DC SCORES has a new website to showcase the impact the organization has on the lives of DC kids!
The new site hosts this summer's published blogs and will host all future blog posts written by our staff. This domain will remain as archives for older DC SCORES blog posts dating back to 2009.
Stay updated by checking out the new blog page on the website!
L'Enfant Plaza will soon be home to the International Spy Museum, and our Truesdell campers had the opportunity to check out the new site thanks to Clark Construction.
The excited campers spent the first part of their field trip hanging out with a couple of Clark employees that gave some fun facts on the new museum. The kids also learned about other notable buildings in the city that were built by Clark.
The Verizon Center, RFK Stadium, Nationals Park, the National Museum of African American History, and the list continues! All the campers were amazed to learn about all the cool projects Clark has been a part of over the years, which served as inspiration for their fun activity ahead. Everyone's creative skills were tested with the task of designing unique museum ideas and presenting their final models.
Sports was the big theme as the majority of the groups designed soccer museums.
9-year-old Kiomara was very excited to present her group's National Soccer Museum. "It will include all the best soccer players. Messi! Ronaldo! Maradona!" said the eager camper.
There was, however, one that stood out from the rest with their innovative idea, the National Candy Museum. This concept grabbed everyone's attention, including some of the Clark employees that were big fans of the free candy bag idea.
Next up the kids received a visit from the site's superintendent, who talked to the kids about his responsibilities and what goes into building the new spy museum.
"It was great having the kids out here," said Stephanie Emore, an engineer for Clark. "For those that were here last year, it's nice for them to see how we started from nothing to a full building now."
Finally, is there any other way for DC SCORES to end a fun-filled day than with a soccer game? The Clark employees joined the kids on the field to conclude another great week of summer camp.
Thank you again to our longtime partner and current reigning DC SCORES Cup champions, Clark Construction, for spending the afternoon with the Truesdell campers.
In a soccer field filled with elementary and middle school kids, one stood out in particular. It wasn't just his small size or his impressive touch on the ball that grabbed attention, it was his friendly smile.
First time camper Chris C., seemed right at home during the two-week soccer camp at Tubman Elementary School. By the second day of camp he made friends with pretty much every camper, coach, and volunteer on the field.
It was just a matter of time before Chris picked up a nickname from his fellow campers.
Whenever Chris was on the field you could hear his teammates yelling out "Dybala! Dybala!" This nickname came to life after noticing the similarities between Chris and his favorite soccer player, Paulo Dybala.
It wasn't surprising to see the 9 year-old practicing with the middle school boys by the third day of camp. Despite the difference in heights, Chris' skill level fit right in with the older boys.
The ease Chris has to make friends is thanks to his participation in DC SCORES at Bancroft Elementary School, which is like a second family to him. Every time someone mentions Bancroft, he speaks so fondly of all the school staff, his coach, and his teammates.
It's hard not to gravitate toward a kid that is so willing to learn and help out his fellow teammates. Chris wasn't one to hesitate to pass the ball to his friends on the field. He always had a cool head during games and was a trusted player by all.
A true leader on the field.
That's how Keith Tucker, former Howard University and Bermuda National team head coach, describes Chris. "He's the kind of guy you want on your team. The kind that brings the best out of his teammates," said Tucker.
This was Chris' first time at a DC SCORES summer camp, but it definitely won't be his last thanks to all the fun memories he made with his new friends and coaches.
DC SCORES hosted a two-week long soccer camp at Tubman Elementary School. Rising third to ninth grade students participated in this free summer camp from June 26 - July 7.
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Written by Lorena Palacios Communications Intern (View our 2017 Summer Camp photo album)
Over the course of two weeks, kids from all over Washington D.C. got together at Tubman Elementary School for one of three DC SCORES summer camps.
The Tubman Toads' soccer field hosted new campers and coaches, as well as returning participants that love being a part of summer SCORES. During four hours every day, kids had the opportunity to meet new people, practice and improve their soccer skills, and most importantly, have fun.
Throughout the first week of camp, the drills focused on ball control and the skill quality improved every day. It was incredible to see how the kids grew more and more comfortable during games and with their teammates during camp. The level of play within every level increased thanks to the support of the camp coaches.
As much as the campers enjoyed the drills, there was no denying the huge smiles on their faces when they played scrimmages with each other.
From the middle school kids with the most experience to the rising third graders that have never touched a ball before, the amount of support shown throughout the two weeks was incredible to witness. As the team bonds grew stronger, the last couple days of camp had a sense of nostalgia. For many kids in the city, this soccer camp was the highlight of their summer, and it was soon coming to an end.
Following tradition, the last day of camp consisted of a BBQ for the whole community where campers, coaches, staff, and families had the opportunity to come together to celebrate another successful camp.
For the campers, their efforts of working together as a team were tested during the most important game of the summer, the coaches vs. campers game!
No team of campers has ever won a game against the coaches, EVER, and this time was no different. Even though the coaches continue their reign as summer camp champs, the kids came close in some instances which demonstrates the teamwork they built.
Thanks to this special opportunity that DC SCORES provides, kids that arrived as complete strangers, built teams and friendships that will go beyond their time on the field at Tubman.
The 15th Annual DC SCORES Cup lived up to its billing as the largest in the tournament's history.
With more than 10 new companies in the mix, 40 teams participated in the DC area's largest corporate charity soccer tournament and raised $170,000 in support of DC SCORES. The 40 teams was eight more than the previous record number of participating companies and law firms.
On what turned out to be a beautiful, sunny Saturday, more than 600 people of various soccer skill levels and ages played 112 soccer games across 10 fields at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. The teams were split into four brackets, giving each company a catered experience.
Those into being super competitive got their wish, with Clark Construction winning the division. Grant Thornton took home the new Intermediate Division championship. Capital for Children won the Casual Division. And Arnold & Porter Kay Scholer was victorious in the first year of the Law Firms Division.
A big thank you to Subway, which sponsored lunch for the second consecutive year. DrinkMore Water provided all the hydration needed. And KRā electrolyte drinks provided free samples throughout the afternoon and cases of its replenishing beverage to the teams who pushed on to the playoffs -- playing their sixth or even seventh game.
D.C. United mascot Talon made an appearance, walking the grounds and posing for photos with the teams. And thanks to DC's Major League Soccer team -- which also brought a staff team to the Cup -- every participant received a ticket to the July 22 D.C. United game which will be preceded by a large DC SCORES tailgate, too.
From the legacy teams that have participated in every DC SCORES Cup -- Marriott, Hogan Lovells US LLP and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP -- to the new teams, the 15th version of the event was the most successful ever as DC's most prominent soccer tournament for charity continues to grow.
The camps are FREE to all DC kids who are within the age eligibility range. This is a great opportunity for kids that are not full-year DC SCORES poet-athletes to experience one of the best summer camp experiences in the city!
During summer SCORES, our goal is to create a fun and welcoming environment for kids during the summer months that keeps their minds and bodies in good shape. All the camp activities are led by expert coaches that are trained in soccer and positive youth development. We provide all participants with a t-shirt and at least one meal every day of camp.
Our camps offer a unique opportunity for kids from all different parts of the city to come together and build long-lasting friendships!
The summer months are a critical period for low-income youth due to their lack of activity when not in school. Kids that don't have the resources to attend tradition summer camps often struggle with learning loss once classes resume.
DC SCORES offers a solution to this issue by giving kids the confidence and skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and in life.
Take a look at our summer camp photos and don't forget to check out our highlight video below from last year to see what summer SCORES is all about!
Follow the hashtag #summerSCORES and our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts to stay updated on our summer!
