The fall season is a week old. Across the District, 2,220 kids at 60 sites have a place to go after the day's final school bell.
A place to have fun. A place to feel safe. A place to make friends. A place to get exercise. A place to be comfortable expressing themselves. And more.
We who are around DC SCORES every day know this is important. We know from the hundreds of stories we hear from families and community members about how the program has changed kids' lives. But not everyone knows this, which is where numbers can be helpful.
Scroll down for a collection of images that demonstrate the impact of DC SCORES. Numbers -- from the 2015-16 DC SCORES year -- are taken from pre- and post-season fitness tests, as well as participant, coach and parent surveys.
Do you remember your first time on a team? Learning how to play a sport? DC SCORES intern Luiza Kieffer is spending this fall with the Seaton Elementary School Stingers, documenting the team’s progress on a weekly basis as Coach Blake teacher the kids basic skills, the rules of soccer, and how to be on a team. For more, follow @DCSCORESinterns and watch Luiza’s videos on YouTube.
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Written by Luiza Kieffer Digital Media Intern
October 20, 2015
“Ready, set, go,” Coach Blake yells out, as the kids eagerly get ready to run -- anxiously waiting to grab someone’s red penny from someone else’s belt, while trying to secure theirs.
Coach Blake starts the practice with a fun game of tail tag, with the objective being to steal someone's “tail,” while protecting yours and collecting as many “tails” as you can.
“You’re running too fast!” yells Erika, running after Giovanni and trying to steal his penny.
“Catch me if you can,” he yells back to Erika.
After the first game of the season, Coach Blake now has a better idea of what the team needs to work on as a whole and individually -- as well as what they are doing well.
“Throughout just a couple weeks of practice, they have improved on spreading out and thinking about plays instead of just dribbling straight into the defender,” he says.
“For most of the kids, they are still learning their fruits and vegetables,” Blake adds, referring to the basics of soccer.
To practice those fruits and vegetables, Blake uses the practice to work on passing drills. First he instructs everyone to find a partner, then move around while passing the ball and keeping heads up.
Coach Blake sets up random small goals on the field, and the kids are asked to make a goal whenever they stumble upon one. During this exercise, Blake goes around to each partner pair and helps them improve their technique.
By the end of practice, the Seaton Stingers are ready to scrimmage! This is the Stingers’ favorite time of practice. This is when you see the pure elation on the faces of the children when they assist a goal or make a perfect pass, and the satisfaction that they feel. Scrimmages and games are when you can really see how this group of children comes together and doesn’t just look like a team, but plays like one.
Sitting on the sideline with Lorenzo, 10, Gabriel, also 10, says of him, “When he’s in goalie nobody scores.” Just a month into the season, it’s clear how these kids bonding with each other and the game they’re learning.
While talking to students about how their game went the previous Thursday, most responses were, “We won, we won!!” Tykia M. started to talk about how the game went and winning, and then suddenly turned and exclaimed, “It turns out I’m pretty great at soccer, and I didn’t even know that.”
Seeing the confidence in Tykia’s face, you could tell just how much pride she already takes in being on a team.
Lincoln receives its trophy for finishing in 2nd place at the Westside Poetry Slam!.
Zachary Gomes moved to Washington, DC, two months ago from Albany, NY, to begin working at DC SCORES as a Coach Across America AmeriCorps volunteer. Zach has a passion for working with youth, and as part of his work with DC SCORES is coaching poetry and girls soccer at Lincoln Middle School. Throughout the season, Zach will share his experience as one of DC SCORES’ 190 coaches who run the program at our 47 schools. Zach will provide insight on the impact of DC SCORES -- through the eyes of a coach. --------------- Written by Zachary Gomes Soccer Coordinator
I did it again.
I showed up at Lincoln full of energy on Dec. 3 ready for the Poetry Slam!. I met the kids in the auditorium at 3:15 p.m. and immediately started urging them onto the stage. I had no patience. The Slam! was going to begin in less than two hours! In two hours, kids from 20 schools would be in the Lincoln auditorium and we had a limited amount of time to perfect our poems and performance.
“Lets go guys! Get on the stage! We don’t have much time! Soon this auditorium is going to be filled with hundreds of people!”
I had done it again.
I had let my nerves get the best of me and I had projected my own anxieties onto the kids. My urgency had freaked them out.
After our first run-through of the poems (which didn’t go so great), I decided to give the kids a pep-talk behind stage. I walked over to the girls team first and started what I thought was an encouraging speech. Madaline G., an eighth-grader, stopped me in the middle of my “awesome” pump-up speech and reminded me, “Coach, you know when you act like this you just make us more nervous, right?”
And just like that, I knew it was time to slow down. I brought the girls and boys teams together and took a knee. I told them I was sorry for my crazy urgent attitude and asked them to take three deep breathes with me. I had been going about it all wrong and once again the kids had put me in check.
I wish I could say everything went smoothly after this calming moment, but there was still more to come.
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After speaking with the team, I decided we no longer needed to practice on stage. We all went to the cafeteria to eat some pizza and relax before the show. If the kids wanted to practice again, I would let them. However, I was done asking them. They were ready.
At 3:55, I began getting nervous (again). The pizza I had ordered was supposed to have arrived 10 minutes ago, the show was starting in an hour and the kids were getting restless.
By 4:10, after several phone calls with the pizza shop, I came to the realization the pizza wasn’t coming. The kids had figured this out also.
“Oh no. This is not good.” That’s what was going through my head. The Poetry Slam! is three hours long and if I don’t feed these kids I’m done for!
At 4:25, I decided to run out of the school and find food. The Poetry Slam! was 30 minutes away, and I was running around Columbia Heights in dress shoes with a purple polka-dot bow tie on trying to find enough food to feed almost 40 kids!
With some luck and help from Pete’s New Haven Pizza, I got back to the school in 15 minutes with enough artisan pizza and French fries to make the team happy.
They rehearsed one more time before we ate and although there were some small arguments between the girls and boys teams over who performed their poems better and slight confusion concerning our choreography, it went very well.
It was time to perform under the bright lights.
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Right before Lincoln's turn to perform, as we all waited on the side of the stage, I saw their faces change. I realized they were ready and that if they had not realized what the Poetry Slam! meant before, they understood now.
The same excitement and nerves I saw in kids' eyes right before a soccer game were present again as they waited to take the stage. I don’t know why I ever worried for them in the first place.
They preformed magnificently, and just like that it was done.
Lincoln has always been a powerhouse when it comes to soccer, but poetry had historically been a struggle. With help from the boys soccer coach, Popsie Lewis, and the help of volunteer poetry coach Morgan Kaufmann and the wonderful Ana G. (a DC SCORES alumna I mentioned in Blog IV) we had been able to create a team culture that understood the importance of both the soccer and poetry aspects of DC SCORES and had created a space that allowed for the kids to better recognize what great poets they were.
The first award handed out at the completion of the night is called the Middle School Shine Award. It is awarded to the student who delivers their solo poem with poise, projection and confidence.
Madalin G., the girl who reminded me that my actions were just making the team more nervous, was our solo poet. She is quite a remarkable writer. Due to a scheduling conflict, she had been unable to make our first four poetry sessions. When she showed up to her first class, she handed me a bunch of pieces of loose leaf paper with writing all over them. She told me, “Sorry for missing class. I wrote a bunch of poems though. Here.”
When I asked her to perform a solo poem, she jumped at the opportunity. She worked hard and created a little masterpiece called “Steps.”
Steps My journey begins with a single step Can you believe that one dream can change your reality And one lyric can change your meaning of life As Willy Wonka once said, we are the writers of music and the dreamers of dreams One dream a million of possibilities One life a million dreams My steps are my memories and my memories are my history From baby steps to Becoming Bigfoot From one inch To a mile From a water bottle To an entire ocean What are you a part of What do you help make?
I love this poem. “From baby steps to becoming Bigfoot.” Madelin’s poem beautifully exemplifies how we are all a part of something bigger. We are individuals who are part of a team, who live within a community, which is a part of a country, that is a part of the world.
Madelin won the shine award and I couldn’t have been more proud.
It didn't end there. Lincoln got second place overall in the middle schools category!
They had done it. I think they had exceeded even their own expectations.
The kids were proud of themselves. I told them all season that we could do it. I told them all season “I know we can win the Poetry Slam!”
We didn’t win first place, but all the kids left knowing they could have and they were all proud of their performance. That’s as good as it gets.
Zachary Gomes moved to Washington, DC, two months ago from Albany, NY, to begin working at DC SCORES as a Coach Across America AmeriCorps volunteer. Zach has a passion for working with youth, and as part of his work with DC SCORES is coaching poetry and girls soccer at Lincoln Middle School. Throughout the season, Zach will share his experience as one of DC SCORES’ 190 coaches who run the program at our 47 schools. Zach will provide insight on the impact of DC SCORES -- through the eyes of a coach.
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Written by Zachary Gomes Soccer Coordinator
Our last game was a must-win. The girls played Raymond Middle School, a team that was only a point ahead in the standings. A win would put us through to the playoffs, anything else and our fall competitive soccer season would come to an end.
I explained to the girls what the game meant and emphasized that win or lose, our goal was to play together as a team and to exemplify good sportsmanship throughout the contest. ... I also really wanted to win.
The pace of the game was quick and frantic. In my own excitement, I had made the girls desperate for the win. I had forgotten for a moment that DC SCORES is about so much more than playing for a championship
Four teams make the DC SCORES playoffs. The championship game is under the lights. The players get their names announced and stand in line while the national anthem plays. I wanted this experience so badly for my team.
I can clearly remember from my playing days the thrill of a game under the lights in the cold, inhaling the crisp air, your breath popping out in little clouds. My focus on making the championship had caused me to lose sight of the bigger picture.
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In addition to working with Lincoln, I am the DC SCORES staff lead at seven other schools. In this role, I provide support for coaches at the schools. One such school is Raymond. About a month before the game, I had attended a Raymond poetry session and got to know some of the girls we were facing off against in the game.
One of them yelled my name in the middle of the game, “Hey Zach! I remember you from poetry!” She had a huge smile on her face. I remembered her, too. She had sat next to me and spoke about how poetry classes inspired her to dream big dreams for her future.
Everything changed for me immediately. She brought me back to the big picture. She reminded me that this game was important because it allowed all the girls on the field to live in the moment. It allowed them to experience competition, teamwork, and friendship, winning and losing. It helped them find confidence and embrace hard work. Most of all, it allowed them to have fun.
At halftime, I sat the girls down and reminded them that there would be another season in the spring and that we would continue to practice throughout the winter. I reminded them of the spring Jamboree! tournament, and that there was a lot more soccer to be played. I reminded them to just go out on the field and to try their best and have a good time.
In the middle of the second half, Jossellyn A., an eighth-grader on my team, received a pass across the middle. The ball was bouncing toward her and she picked it out of the air with her foot, striking it solidly toward the net. The ball whizzed toward the right upper 90 of the net.
It missed by a centimeter and grazed the outside of the post. Still, an amazing volley!
The girls had a few more chances to score but we weren’t able to get one in. We tied Raymond. And it wasn’t bad at all. The girls had played hard. I told them I was proud of them and made sure everyone knew to be ready for a practice next week. More soccer was to come and the Poetry Slam! was only a week away!
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I have found it difficult to make a lot of the kids realize the Poetry Slam! is actually a real thing. The fact that it only happens once keeps the reality of the performance out of their minds.
But after the last two poetry classes, they are beginning to understand. We have been working on enunciation, stage presence, tempo, memorization and volume.
Keeping it fun is the key. For most of them, it will be their first time under the bright lights on a stage. Even though they don’t know it yet, they will be nervous. For my team, it is easiest to equate the Poetry Slam! to a soccer game.
I ask them questions like, “What is your body posture when you walk out on the soccer field?” They respond, “I feel proud.” “I run fast.” “I keep my head up.”
I ask, “Is it important to work together on the field?” They respond, “Yes, of course. When we work together, we win.”
I ask them, “Why is it important to look organized during warm-ups?” They respond, “Because we don’t wanna look like clowns.”
It all translates to the Poetry Slam!. Entering and exiting the stage together; standing tall with your hands out of your pockets and your eyes looking forward; supporting your teammates and encouraging them to give it their best shot.
Madeline G. is an eighth-grader at Lincoln who has been in DC SCORES for three years. Since the first day of poetry in September, she has shown a remarkable knack for writing touching and deep poems out of thin air. Her language and ideas are those of a 13-year-old going on 30. She will perform a solo poem as part of our performance. I can’t wait to see her shine on the stage.
We have limited practice time left and we will have to utilize every second of it in order to make the Dec. 3 Slam! in our auditorium a success. I have full faith in the team and I can’t wait to see them up on that stage.
At the Fall Frenzy Oct. 25, we caught up with a handful of our 190 coaches to ask them about why they began coaching for DC SCORES, what impact they've seen the program have on their school, and much more. Listen below and/or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes
Zachary Gomes moved to Washington, DC, two months ago from Albany, NY, to begin working at DC SCORES as a Coach Across America AmeriCorps volunteer. Zach has a passion for working with youth, and as part of his work with DC SCORES is coaching poetry and girls soccer at Lincoln Middle School. Throughout the season, Zach will share his experience as one of DC SCORES’ 190 coaches who run the program at our 47 schools. Zach will provide insight on the impact of DC SCORES -- through the eyes of a coach.
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Written by Zachary Gomes Soccer Coordinator
FAST! SLOW! OUTSIDE! LOW!
While on defense close the gap between yourself and the opponent who has the ball as FAST as you can. As you get close to them, SLOW down so you don’t just blow by them. Next, angle your body to push them toward the OUTSIDE of the field! And whatever you do, stay LOW, on your toes and don’t let them get by you!
It’s been a very busy couple of weeks here at Lincoln Middle School DC SCORES. The poetry and soccer coaches got together for mid-season training and we all learned some valuable tools to bring back to our practices. FAST, SLOW, OUTSIDE, LOW was one of my favorites.
But my absolutely favorite, for sure, is a drill I have come to call “the running of the crab gauntlet.” In this drill, there are four sections set up for the girls to dribble through. Each section is occupied by one girl in a crab-like position (hands and feet on the ground) scurrying around vigorously attacking the dribbler and attempting to not allow her through the section. The drills gets the girls working hard and smiling.
Coach Zach's clipboard.
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The new skills paid off last week, and the girls got another win. It was nice to get the “W,” but I was most impressed by the sportsmanship and attitude of one of the team’s veterans, Maria S.
Maria has been in DC SCORES for two years and sometimes can have a little temper. Let’s just say she is passionate. Maria likes to win and she always, always plays 110 percent.
The whole game, Maria was battling with one particular opponent who matched her in size and speed. Up and down, up and down the sideline the two girls would run, shoulder checking and jockeying for position. In fact, both of the girls scored goals.
After the other girl scored, Maria ran over to her. I wasn’t sure how this was going to go. It went very well. Maria shook the girl’s hand and congratulated her on the skill and accuracy of her shot. I couldn’t have been more proud of her. Don’t hate, congratulate. Respect.
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The Poetry Slam! is about one month away and the kids are working extremely hard to get some amazing poems prepared. By Dec. 3, the poetry class (which consists of both the girls and boys soccer teams, around 40 kids in all) needs to have two group poems written, memorized and ready for the bright lights.
The last few classes have been focused on writing our first team poem. Using a free association exercise, I asked the kids to write whatever came to their minds when I said the word ‘clock.’ I then wrote the word down on the board and underneath it wrote the first seven words the kids called out. That produced something like this…
Clock Minute Boring Slapped Hand Finger Nails
Next, the kids wrote a seven-line poem, the only requirement being that they had to use each word on its respective line. This exercise produced some awesome surprises. Everyone shared.
After the kids’ creative juices started flowing, we did the same exercise, except this time the first word was ‘together’ and I asked them to think about their team.
Together Team Family Strong Brave Confident Champions
The kids floored me with their work. Carolina R., who has been in DC SCORES for two years, wrote a beautiful poem that had her peers clapping and giving her a standing ovation. Ferdis A., a two-year veteran of DC SCORES who had not shared any of his poems with the class up this point, dropped jaws with his beautiful, rhyming masterpiece.
Things are looking up for the Slam!. It is amazing to watch the kids tap into their creative sides. Kids who may have never thought of writing a poem, write one and amaze not only me, but their peers and, oftentimes, themselves. The pride on their faces is contagious and gets the whole team connected on a level that soccer alone could not do.
Zachary Gomes moved to Washington, DC, two months ago from Albany, NY, to begin working at DC SCORES as a Coach Across America AmeriCorps volunteer. Zach has a passion for working with youth, and as part of his work with DC SCORES is coaching poetry and girls soccer at Lincoln Middle School. Throughout the season, Zach will share his experience as one of DC SCORES’ 190 coaches who run the program at our 47 schools. Zach will provide insight on the impact of DC SCORES -- through the eyes of a coach.
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Written by Zachary Gomes Soccer Coordinator
So the first game is in the books. We lost, but the scoreboard didn’t reflect our level of play. The girls fought hard all the way through and all of us learned a thing or two.
I learned that I needed to start from the beginning. I noticed three positions while watching the game: defense, offense and the huge bunch of girls running in a pack, back and forth, following the ball everywhere it went. Monday’s practice would have to start with a better explanation of the positions. The first game was a learning experience; it was also amazing.
I couldn’t stop smiling (as evidenced by photos); I was so proud of the girls.
Gabriela A., who has never played soccer before (imagine that!), played goalie for the first time and even though she let some goals in, she never gave up. At the end of the game, she charged out of the box, leapt in the air and saved a towering shot!
In her excitement, she proceeded to almost back into the goal. I made a note to myself to do some goalie training after talking soccer positions on Monday. I was impressed by Gabriela’s determination. She had played her first game of soccer and pushed through the challenges. She had displayed real courage.
As the girls walked off the field, Jossellyn A, who has been in DC SCORES since third grade, ran up to Gabriela and gave her a double high five. With that simple act of camaraderie, Jossellyn exemplified the power DC SCORES can have on a kid. Jossellyn demonstrated leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork and friendship. She supported her teammate and showed a level of maturity anyone could learn a lesson from.
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“I am from” was the prompt for one of last week’s poetry classes. The kids and I are now in a beautiful classroom, and the change of setting from the cafeteria has made a real difference. The “I am from” prompt encourages the children to not only write about the places they are from but to think about the experiences that have formed them. It is a perfect activity for the kids to learn more about one another and to delve a little deeper into their own evolution.
It was amazing to hear the kids share their poems. Brianna V., who is in DC SCORES for the first time and usually never shares her writing, was so inspired by others sharing that she finally read aloud to the class. Everyone clapped when she was done, her face turned a bright red and her smile started at one ear and went to the other.
I am from El Salvador. I am from my beautiful, caring mother. I am from the nacho cheese chips I eat at lunch. I am from the soccer field and scoring a goal.
The kids got creative and respected one another, allowing each and every student in the class a chance to share. It was awesome to be a part of.
Practices are going well and game two is right around the corner. Not to mention the Poetry Slam! is coming, and coming fast. Stay tuned. Much more to come.
Zachary Gomes moved to Washington, DC, two months ago from Albany, NY, to begin working at DC SCORES as a Coach Across America AmeriCorps volunteer. Zach has a passion for working with youth, and as part of his work with DC SCORES is coaching poetry and girls soccer at Lincoln Middle School. Throughout the season, Zach will share his experience as one of DC SCORES’ 190 coaches who run the program at our 47 schools. Zach will provide insight on the impact of DC SCORES -- through the eyes of a coach.
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Written by Zachary Gomes Soccer Coordinator
This fall, I am the writing coach and girls soccer coach at Lincoln Middle School in Columbia Heights. I live very close to the school, and before I began working at DC SCORES I spent most of my afternoons playing pick-up soccer in the neighborhood.
On the first day I visited Lincoln, I arrived at the soccer field wearing a DC SCORES shirt and shorts. Kids and adults walked up to me instantly, telling me they were a part of DC SCORES, how much they loved the organization and how they couldn’t wait for the season to begin. The fact I was associated with DC SCORES made integrating into my new surroundings a thousand and forty-seven times easier. It was truly amazing.
Programming at Lincoln started on Sept. 15. The way the middle school season works, on Monday and Wednesday we have writing and then walk to the soccer field for practice; Fridays are reserved for Game Day.
Coach Zach at his firstLincoln soccer practice
I prepared for the opening day of programming by writing an introductory lesson. My plan was to 1. I will introduce myself, and the kids will love me. 2. I will play some icebreaker and teambuilding games -- coaches are provided with a plethora of resources and examples during training -- and have everyone laughing and loving my awesome teaching style. 3. I will introduce them to their writing journals and explain how important they are to the class. 4. They will begin to decorate their notebooks, making them unique, their own. 5. If we have more time, we will do a group writing exercise and, of course, if needed, I would whip out some of the games I keep in my back pocket. 6. We will walk the four blocks to Tubman Elementary School, where Lincoln has its soccer practices. 7. We will do some running, stretching, passing, shooting, sweating, smiling and have a generally awesome first practice.
What actually happened?
I got to Lincoln early and was brought to the cafeteria. Soon, 42 very excited children filled the large room and I was bombarded with questions and comments.
“Are you our coach!?” “Who are you?” “You’re not Charity!” (last year’s coach). “Why are you wearing those shoes??” “Do you like soccer?” “Do you speak Spanish?” “Are we gonna get uniforms? And where is our snack??”
My plan did not go according to design, but that’s okay as improvisation is also fun. At one point during writing, I turned the cafeteria into a maze and blindfolded some of the students with my sweatshirt. The blindfolded students had to listen to the directions of their team to try to find a chair I had placed on the other side of the room. This game was a hit.
Soccer practice was great. The girls were incredibly excited to be on the field, and it was immediately clear that I had some natural-born leaders on my team. After running a lap around the field, the girls formed a circle and Katie -- an eighth-grader who has been in DC SCORES for three years -- walked into the middle and began leading a team stretch. I had not asked for Katie to take the lead, but I certainly did not complain when she did
Overall, the first day was a success. There were problems, but that was to be expected. The most important thing as a coach, I kept coming back to, is to constantly remind yourself why you have gotten into this position in the first place; why you are out on a field playing soccer with kids. Why self-expression and empowerment is so important.
For me, it’s because I love it. I love being part of something bigger than myself, being part of a team, having my work provide a space where youth can express themselves and feel comfortable. There is lots of work to be done, and our team culture is still being built in the writing classroom and on the field. I anticipate good times and trying times to be part of our future at Lincoln Middle School, and I am excited to share with you the triumphs and challenges that are yet to come as a DC SCORES coach.
From left: Executive Director Amy Nakamoto, ATA coaches Joyce Newton, Natasha Davis, and Rodney Curry, and Senior Director of Programs Katrina Owens. ATA coach Robert Lancaster isn't pictured.
On May 31, the Arts and Technology Academy DC SCORES team will come together for one final Jamboree! -- the exclamation point on an incredible 13 years.
ATA is closing at the end of the school year, meaning one of the tightest-knit DC SCORES teams will also conclude programming for a final time. Rodney Curry has been at the Ward 7 school since 1999, when he arrived at the same time as Joyce Newton, Natasha Davis, and Robert Lancaster. Two years later, they all signed up to coach for the after-school program that was starting.
The four of them have stuck together ever since.
"Honestly, I'm going to miss working with Ms. Newton, Ms. Davis, and Mr. Lancaster," Curry said. "We're like family. ... We just have a really good group.
"That's the toughest part -- not having them there -- because we've been leaning on each other for so long."
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On May 6, the ATA coaches were presented with the Teamwork Award at the 2nd Annual SCORE Awards held at Long View Gallery. Before taking the stage, they watched a video that captured dozens of students whose lives they've impacted during the last 13 years.
There were hundreds of kids not pictured.
In the ideal DC SCORES program, we're not just building teams for youth through the combination of soccer, poetry and service-learning -- we're providing the resources for teachers and administrators within the school to also come closer together and ultimately create a tighter-knit school and surrounding community.
That's exactly what happened at ATA.
Curry and Lancaster coach the school's soccer teams while Newton and Davis run the writing and service-learning sessions. Soccer practices and writing sessions are on different days of the week. The coaches could have just done their own thing; instead, they came together and offered a helping hand.
When Curry or Lancaster couldn't make a soccer practice, there was a writing coach to fill in.
"One day I had to serve as a (soccer) coach; I had no idea what I was doing," Newton recalled. "But it was good because I was learning as the kids were during practice. That's what I've been doing since that day -- I've been going out practicing with them.
"One day during the week I will go out there with Mr. Curry or Lancaster just to get a feel, because you never know when you might have to go in and replace them."
The kids at ATA have never had to worry about not having a coach for soccer or writing.
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Selling the soccer aspect of DC SCORES at a new school is easy. Who doesn't like to kick a ball around? Making poetry and service-learning sound fun is much more difficult.
Sitting in the auditorium at H.D. Woodson Senior High School in 2011 watching ATA win a fourth consecutive Golden Mic Trophy for the best Poetry Slam! performance, one could have been forgiven for thinking spoken word had always come easy to dynasty team in their burgundy uniforms.
That, of course, was far from the case. It took several years of Newton and Davis being there every day and letting the kids know just how good at performing they could be and how powerful their voices were.
"Actually our biggest competition was HRA (Howard Road Academy)," Davis said. "I think just going every year to the Poetry Slam! and not really being as prepared as we should have been and watching Howard Road and other schools like Anne Beers perform and do really well -- it made the students really yearn to want to be better, to put together really good poetry."
It all came together when President Obama was elected. The team had always tried to focus their performance on a local or global issue, and in 2008 they put together an inspiring ode to the first black president.
"The students were so inspired by his election and they were really excited, and the poetry just sort of flowed and everything that we wanted was put together," Davis said. "Once we started practicing, we knew at that moment, 'We have it, we've got it, this is really, really good.'
"And when they got up there and were able to execute it, without any issues at all, we knew at that point that we were a really good contender."
Each year since then, ATA has put together the most powerful and poignant performance about issues affecting their community -- gun violence, test scores, bullying, an ode to MLK when the memorial opened, and, finally, a performance about their school closing.
If you watch any of the school's performances from the past six years, you'll be convinced that the students are incredibly bright and will be leaders in their communities as they grow up. Two ATA students during that time were chosen to represent DC SCORES at the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! in New York City and also performed on live TV and at other special events.
"They take a lot of pride, especially when they've been able to contribute," Davis said. "Whether it's a verse, whether it's one or two words, they're able to contribute and feel really, really good about it."
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If you ask any student or parent at ATA about DC SCORES, there's a very good chance they'll know about the program. That's the work of the four coaches, who've ingrained the team culture into the school's hallways and classrooms.
"In the school, they're like rock stars," Davis said of DC SCORES participants. "Prior to the Poetry Slam!, we get the after-school program involved, we rehearse in front of them, rehearse in front of different grade levels."
Added Curry: "Oh, mannnn! It's a good high. Everyone's excited. The school's somewhat buzzing."
The same can be said of Thursday Game Day. Like high school students wearing their varsity jackets, the ATA Jaguars are allowed to wear their jerseys throughout the day. The younger children not yet old enough for the program look up to them and yearn for the opportunity to do the same.
"I think that the system gives them that incentive and gives them the confidence to be willing to play when it's time to play," Curry said.
The games take place in front of throngs of family members, who cheer on the kids playing on the field adjacent to the school building. During the afternoon, teachers and administrators, their work done for the day, venture over to watch. Everyone knows that Thursday afternoons are Game Day.
Program alumni come to the games, too. Some high school students are now volunteer referees for DC SCORES; others visit the coaches to thank them for the opportunities they provided the students and to give updates on school.
"We thank them for seeing they're still pushing for and using what we taught them to better their lives," Curry said. "They tell us that their experience with DC SCORES helped them further their education in middle school and high school."
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Come next fall, there will be no Arts and Technology Academy. A KIPP charter school will take over the building, and there's a chance DC SCORES will still have a program there. Curry is hoping to keep it going.
But there won't be the morning WATA broadcast over the loudspeakers -- which always featured a segment about the Poetry Slam! on the day after -- nor will there be the four-person team that has changed so many lives and created such a vibrant, cohesive community.
A long list of memories, however, will live on.
"It has been for me pulling together the kids and making us a family," Newton said. "A family that cares, a family that shares, helping them to learn what poetry is and how to express themselves through poetry, and also being the soccer coach."
We will miss you, ATA. And never forget you, either.
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.
Each week throughout the fall DC SCORES season, I will be accompanying the students of the Tolson campus of Imagine Hope Charter on their journey through DC SCORES’ Power of Poetry curriculum. This will include weekly content posted on Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, and this blog. Follow these talented kids as they learn to express themselves through one of the purest forms of art! You can stay in touch with me by following me on Twitter at @DCSCORESInterns and @DCSCORES. Enjoy!
-Brady Smithsund, Fall 2013 Intern
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Last week I sat down with one of Imagine Hope's coaches, Jerome R. Clemons, Jr, to ask him a few questions about his life and how he came to work for DC SCORES. While his students prepared for the Poetry Slam!, the 5th-8th grade Social Studies teacher took a moment to reflect on his journey to DC SCORES.
DC SCORES: How did you get into education or start working with youth?
JC: I first started volunteering with youth in Charleston, South Carolina, when I was in high school. I worked with a non-profit organization called Youth Service Charleston. I helped start a summer reading tutorial lab for elementary students. To get the program off the ground, I worked with Youth Service Charleston, who assisted in getting books and reading supplies donated to the program. I found area camps that needed volunteers to help with campers' reading skills. Additionally, I mobilized many of my friends to volunteer. I have always cherished those memories of volunteering working with kids. I see those early experiences as my foundation into my current educational career. After high school I attended Towson University, where I played soccer and majored in Social Science. Upon graduating, my first teaching position was abroad teaching English to 4th-6th graders at a school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Why did you choose to work for DC SCORES; what attracted you to the program?
DC SCORES combines two of my favorite hobbies: soccer and poetry! Last school year I learned about DC SCORES and became interested in bringing the program to my school. I surveyed students to find out if they were interested. The response was overwhelming. There was interest from students in all grade levels. Finally, I contacted DC SCORES and worked on logistics.
Now that you’ve been doing it for a while, what do you enjoy most about it?
I enjoy the process of helping to drive student athletes towards success. We absorb information together learning, creating, and sharing new poetic ideas and soccer skills. I reciprocate the same love and excitement they share for DC SCORES.
Why is DC SCORES important to the school and the students it serves?
DC SCORES is vital to our school in helping to create community, self-expression, and integrity. The students we serve at Imagine Hope Tolson love sharing their experience this year with DC SCORES. We are one of the schools that does not have any athletic facilities on campus. The excitement that is felt on the days we have soccer practice and games is electric. Students sing cheers on the way to practice and even on the bus to games. Students look forward to having the opportunity to be outside and play soccer after school. The poetry component has helped create confidence in our students. DC SCORES has touched everyone at our school. Classmates and staff are always asking about our team!
Was there an experience you had growing up that pushed you into education or toward a program like DC SCORES? Were you in a similar program?
My first experience with soccer was with the Ebony City Soccer Club Lil’ Peles. Since 1980, Ebony City Soccer Club has been providing an organized team soccer experience to youth between the ages of 5 and 16 years in my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Lil' Peles soccer team was established to provide a vehicle that would help channel the energy of the area youth in a positive direction. Just like DC SCORES! The Lil’ Peles derived their nickname from the undisputed master of the game, Brazilian born soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pele). His background as a youth was one of poverty and a determination.
What progress have you seen from your students during the writing session?
The progress I have seen during writing sessions has been connected to their creativity, confidence, and communication. Their vocabulary has constantly grown each week. The level of detail has also increased each week in their writing. They enjoy being specific and providing unique details.
What are you most looking forward to about the Poetry Slam!?
I am most looking forward to seeing my students take the confidence from the soccer field to the stage. I am excited to see all of the school performances. I know students and coaches have been working hard to put together performances for the Poetry Slam!.
Who is your favorite athlete?
My favorite athlete is Lionel Messi of La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Before writing sessions would start, I would show my players highlight videos of Messi and say you need to emulate him on the field.
Each month, we highlight one of our “SCORES Corps” coaches who are responsible for running our program as writing and soccer coaches throughout the District. We hire four coaches at each school to be difference-makers for over 1,450 low-income DC youth in the classroom, in the community, and on the soccer field.
This month we highlight Gillian Schaps, a new writing coach at Oyster-Adams Bilingual Campus in Adams Morgan. Gillian took the time to answer some questions about being joining the DC SCORES team:
How long have you been with DC SCORES?
Just a few months! This spring is my first season with DC SCORES.
What’s your other job within or outside the school?
I work as a court advocate in the DC Superior Court, helping clients write petitions for protection orders and navigating the legal system.
How did you get into education or start working with youth?
I've always been drawn to working with young adults! I taught high school color guards for many years during college and when I moved to DC, I really missed interacting with students.
Why did you choose to work for DC SCORES; what attracted you to the program?
I have friends that work for DC SCORES and they could always count on me to volunteer at events like the Fall Frenzy and attend the Poetry Slam!. Eventually, I told myself, "I need to officially become a part of this!"
Now that you’ve been doing it for a while, what do you enjoy most about it?
Those "ah-ha!" moments students have ... you can literally see it on their faces. We discuss a lot of heavy topics during writing and they always surprise me with the insight and mature perspective they bring to the table.
Why is DC SCORES important to the school and the students it serves?
It's never too early to foster the bond between a child and their community, and that's exactly what DC SCORES' service-learning curriculum does. It's a place where students are treated like adults and their voices are given free reign and respect.
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?
I was very involved in music and marching band programs all the way through college and they served the same purpose as DC SCORES. They were a place for self expression, community involvement, and team building ... sound familiar?!
What’s your favorite DC SCORES event and why?
The Poetry Slam!. I can't wait to teach poetry next fall so I can see my kids blow everyone away on stage!
What’s your most memorable DC SCORES experience?
My class is still in the early stages, so we've spent most of our time in the classroom thus far. I've found that my students love puzzles and mind benders, so I really enjoy the first 10 minutes of each class when they are furiously working on their puzzle ... and then of course the moment they figure it out (or if it’s really hard, the moment I reveal the answer and they get so excited!).
Who is your favorite athlete?
I'm going to shout out to my Georgia Bulldogs and go with wide receiver A.J. Green. He is such a classy player that always puts his team first and has a quiet confidence about him. He's a great DC SCORES role model, and not to mention an AMAZING player (seriously, check out this catch). He wears #18 for the Bengals now.
Who is your favorite singer or poet?
I was an English major in college so the list is pretty long. Keats is always my go-to guy, though. That Grecian Urn is a classic.
What is your favorite food?
PIZZA. Or mac and cheese. Anything that is bread + cheese!
With welcomes out of the way, I got the coaches up and moving with a team-builder during which everyone shared the experiences they would bring with them to coaching soccer and writing this season. New coaches immediately felt and communicated that they were being initiated into a rare and elite fraternity of on-the-ground youth workers implementing Washington, DC’s largest and highest quality after-school program.
Associate Program Director for Quality Sean Hinkle stressed the importance of teamwork, leadership, commitment, integrity and sportsmanship, along with respect for the game, all the while making sure coaches knew that having fun is at the root of the DC SCORES model.
During team planning time, soccer and writing coaches from each of DC SCORES’ 42 schools this fall collaborated in creating shared goals and expectations for their students, and planned strategically when each component of the DC SCORES curricula would be delivered.
For the second half of the day, soccer and writing coaches parted ways. In a studio upstairs, writing coaches created their writers notebooks, explored the America SCORES Power of Poetry curriculum, and flexed their poetry muscle writing a Color of Me poem and composing their own love song. They practiced team-building games and did improvisational activities with new DC SCORES Elementary School Program Coordinator Anna Cohen-Price.
On the field, representatives from the U.S. Soccer Foundation schooled new soccer coaches on their Soccer for Success curriculum, which is being implemented at 15 new DC SCORES schools (blog coming later this week).
Back in the gym, veteran DC SCORES soccer coaches revisited the America SCORES Soccer Coach Manual. They shared best practices for structuring practices for all grade levels before breaking into groups AND collaborating to design a custom practice based on an assigned soccer skill area and delivering part of that practice plan to their coaching colleagues.
“I feel totally comfortable and ready to begin the writing sessions,” wrote one coach on her training evaluation.
“I feel more confident than I did last year!” wrote another.
“A+!. I wish I could have recorded it!” DC SCORES is lucky to have only the very best of the best of DC Public & Public Charter School teachers implementing our program after school throughout the city.
