15 stories to celebrate 2015

Wow, what a year it's been. Thanks to your support, you have seen DC SCORES build teams for more kids in more DC communities than ever before! We've forged new partnerships, celebrated the many successes of alumni now in college, given out myriad awards — both to poet-athletes as well as coaches and volunteers — and so much more.

This is never an easy task, but below in link, photo and video form are our Top 15 from 2015. Please help us continue to grow and serve more DC kids with a tax-deductible donation before the ball drops Dec. 31

Thank you!

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No. 15 — Lincoln Middle School visits the White House

In February, Lincoln poet-athletes had the special opportunity to visit the White House for the President's ceremony with the MLS-winning L.A. Galaxy as well as the NHL-winning L.A. Kings. The kids not only got free gear from the Galaxy but got to ask questions of the professionals!

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No. 14 — Jency and Leron take on the Big Apple



It was a weekend they'll never forget. In April, poet-athletes Jency of Barnard Elementary and Leron of Imagine Hope Community Charter School took the train to New York City for the 9th Annual America SCORES National Poetry SLAM!. There, they made friends with kids from 13 other cities; ate NYC-style pizza; played soccer in Central Park; and performed on stage at the Reuters Building!

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No. 13 — Celebrating our coaches and volunteers

Our 200 coaches and 400 volunteers are the people who make SCORES possible for the poet-athletes. That's why the SCORE Awards in May is such a special night. As is custom, we spent the evening at LongView Gallery celebrating the incredible people who change the lives of DC kids!

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No. 12 — Creating change throughout DC

At Truesdell Education Campus, students ran a campaign to clean up their school. At Raymond Education Campus, students got their hands dirty creating from scratch a school garden. And throughout the District at 40-plus other sites, DC SCORES kids made a difference in their communities through service-learning projects!

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Truesdell blog/video series

No. 11 — A HUGE Jamboree! celebrates spring season 



There's no better way to celebrate the spring season than with the culminating Jamboree!, which was bigger than ever with 2,000 people congregating at Anacostia Park for an action-packed Saturday of nonstop soccer games as well as family-fun activities such as facepainting, arts and crafts, highlighting service-learning projects, and much more!

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No. 10 — A DC SCORES Cup for the ages 

The DC SCORES Cup keeps getting bigger and better. In 2015, more than 500 DC professionals met at the Maryland SoccerPlex for a day full of soccer games, teambuilding, fun and supporting DC kids.

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No. 9 — Summer SCORES! 



Summer camp doesn't get much better than with DC SCORES. During three action-packed camps (free of charge, as always), kids picked up new soccer skills, made tons of friends, learned new arts disciplines (T-shirt screening, dancing!), went on field trips, and kept their bodies and minds fresh and engaged leading into the fall season!

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No. 8 — Alumni success stories



Summer is also special for DC SCORES because we watch alumni of the program head off to college — many the first from their families to do so. Such was the case for three young women whose stories we documented: Nijah, Ingrid and Claudia!

Nijah's story
Ingrid's story
Claudia's story

No. 7 — New members of our team!

In September, we welcomed six new staff members (not pictured above but in D.C. United photo below: Travis Worra) to our team. We take great pride in embodying the values the program instills in kids — teamwork, leadership, commitment — as a staff and also having a fun culture, and the additions have fit in really well!

Podcast with new staff

No. 6 — A huge partnership made official!

On Oct. 1, we announced a partnership with D.C. United that included consolidating with their United Soccer Club to serve more students through our program model. In the three months since, we've already gained greater visibility through being the charitable soccer arm of the Major League Soccer team and look forward to a very bright future together!

Press release

No. 5 — Volunteer explosion at Fall Frenzy

Yes, there were 1,000 elementary school kids at Trinity Washington University for the 18th Annual Fall Frenzy in late October — there were also hundreds of volunteers in their yellow shirts, demonstrating perhaps more than ever on one day how many people in DC are committed to and passionate about DC SCORES. Because of the volunteers, the action-packed day ran as smoothly as could be asked!

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No. 4 — An afternoon with the USWNT



In late October, Brightwood Education Campus poet-athletes got a treat when they visited President's Park just south of the White House for a soccer clinic and photo shoot. They learned skills from U.S. Women's National Team coach Jill Ellis, and then gasps ensued as the entire World Cup-winning team from the summer walked toward them across the grass. Minutes later, the kids were asking questions of Carli Lloyd and Abby Wambach and getting autographs from Megan Rapinoe, Sydney Leroux and Christen Press. It was an afternoon they'll never forget!

Blog recap
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No. 3 — Meet Christian, all-star volunteer



There's a staff member we forgot to mention in No. 7 — Christian. During the past year, the now-sophomore in high school program alumnus has become a volunteering fixture at our office almost every day after school. Christian embodies DC SCORES' core values, brings a smile to the office every day, and also excelled as a summer camp counselor. Thanks for all you do, Christian!

Blog profile

No. 2 — Capital Cup champions relish the journey


When Capital City Public Charter School got a mini soccer pitch built this fall, members of the DC SCORES middle school team started coming to school early every day to play. So it's no surprise that CCPCS' dedication paid off and the girls team bonded together to win the Capital Cup middle school championship in late November. The same could be said of the Raymond Education Campus boys team that often practiced so hard, coach David Peterson had to tell his kids to tone the intensity down a bit. The strong soccer communities at both schools held up trophies on Nov. 24.

No. 1 — Hope Avenue at the Poetry Slam!

The season-culminating Poetry Slam! in early December never ceases to amaze and inspire, and this year's 18th edition more than met such expectations. During a time of turmoil and despair in the world and on a day when yet another mass shooting occurred in this country, students took the stage at Columbia Heights Education Campus and reminded us — the adults in the audience — that there, indeed, is a bright future. They guided us down "Hope Avenue" while celebrating each other's similarities and differences.

And that was just the first night of the event. The second night at H.D. Woodson High School, the students exemplified the message guest poet Malachi Byrd had for them at the show's onset: "I am powerful! I am enough." Just watching one or two of the 37 performances over the two nights, one thing was clear:

DC SCORES poet-athletes are powerful, proud, and much more than enough.

From our team to yours, thank you for an incredible 2015. We can't wait to share an extremely exciting future together!

Faces of Summer SCORES Part IV: Sebastian Duque

Written by Colin Patch
Digital Media Intern
@DCSCORESInterns

It was 8th grade, the watershed year where more challenging high school classes are on the horizon -- and, generally, a stressful time for kids.

Sebastian Duque faced even greater challenges. The immigrant from Colombia not only was in an unfamiliar place with few friends and support outside of his family, but he spoke very little English

In stepped DC SCORES.

Enrolled at Oyster-Adams Middle School, joining DC SCORES was a no-brainer for Sebastian, an already talented soccer player. In the program, Sebastian found much more than a soccer team. He received consistent support in his learning of English, mentors in his coaches, and positive friends in his teammates. In just one year, Sebastian blossomed into a leader ready for his next step.

"They prepared me both physically and mentally for the challenges that high school provides," Sebastian said of his coaches.

Sebastian strengthened his relationships with coaches and peers the spring before high school during DC SCORES summer camp.

And a couple of months later Sebastian not only earned a place on Wilson High School's varsity team, he also joined an Arlington Soccer Association travel team in neighboring Virginia.

Playing year-round for his new teams meant committing an unprecedented amount of time and energy to soccer. Practices were three days a week at a field 20 minutes away in Arlington. Sebastian, however, maintained an even keel, splitting his focus evenly between academics and soccer and leaning on many of the lessons learned in DC SCORES to not get too distraught after a loss or a difficult school experience.

Then, midway through his junior year, an even greater challenge was presented. Sebastian was offered enrollment at West Virginia University as well as a spot on their perennially strong varsity soccer team.

Sebastian posing after winning the WVU
intramural championship.

The offer was too good to turn down and in 2014, Sebastian found himself wearing the blue and yellow as a student-athlete for the Mountaineers.

"Playing for WVU was great, but it was hard work -- especially managing soccer and academics," he said.

It was for exactly that reason -- the time commitment that playing a Division 1 college sport requires -- that Sebastian decided to shift his focus after his freshman year.

As a civil engineering major at WVU, and with two parents in the same field, the pressure to study outweighed the importance of a college soccer career.

But that hasn't diminished Sebastian's passion for the sport -- he now competes with his best friends on the WVU club team -- and the impact soccer can have on young lives..

For five weeks this summer, Sebastian could be found on the vibrant green soccer field turf at Marie Reed Elementary School leading the soccer component of Summer SCORES camp -- helping to mold young players to follow in his footsteps.

"It's like me seeing myself in those kids," Sebastian said, "and me trying to think about what I needed back then — for me to be a better person today."

It's been a circuitous route for Sebastian, but he is doing exactly what he always wanted to: serving the community and continuing his passion for soccer.

Faces of Summer SCORES Part III: Nancy C. -- A Family Affair

Written by Colin Patch
Digital Media Intern
@DCSCORESInterns

Spending time with your caring step-father and wildly energetic little brother can be quite the task for a bashful pre-teen girl. Being on the same soccer team as them, along with the rest of your 5th grade friends, is that much harder.

However, one DC SCORES participant is managing both the new responsibility her step-father's assigned and the occasional embarrassment her little brother is quick to provide, and is growing and maturing in spite of it all.

Nancy C., an 11-year-old student at Marie Reed Elementary School, has been a participant for the last two years in DC SCORES' after-school programs and summer camps.

Nancy's step-father, Elver Garcia, joined DC SCORES as a volunteer coach that same year, and has led her Marie Reed team since. Eight-year-old brother Melvin is a new addition to SCORES, and has made a presence at camp as one of the loudest and most energetic players at Reed.

While it may be the off-season for his coaching duties, Elver is still eager to see his kids on the field and gets off work whenever he can to pick up his step-children from camp.

Having the family together is something that Elver deeply appreciates, and seeing them enjoy the same game he grew up playing gives him that extra bit of joy;

"I remember as a kid, back in my country, playing in the streets, dirt, everything; it was breakfast, lunch and dinner," he says.

Elver's history playing soccer in El Salvador, the country where he was born and raised, is what originally captured Nancy's attention and drew her to the game.

And while she's developed a passion for soccer similar to that of her step-father, keeping the family dynamic separate from the team has proven quite complicated for both.

On Elver's side, the biggest difficulty has come in battling the innate desire to push your child to succeed.

When asked what it's like having his kids involved in something he loves, he replied, "It's a plus and it's a challenge, because I try to be fair with every kid. But, you know how kids are. They may think just because she's my daughter or he's my son that I'm taking preferences, but on the field I try to treat everyone the same. They're not family, just teammates."

For Nancy, the challenge has been in dealing with the responsibility her father places on her:

"It was hard because he was always pressuring me when I didn't work hard," she said. "And when we train, I have to be a leader because I was in it [DC SCORES] for two years and he expects me to show other people what's the routine."

With all the difficulties that accompany mixing 'work with family,' there are an array of positives which have benefited both as well.

For one, Nancy has accepted the leadership role in stride and has proven a valuable player for her Marie Reed side. At summer camp, she's even learned to shrug off the humiliation she sometimes feels and serve as a role model for her younger, more eccentric brother and the rest of the campers.

Elver, on the other hand, has found a way to continue his passion, spend quality time with family, and use sport as a method for teaching his children. As he puts it, "Soccer has everything. It will teach you how to be on a team, it will teach you discipline, and at the same time it will teach you how to resolve a problem on your own."

Despite the challenges of weaving family dynamics into a team, both Nancy and her step-father are learning from their experiences and most importantly of all, keeping their family close together.

"That's it, my kids," Elvis said. "I have to be where my kids are."

Faces of Summer SCORES, Part II: Vicky R.

Written by Colin Patch
Digital Media Intern
@DCSCORESinterns

It was noon on a bright sunny Monday, and campers were just arriving to Tubman Elementary School in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. The occasion: fields were lined, goals were in place and the final camp of Summer SCORES was ready to kick off.

Elementary and middle school students alike had come from throughout DC to participate in the five-day soccer camp. A glowing green turf field surrounded by stunning pastel-colored row houses in the bustling and eclectic neighborhood provides the perfect setting for kids to leave their houses and get much-needed exercise as well as helpful soccer pointers.

For some, it was their first experience at Tubman camp. For Vicky Rosales, a four-year veteran of DC SCORES, camp felt like a second home.

A rising junior at E.L. Haynes High School, Vicky has been coming to the summer camps regularly since the sixth grade and also participated in fall and spring programming.

Vicky was not the strongest soccer player when she first attended camp, but coaches and fellow campers were quick to make her feel comfortable and help develop her soccer skills.

And while many of her coaches and friends testify to the incredible strides she’s made on the field, her biggest achievement Coach Asa – head coach of the DC SCORES Girls Alumni Team – says is how she’s grown off the field.

“When I first came in 2012/2013 I wouldn’t say she was shy, but she was reserved," Asa said.

"Now that she has seniority, she’s more of a vocal leader; she’s like my assistant

coach on the field."

More than just an assistant coach, Vicky serves as a role model to many of the friends she’s made over the years at DC SCORES. During water breaks and down time, she is the leader of the conversation and never hesitates to reproach one of her younger friends for saying something out of line.

Now, Vicky may only have one summer left to enjoy Summer SCORES camp as an alumna, but her passion for soccer and the legacy she will leave seem certain to live on.

After interviewing her on a sticky 95-degree day in the air-conditioned hallways of Tubman, I asked her if she wanted to stay inside to enjoy the fresh air for a couple minutes longer.

 

“No, I want to go play soccer!” she replied with a cheerful smile. “I was playing yesterday and I hurt my foot, but soccer, soccer, soccer.”

Faces of Summer SCORES, Part I: George T., little but courageous

Written by Colin Patch
Digital Media Intern
@DCSCORESInterns

His cleats were tied, shin guards strapped, and socks pulled high.

His eager yet serious smile told of the simultaneous enthusiasm and nervousness which captured him.

Fortunately, just a few steps into the meeting room of Marie Reed Elementary School, his anxiety eased. The sight of board games and fellow DC SCORES participants talking and playing opened his eyes to the exciting week of art and soccer ahead of him.

This is how George T., the star of our inaugural edition of Faces of Summer SCORES, arrived on the first day of Marie Reed Art and Soccer Camp.

While George is a familiar face to many DC SCORES coaches and staff -- he spent the past year as a poet-athlete after school at Orr Elementary School -- this is his first year at summer camp.

Being new to camp and coming all the way from east of the river, George was understandably nervous initially. But since the first day, he has been courageous in leaving his comfort zone -- making friends and competing with players almost twice his size.

At under five feet tall, George is considered a pushover by many just because of his appearance. But throughout the second week of camp,  George exhibited grit and determination. He impressed teammates and earned the praise of Soccer Coordinator Fabien Celestin, who likened him to the world-famous Lionel Messi.

Off the field, George is an equally excitable personality -- a small yet vibrant character whose smiles and giggles are infectious from the art room to the drama stage. He is a quick learner as well, as many of his Connect Four opponents have come to learn.

George has grown to love DC SCORES for the soccer as well as the friendships he's forged.

So take a look at the first edition of our new Faces of Summer SCORES series, and share, like or leave a comment.

Your support makes it possible for children like George to get out and enjoy summer in a safe and healthy fashion!

More than 70 kids brave heat at Kelly Miller soccer camp

Written by Colin Patch
Digital Media Intern

If you had to guess, what would you expect a bunch of third- to eighth-graders to be doing on one of the hottest and steamiest afternoons of the summer?

a) Enjoying a cold lemonade in the shade
b) Bathing in a local pool or friend’s sprinkler
c) Playing video games in front of a fan or air conditioner
d) Outside playing 5 hours of soccer with friends

Believe it or not, more than 70 young students from the DC area beat the odds and made their way to DC SCORES’ Summer SCORES soccer camp at Kelly Miller Middle School this past week.

Sweat-drenched T-shirts and frequent water breaks were the theme for the first part of the week as temperatures reached the mid 90’s, but the heat wave proved no match for the little warriors who continued to come out and even completed the more technical aspect of camp – drills which included dribbling, passing and heading exercises – during the hottest stretch.

Mid-week cooler temperatures weren’t the only reward for campers’ hard work. Wednesday brought a large donation of soccer cleats provided by local partner Leveling the Playing Field, which allowed each camper to find their own new pair to keep.

Each camper received a pair of cleats thanks
to a donation from Leveling the Playing Field

Smiles were ignited as kids dug through the containers looking for their right size – or the most trendy and stylish pair.

After everyone was satisfied with their pick, the teams got back on the field to show off both their skills and their new studs in the game-oriented second half of camp. Some exhilarating matches took place between the boys and girls in the older groups, while the youngest group enjoyed some hotly contested games of every kid’s favorite shooting game: Power Finesse.

Another highlight was when campers formed their own teams and had the opportunity to face the staff in the annual Staff vs. Campers game. Despite a slew of good matches – and laughs – the campers were unable to defeat their older rivals. The challenge remains for next year.

To culminate such a successful first week of Summer SCORES, the a large group from Mintz Levin – a charitable partner and friend of DC SCORES – came out to play and help out with the camp-culminating barbecue Friday. Some Mintz Levin employees not only joined the kids, but surprised them with their talents in scrimmages and kickball games, while others took a more stationary – but very important -- role behind the grill and serving food.

A large group of energized employees from DC SCORES partner Mintz Levin came to the camp-culminating BBQ!

Now, with the first week wrapped up at Kelly Miller, the five-week Arts & Soccer Camp at Marie Reed is already under way, keeping kids engaged both physically and mentally during the critical summer months.

Thanks again to our incredibly dedicated and always-handy volunteers, especially the huge and engaged group from Mintz Levin. Special thanks are also owed to Kelly Miller Middle School for hosting us – the impact we strive to make wouldn’t be possible without your help!