has been at the school, like Forte, for every DC SCORES season — including seven consecutive City Cup championships for the girls soccer team. She knows as well as anyone how the Eagles' soccer teams create an excitement in the community that normally one would associate with high school or college athletic outfits.

"I think last year we were starting to sell hot dogs outside," Allen said. "The word has gotten around. Every year we see more and more parents coming from the community."

---------------------------------------------

Describing Burrville as a big family fits perfectly for Jenkins and Allen. That's because many of their grandchildren and great grandchildren — and, yes, one of Jenkins' great, great grandchildren! — have gone to the school.

And participated in DC SCORES.

Many of them are now in college.

There's Daniel Jenkins, who next month will graduate from Penn State with a degree in Communications. He's one of Ms. Jenkins' 17 grandchildren and the first to don a Burrville Eagles soccer uniform for Forte.

Nijah Allen, a grandchild of Ms. Allen's, is attending North Carolina A&T. Brynee Dade, a niece of Ms. Allen, is a junior at George Mason University studying Home Economics. Nijah and Brynee are great grandchildren of Ms. Jenkins'.

So is Jalen Allen, who's a sixth-grade DC SCORES participant at Kelly Miller Middle School — less than a mile from Burrville. And Nicholas Allen, nephew of Jenkins', went through Burrville before continuing school in Maryland.

Add in Marvin Timmons, and that's six grandchildren or great grandchildren of Jenkins and Allen who have come through the Burrville DC SCORES pipeline.

Born, raised and educated through high school in Washington, DC, Jenkins didn't have any after-school options like DC SCORES. She had no idea what soccer was, either.

So when the DC SCORES program came to Burrville in 2000, she took a look at the shinguards worn by her students and shook her head in confusion.

"I kept saying, 'Why do y'all have this long thing down your leg?'" Jenkins said.

Once she saw a few kicks to the shinguard, Jenkins quickly figured out the equipment's purpose. It also didn't take her long to buy into the after-school program and its approach to connecting with youth.

Jenkins is beloved at the school for her kindness and openness. When a child has a problem during after-care, she listens. Much like DC SCORES' emphasis on empowering youth by giving them a voice through poetry and the chance to make a difference through service-learning, Jenkins embraces the role of being someone the children can always approach.

"When they see you're concerned, it helps a lot," Jenkins said. "And you're not hollering at them and you're just talking to them nice. It helps a lot."

After the first- and second-graders had been picked up from after-care Halloween afternoon, Jenkins, decked out in a blue DC SCORES summer camp T-shirt, walked outside. The Burrville boys game had just concluded, the Eagles scoring with 10 seconds left to win for a thrilling 2-1 victory.

As Jenkins walked down the steps in the fading light toward the field, she was greeted by all the children that passed her. When she stopped for a photo with three youth in their red uniforms, they all smiled big. It was as if they were posing with a celebrity.

That, in a way, is how Jenkins is viewed by the Burrville student body. Just ask Forte, who's been at the school longer than she has.

"She's pretty much the grandmother of the team," he said. "All the kids, they love Ms. Jenkins and they know to thank her for her contributions to the soccer team both monetary and her support of the team."

---------------------------------------------

The Jenkins/Allens isn't the only family tree strongly linked to DC SCORES' 13-year history at Burrville. There's the Smiths — five children, including former Poetry Slam! star Jasia.

And there are many more DC SCORES families, the women insist.

Jenkins wishes the program would begin in first grade for the students. As soon as students enroll at Burrville, they see the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders decked out in their Burrville jerseys and want to take part. A couple years ago, Forte and his co-coach Chiara Forte (then Chiara Lee before they recently married) even began organizing short scrimmages for the younger children during halftime of the games.

Allen is just glad that thanks in large part to her after-care program and DC SCORES, students are taken care of through their elementary school years.

"We have some scholars that with DC SCORES, that's saved them," Allen said, "because without DC SCORES and them having that option to say, 'Well, I can do something different, I don't always have to get in trouble,' DC SCORES has been that."

"Everybody gets a chance to play soccer ... It has really opened up a lot of doors for a lot of them."

Highlighting our youth poets: Burrville Elementary 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 second night of the Slam!, Burrville's strong contingent of youth poets rhymed and stomped their feet to the theme of being unstoppable as a team and taking pride in black history.


Check out Burrville's performance! 

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