An internship to remember -- Kyndall reflects on a summer of communicating about DC SCORES

Written by Kyndall Brown
Communications Intern

I never went to DC SCORES Camp as a camper, but this summer I was able to spend several afternoons under the sun with participants as an intern. My weekly visits to the SCORES camps were the highlight of my internship.

The first camp I visited was Kelly Miller. Interviewing campers and taking pictures of them while they were at camp brought back a flood of memories for me. Watching them play and practice their drills reminded me of how happy I was to have been able to be a part of DC SCORES at Anne Beers Elementary School.

Sharing the stories of campers in the program now showed me how I can use the field of media to illustrate the impact of something that I loved. I had so much fun being at camp with the campers, I forgot that I was an intern and working!

Back in the air-conditioned DC SCORES office, I learned just as much. The knowledge I gained about social media and nonprofit marketing is irreplaceable, and -- entering my sophomore year at Temple University -- there was no better time for me to be exposed to it than this summer of 2014.

There was not a task I was given this summer that was easy. Every day I came into the office, I faced another challenge. The time I spent here was so vital to my growth because I was constantly being pushed to my limits and forced to expand my way of thinking.

As the summer ends, I feel that I grew tremendously because I was constantly brought outside my comfort zone. I sharpened my skills in writing, proof-reading, and public speaking -- and learned how to post varying social media content to different platforms.

In just my second week at SCORES, I spoke at the Campaign to End Obesity Breakfast with Champions 2014. Before this event, I hadn’t been tasked with a speaking engagement for a while. So, of course, preparing to address a room of almost 100 people was a bit of a challenge. I was more nervous than ever that early Thursday morning, but I was determined to do more than my very best.

As much as this internship taught me about the field of communications, it also taught me much about myself. These past two months showed me all that I am capable of and how much more I can accomplish when I push myself to do more.

My internship at DC SCORES was the first summer internship of my college career, and helped me develop a great foundation for my future ventures as student. I couldn’t have found a better place to spend my 2014 summer than here.

In less than a week I'll be back on the road to Philadelphia to begin my sophomore year at Temple. Everything that I experienced at DC SCORES this summer I will use in a fall semester that I know will be challenging.

I also know that I am ready.

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Interested in interning like Kyndall? We are searching for our next communications intern all-star for this fall. Apply HERE. 

Capping off DC SCORES summer camp with Inter Milan and Manchester United

Manchester United coaches address DC SCORES alumni.

Written by Kyndall Brown
Communications Intern

The summer has practically flown by.

Tomorrow is the last day of DC SCORES summer camp, and my internship is also approaching its end. My summer with SCORES has been filled with experiences, but one of the most memorable took place on Tuesday.

With two well-respected soccer teams in town for a friendly at FedEx Field, who knew that I would get the opportunity for encounters with both in one day!

At Bruce Monroe, I shared the same excitement as campers when I got the chance to meet professional soccer player Javier Zanetti from Inter Milan. Zanetti was great with the kids, guiding them through a series of fun drills and then answering questions about being a pro.

“I would ask him how long he would practice, because if I wanted to be a soccer player I need to know how I need to train,” camper Eryck E. said.

The students were thrilled about being up close and personal with a professional soccer player and getting to ask him any question. Each camper also got their own autograph, and some were lucky enough to get him to sign their cleats, soccer balls, and even cellphones.

Inter Milan's Javier Zanetti with Bruce Monroe campers. 

However, the excitement Tuesday afternoon was only building.

After a short commute to Tubman Elementary School, I had the opportunity to join SCORES alumni in a clinic led by coaches from Manchester United -- yes, that team! Needless to say, being instructed by professional coaches is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“They had a lot of energy which rubbed off on us and it was really fun,” Jennifer P. said.

The positive attitudes from the visiting coaches made the clinic a unique experience for both them and the alumni. And I was lucky enough to join them and participate in drills that professional players go through on a regular bases.

“It was exciting because they were teaching us stuff that they also teach professional players,” Jose Q said. "It almost felt like we were able to step inside the shoes of a professional soccer player."

These types of opportunities do not knock twice. I definitely had to use the clinic to not just enjoy my time playing on the field but to also embrace the chance to learn from the coaches.

“I felt like this is like a one-time thing and you have to put everything out on the field,” Ariana R. said.

The coaches didn’t only give us soccer knowledge; they also dished us advice that we can use in our everyday lives. They encouraged everyone to stay focused, driven, and to not be lured by temptation. The advice from established professionals was greatly appreciated and made the experience even more worthwhile.

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SCORES summer is just about over, but you can relive all the excitement. View photos on Instagram at @dc_scores, and check out our large summer camp album on Flickr HERE.

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First week of DC SCORES summer camp brings youth from across the city together

First week of DC SCORES summer camp brings youth from across the city together

Written by Kyndall Brown
Communications Intern

Last week, DC SCORES kicked off 14 combined weeks of summer enrichment with a five-day soccer camp at Kelly Miller Middle School. Despite temperatures in the high 90s, close to 100 youth from across Washington, DC, took part in soccer drills and games each day.

Participating in a week-long soccer camp gives participants a great opportunity to focus on core skills like passing, dribbling and shooting. The camp also allows for campers to receive one-on-one attention that they may not get the chance to receive throughout the school year.

Along with working on skills, campers also get to develop friendships outside of their comfort zones. The DC SCORES camps are open to youth all over the city. Campers get to play with other kids they have possibly once played against as well as others they have never been on the field with.

“Camp has been great because we have a huge number of kids from all over the city, kids from far in NW, Columbia Heights, NE, and SE,” said camp director Libby Watkins. “I can tell the kids are making friends.”

Emily C. works on her soccer skills at Kelly Miller camp.

Emily C. and Ariana R. came to Kelly Miller representing Chavez Prep and are both in the seventh grade. They, along with 50-plus other kids, were shuttled to Kelly Miller from Lincoln Middle School in Columbia Heights. At Kelly Miller, campers got the opportunity to develop their skills with new and different players. Emily said she only knew one of the 12 girls in her age group prior to camp.

Emily and Ariana were both very excited about being at soccer camp and expressed their enthusiasm about attending other DC SCORES camps as the summer continues. Emily specifically talked about how her summer playing soccer was going to make her a better player for the fall season.

This week, two more DC SCORES camps have begun – Soccer & Arts Camp at Marie Reed Elementary School and soccer camp at Bruce Monroe Elementary School. Next week, the 10-day Tubman Elementary School soccer camp kicks off. Stay connected to an action-packed month of summer enrichment for DC youth by following us on Twitter @DCSCORES, on Instagram at @dc_scores, and by viewing our summer camp photo album on Flickr HERE.

The meaning of a soccer uniform: A former DC SCORES participant reflects

This summer, Kyndall Brown -- a DC SCORES alum of Anne Beers Elementary School -- is interning with DC SCORES. As we near Do More 24 on June 19, Kyndall wrote about the impact wearing a DC SCORES uniform -- and being on a soccer team for the first time -- had on her. Beginning at 12am June 19, please give the gift of a team to DC SCORES. A $24 donation equals a soccer jersey, shorts, shinguards and socks for a DC child. Our goal is to provide 384 students -- the equivalent of 12 DC SCORES teams -- with uniforms. Thank you for your support!

Kyndall didn't just play soccer in her uniform. It also
united her team on stage at the Poetry Slam!.

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Written by Kyndall Brown 
Communications Intern

A team uniform can have a different meaning to every player that wears it. The team uniform is the first physical representation of a team’s unity. I practiced with my team for about a week or two before my very first DC SCORES game. My coach handed out our uniforms the day before the game, and it was easy to see the anticipation on all our faces as he pulled out the bag full of jerseys.

Once I received my uniform, the only thing I could think about was wearing it on the field.

My soccer uniform was the final piece that brought together my understanding of the role I played on my soccer team. My uniform made me feel a part of my team, but my uniform number gave me my independence as a player. My number was unique to me and I was the only person that could identify with it, but receiving my entire uniform -- jersey, shorts, shinguards, socks -- along with my teammates showed me where I belonged.

My SCORES soccer uniform was the first I ever owned.

Having my own uniform made me feel like I was officially a soccer player. I looked forward to wearing my uniform every Thursday. On those days, everywhere I went someone would be reminded that I was a soccer player.

My uniform became a part of me, and playing without it could never the same. I never wanted to be the person on the team who forgot their uniform or did not have their complete uniform because it would let the team down. If I did not come to a game prepared, I didn’t only let my coach down but also my teammates.

Our uniforms gave us a responsibility to except from one another.

When I wore my uniform with my teammates, I even played differently. Wearing it kept me aware of and thinking about the responsibility I had to my team. Not only was I reminded to be a team player, but also to play  my best because it was what I expected from my teammates.

Wearing our uniforms together as a team changed our presence on the field. Seeing the whole team at Anne Beers Elementary School in complete uniform sent a message to each team member and every other person that saw us.

It was time to play.

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Learn more about Kyndall's DC SCORES experience HERE. Sign up for the Do More 24 Facebook event HERE.

Former program participant Kyndall Brown returns to intern for DC SCORES

Kyndall Brown was a DC SCORES program participant at Anne Beers for three years, where she learned how to play soccer under the tutelage of her coach and father, Michael Brown. She also became a star poet at Beers, performing her solo poems at the DC SCORES Poetry Slam!. Kyndall went on to play soccer at Bell Multicultural High School and now, as a rising sophomore at Temple University, is interning this summer in our communications department. Below, Kyndall writes about what brought her back to DC SCORES. Follow @DCSCORESInterns for Tweets from Kyndall during her internship experience. 

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Written by Kyndall Brown 
Communications Intern

I was introduced to DC SCORES when I was in the third grade at Anne Beers Elementary School. Being a part of DC SCORES was the highlight of my elementary school years at Beers. In the short three years between third and sixth grade, I gained and experienced so more than I could have imagined.

When I moved on to middle school, the school I chose unfortunately did not have a DC SCORES program. Leaving Beers was bittersweet because I was excited about growing up and going to a new school, but I knew that I would never be able to find another program like DC SCORES.

I never played soccer or any sport before DC SCORES. My participation in the program made soccer a big aspect of my life throughout high school. It also improved my confidence in my writing and is the reason that English is one of my strongest subjects in school.

In 2005, when I was in sixth grade, I performed my first solo poem at the annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam!. That experience and the preparation leading up to the Slam! helped me become comfortable with public speaking. In 2013, I used the same skills I developed during the Poetry Slam! to give a speech that helped me become the senior class president at my high school.

I will be able to use skills I learned in DC SCORES — including the most effective approach to teaching and outreach — for the rest of my life. Now, as an intern, I have the special opportunity to be a part of giving back to what was once given to me.

I am currently a Media and Communications major at Temple University and still exploring the major to decide exactly what I want to do with my degree. Coming back to DC SCORES to learn about the communications aspects of the organization is exactly how I want to spend my summer. It is great to be back in an atmosphere that I once was able to prosper in so much, and now I have a chance to grow even more.

During my time interning, I hope that my efforts continue to help the organization grow and have the same influence on other students that it had on me. Interning for any organization takes hard work and commitment. Interning for an organization with a mission you are passionate about makes both the hard work and commitment well worth it.