America SCORES: Write. Play. Achieve.

National Poetry SLAM! 2011

2011-03-31T17:22:00.000-04:00

The America SCORES 5th Annual National Poetry SLAM! 2011 is just around the corner!

2 poet-athletes from each of our SCORES cities have been selected to come to Harlem's World Famous Apollo Theater in New York City on Monday, April 11th to recite their original poetry to an audience of family, friends and supporters. Martha Reeves, of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recording group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, will be this year's host. Their hits include "Dancing in the Street" and "Heatwave." This year's Honoree is Kathy Carter, President of Soccer United Marketing. Carter oversees commercial and marketing aspects of the business for Major League Soccer's commercial subsidiary. She also serves as the US representative on FIFA's Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women's World Cup. Carter is the recipient of both the SportsBusiness Journal and Crain's New York Business Under 40 awards, as well as the 2009 Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Award.

We have so many exciting things planned for the upcoming SLAM!

A VIP cocktail reception will starting at 6 PM will precede the evenings performances.

A Silent Auction will take place featured some great items such as a Vespa, a stay at a vacation home in Cape Cod, MA, tickets to see the New York Mets play, tickets to Memphis!, a Broadway show, handbags, a round of golf, and much much more!

This past year's ASCAP Songwriter Residency at America SCORES featured the Philadelphia based band The Great Unknown in 5 of our SCORES cities! The CD of music the wrote and recorded with our poet-athletes will be released at the SLAM! and the band and the kids will perform the song "Decomposers and Producers," co-written by The Great Unknown and the kids of America SCORES New York.

Post-SLAM! Dessert Reception!

But the most important thing about the SLAM! is our poet-athletes. SCORES kids write over 20,000 poems each year, and 2 students from each SCORES city are selected to perform at the National Poetry SLAM! They will spend the weekend in New York doing various fun activities such as playing soccer in Central Park, visiting museums and sight-seeing. Their stay in New York City will culminate on Monday night as they take the stage at the Apollo Theater and recite their poetry to an audience of hundreds. With family, friends and supporters cheering them on, it is sure to be an unforgettable night for everyone involved.

America SCORES would love to see you at the 5th Annual National Poetry SLAM! For more information and tickets, please click here.

www.AmericaSCORES.org

One Pass At a Time!

2010-11-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

Join the America SCORES “One Pass at a Time” Challenge!

YOU can introduce us to 10,000 new supporters by January 1^st.

In return, we will introduce you to 6,000 kids all around the country who are actively fighting obesity, improving their writing skills, and becoming agents of change in their communities: http://onepass.kintera.org

ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES

2010-10-28T10:18:00.001-04:00

The ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES has been underway for the past two weeks.

The Great Unknown, an alt-folk band from Philadelphia, kicked off the program in Washington DC last week. This week they worked with the SCORES kids in Cleveland, and they’ll be moving on Milwaukee, Boston and New York in the coming weeks.

The residency is a unique program in which accomplished music artists visit a SCORES school for three days, conducting songwriting sessions. In the first day days, the band and the SCORES kids collaborate and write an original song. On the third day, they go into a professional studio and record their work. ASCAP creates a CD at the end of the program and distributes it to the schools, to SCORES sites, to the students, and throughout the music industry.

Stay in touch to see videos, pictures and hear recordings from this year's ASCAP Residency!

Check out the ASCAP Residency on Facebook, where you can see photos and videos from past and present years, and a full schedule of the artists for this year:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/ASCAP-Songwriter-Residency-America-SCORES/165537112388

Be sure to watch these AMAZING videos of the Great Unknown in DC and Cleveland:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWFRKz5J1v0

http://www.youtube.com/user/SCORESCleveland#p/u/0/Tp0YZuUFmKc

Visit the Great Unknown’s website, where you can listen to recordings:

http://thegreatunknownmusic.com/

Listen to songs from previous years on Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/ascapatamericascores

MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP Contest

2010-08-25T13:19:00.000-04:00

Major League Soccer and The Home Depot are teaming up to recognize Community MVPs from each MLS city.

From July 1st to September 17th, MLS fans throughout the League will have the opportunity to nominate individuals who go above and beyond to make a difference in their community. This is a great opportunity to recognize the incredible work of our coaches and community partners!

Winners from each city will receive local prizes including VIP tickets to MLS games. The Grand Prize winner receives a round trip to the 2010 MLS Cup in Toronto, Ontario.

To learn more, or to nominate a coach, click here.

America SCORES featured in Wall Street Journal and Newsday!

2010-08-15T11:15:00.000-04:00

In the July 27th Wall Street Journal article below, John Harkes explains the importance of programs like America SCORES in cultivating not only a passion for soccer, but for living healthy lifestyles. This article was later featured in Newsday, a New York City publication.

American Soccer Beyond the World Cup
By John Harkes

Soccer has always been more popular outside of the United States. We have seen pictures of diehard fans crowding Old Trafford in Manchester or waving scarves for their beloved team at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, their faces proudly painted.

True, Americans came out in droves to watch the World Cup in South Africa. They packed bars, held viewing parties, watched games during work hours, and poured over the kind of bracket pools usually reserved for March Madness. The millions who followed Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and their teammates speak volumes about the sport's continued growth here. But if the past is any indicator, the love will not last. The question remains, what do our friends abroad know that we do not?

Abroad, they know the game is about more than victors and losers. They know the sport has changed lives in the unlikeliest of places. The deep fandom that soccer inspires has superceded racial and ethnic conflict, economic hardship and political strife. We have seen its transformative potential play out in poor communities, bringing messages such as HIV awareness to Africa.

In the poorest of places throughout the world, the youngest of kids can be found kicking cans towards makeshift goals. In the process they acquire sportsmanship, leadership and commitment. Whether it is learning to pass the ball when you could as easily shoot a goal, or shaking hands at the end of a contentious match, soccer teaches life skills. Is this not something America needs, too?

As the U.S. team's loss to Ghana sunk in, we all read the articles calling for players with better skills. While I agree with the call for a wider pipeline of players, it makes me wonder if we are missing the most important point.

Though the fight against obesity has been waged nationally by powerful people such as the first lady, school districts everywhere are being forced to cut physical education. For children to have a chance at a healthy lifestyle, it's imperative that organized sports like soccer are recognized not just as recreational activities but as educational tools to promote physical health, academics and social skills.

I've seen this strategy in action as a board member of the national after-school program America SCORES, which has been using soccer successfully for more than a decade to empower students in the nation's most under-resourced school districts. The program uses soccer as a method to provide students, ages 8 to 13, 10 times more physical exercise than the national average for their age, improve literacy skills, increase school participation, and spark community engagement by encouraging kids to use teamwork learned on the field to support each other off of it.

Though this structured soccer development opportunity could increase our chances of cultivating an American David Villa, don't leadership, cooperation, public service and fitness matter more in the long term for our nation than one more World Cup win?
Soccer has power, and not just every four years. Programs like America SCORES should be rolled out in every tough town in the country. The social benefits I've witnessed could impact the entire nation.

So let's explore the real potential of soccer today. Introduce soccer to your children. Get out to your next local MLS game. Get an America SCORES program into your kid's school, or better yet, the one down the road that needs it even more.

Mr. Harkes, an ESPN broadcast analyst, is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and on the board of America SCORES.

Women's Networking Event at Madison Square Garden!

2010-08-12T12:08:00.002-04:00

America SCORES is hosting our First Annual 'Goals for Life' event at Madison Square Garden on August 22nd. We are teaming up with the NY Liberty WNBA basketball team to offer a corporate women's soccer challenge (5 female players to a team) on center court, a panel discussion with female executives from the tri-state area, a networking luncheon, and tickets to the Liberty Game that afternoon.

A women's empowerment event, celebrating the city's most successful, career-driven, and active women.

Our goal is to bring together employees to spend quality time out of the office together, engage in a high-level networking opportunity, and generate awareness for gender equity in the workplace and childhood education in the city.

The panel will discuss "Defining the Successful Woman: A Practical Discussion About Life's Juggling Act."

Panel Members:

Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
Diahann Billings-Burford, Chief Service OfficerNYC
Leslie Bennetts, Author of NYT Bestseller THE FEMININE MISTAKE: Are We Giving Up Too Much?
Rachel Jacobson, SVP of Business Development forthe NBA
Lindsay Bucha Bernsohn, Columnist WashingtonPost & CNBC Commentator

We are looking for more teams to participate in this exciting event-- please contact Katie Drame at kdrame [at] americascores [dot] org for more information about how to get involved.

Where & When:

Date: August 22, 2010

Location:Madison Square Garden

Time:

11:00am Corporate Soccer Skills Challenge (Center Court)
1:00 pm VIP Panel Discussion / Snacks (Center Court)
2:00 pm Luncheon and Networking (Garden Room: Upstairs
4:00 pm Tickets to the NY Liberty vs. Connecticut Sun

World Cup Update #8: Home again!

2010-07-05T15:39:00.001-04:00

Greetings from New York! It’s hard to believe that I’m already home and that the World Cup final is less than a week away. Like my trip, this tournament has flown by!

After a 20+ hour flight from Johannesburg to New York, it was good to be back in my apartment and at work…though I have to admit that I miss South Africa like crazy! It was such an amazing experience, and I’m glad I got to share it with you all here on the blog.

It’s been fun to watch the games here with my friends and colleagues…all of the quarterfinals were so dramatic, between a comeback victory from the Netherlands, penalty kick craziness for Uruguay, Germany’s drubbing of Argentina (I miss Messi already!), and Spain’s patience that paid off with a late goal to send them through. After two rest days (seriously, I wonder what I did with my life before I watched at least 1 game a day!) the semi-finals kick off tomorrow…any predictions?

I’m hoping for a Netherlands vs. Spain final:)

Here at SCORES, we’re just a couple of weeks away from the official launch of the voting period for the Best Buy @15 campaign, so get the teens in your life mobilized for that! Also, there are tons of SCORES events celebrating the last week of the World Cup around the country, so don’t forget to look out for something in your city.

Thanks for reading, and have fun with the games this week!

Caitlin

World Cup Update #7: SCORES goes to Soweto!

2010-06-30T18:00:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Johannesburg!

On my last day in South Africa, I got the chance to go with my sister to the first day of a Skillz Holiday Camp (Grassroot Soccer’s school break camp that combines soccer and life skills) in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Soweto has a long, conflicted history in South Africa and is one of the most visible symbols of how apartheid impacted–and how its legacy continues to shape–the country. The name is an acronym for the full designation of the area: South West Township. Though the site has a long history of housing black South Africans, it officially became Soweto in the 1960′s. You can find great histories of the region online, but the short summary is that the white-led government decided to create specific areas–located in less desirable places without resources or services–for black people to live. To do so, they evicted millions of people and forcibly removed them to places like Soweto. Both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived in Soweto, and it was also the site of a massive uprising of young people in the 1976.

Today, Soweto is home to over one million people, and is a study in contrast. Some residents–the population is still overwhelmingly black–live in corrugated metal shacks, while others have built huge mansions. The emergence of a stable middle class and a small but powerful elite in Soweto is an indication of the strong community that has been built in this area. Dealt a horrible hand by their own country’s government, the residents of Soweto have had to develop their own services, institutions, and routines of daily life.

I hope that brief history can provide some context for my day in the community, which was one of my favorite parts of my trip! We arrived early to a primary school within site of the Orlando Pirates stadium (the hugely popular soccer team from Soweto) and started to get set-up. The camp runs for 5 days a week from 9am-3pm, and the kids eat two meals, play soccer, and participate in activities that teach about HIV/AIDS. The coaches are all members of the Soweto community, and they serve as powerful role models for the young people involved in the program.

The highlight of the day was helping run soccer activities in the morning as kids arrived. We were out on the blacktop, with 10 cones and 4 balls (one with a hole in it!) for about 50 kids. Here at SCORES we love soccer in whatever form it comes–especially when it takes extra effort to think about how you’re going to keep every kid engaged and active! My sister and I ran dribbling and passing activities, with some heading and chest passes (the chest pass is popular since all the pro players have been using it here in the World Cup) thrown in for good measure. Dressed in my SCORES shirt, I was so proud to be running and playing around with kids who love soccer so much. It’s winter here in South Africa, so we were all a little chilly, but nothing could dampen our spirits! We finished with a lot of high fives and thumbs up, the universal symbols of a job well done:)

Then it was time for the HIV/AIDS education part of the day. We went through activities that challenged the kids to work as a team, break-down the myths of HIV, and hear from their coaches about how the virus impacts families, schools, and communities. It was inspiring to sit amongst these young people–many of whom, in a country where almost 30% of the population is HIV-positive, have first-hand experiences with the disease–while they shared their opinions, learned more facts about how to be safe and healthy, and bonded as a team. I felt humbled and honored to be welcomed as a guest into this very special place.

By the end of the day, I couldn’t have imagined leaving South Africa without visiting Soweto. I love soccer and could watch elite-level games forever. At the end of the day, though, for me it’s all about practicing Messi’s latest move with a few kids on the blacktop with a busted soccer ball, or celebrating with a team after their brilliant goal–scored not into the net of a stadium, but instead through the cones of their schoolyard.

And that’s what we do here at SCORES. We celebrate that there are people doing the same work around the world, just as we celebrate the World Cup in all its glory. We cheer on the children we get to work with who start out loving soccer and end up being poets, leaders, scholars, and all of the other amazing things that we see our students do.

We do what we do for them. I hope you will join us.

Best,

Caitlin

PS Sorry about the lack of pictures…I was so engrossed in camp that I forgot to take out my camera!

World Cup Update #6: Last Game in South Africa

2010-06-30T15:37:00.000-04:00

Hello!

My time here at the World Cup is coming to an end, but before I head home, I wanted to tell you about the last live game I attended.

After the US-Ghana game, we headed (dejectedly, to be totally honest) back to Pretoria, the judicial capitol of South Africa, where we stayed with friends. The next morning, still feeling bummed about the game but starting to rebound, we drove to Bloemfontein to see the Germany-England second round game. It’s totally crazy that this match-up was happening in the Round of 16…in the past, these teams would have met in a semifinal or championship game! They both have such amazing soccer cultures, and their supporters ranked as some of the most experienced, passionate, and talented (at least vocally) that I met throughout the tournament. The English fans draped the tiers of the stadium in flags and sang nearly nonstop throughout the whole game, and the Germans cheered and blew vuvuzelas for 90 minutes…no joke.

Fans at the Germany-England game

Both teams looked good, but the Germans ended up running away with things. I’m not here to question reffing decisions, though I do think it would have been a different game if England’s 2nd goal in the first half had been counted (I was sitting behind the goal on that side, and it certainly looked like it crossed the line to me!). The Germans were SO excited and I think will be very competitive in their quarterfinal game. The English went home very disappointed, and I know that the media back in England are having a field day analyzing team’s results.

Watching these two teams of professionals play, through the highs and lows of scoring, questionable ref decisions, and an uneven final result, reminded me of the time I spend with our SCORES kids here in the States, albeit at a completely different level. All players have to deal with games that don’t go their way, with officials who see things differently, and with final scores that may be difficult to stomach. We spend a lot of time helping our young people identify ways to use soccer as a outlet, and to turn all of the different parts of the game into learning experiences. Learning how to lose with grace, though hard, is essential to success in life, and it was gratifying to see how a group of elite athletes could do this in an incredibly disappointing situation.

Now that all of the Round of 16 games are over, I think that the quarterfinals are going to be absolutely amazing. The teams left in the tournament are brilliant, to say the least.

Pregame festivities at the England-Germany game

I hope you’ll be able to join your local SCORES sites for the last two weeks of the tournament!

Best,

Caitlin

World Cup Update #5: Where to begin?

2010-06-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

Hi!

Wow, sorry for the delay in posts! Basically, as my travel and live game attendance increased, my access to internet (and opportunity to sleep!) decreased significantly. It’s been an amazing few days, so hopefully I can sum it all up for you here.

On Friday afternoon, my sister and I went to see Portugal and Brazil play in Durban. Durban is an awesome city, with a vibrant Indian population, great food, wonderful beaches, and a beautiful stadium (if you’ve been watching on TV, it’s the one with the huge arch running above the playing field). Two other fun facts about Durban are that Ghandi worked there as a lawyer for many years, and that the little man in the walk signs at downtown intersections actually walks when it turns green (yes, I thought that was cool!).

The dramatic Durban Stadium

The game between Portugal and Brazil was relatively low-key on the field, given that both teams were already assured spots in the next round. However, the fans were amazing once again! The entire stadium was blanketed in green/red and yellow fans, all yelling in Portuguese (just like the US/England game, this one had some special significance!), waving the flags of their countries, and blowing their vuvuzelas. Cristiano Ronaldo is a wonderfully dynamic player, and the Brazilian players are highly skilled and created some great chances.

Brazilian fans unfurl a huge team jersey during their National Anthem!

Immediately following the game, our epic trip to Rustenburg began! It was time to cheer on the USA:) We traveled by mini-bus with some other US fans, and spent the day analyzing the team’s chances, buying facepaint and other accessories, and generally getting pumped.

As we walked into the Rustenburg stadium (did you know that 70% of the world’s platinum comes from Rustenburg?) it was amazing to see how many Americans and Ghanaians had traveled to cheer on their teams. People were decked out in the colors of the two countries, and when the teams came out for warm-ups they both made sure to acknowledge the fans with waves and applause.

Cheering for Team USA!

Thus far in this World Cup, I’ve always had a team to root for when we’ve watched games (I usually root for the underdog, just because I’d love to see a country win that has never done so before!). However, nothing compares to watching the USA team walk onto the field, hearing our national anthem, and cheering on players who grew up playing soccer on some of the same fields that I did. My sister and I were fully dressed in face paint, flags, and other red/white/blue clothing (I was wearing my SCORES shirt!), and we nearly lost our voices cheering.

Well, by now we’ve all seen the game, and it wasn’t the result any US fans were looking for. It was disappointing to see the US go out of the tournament, but I wouldn’t have traded the experience of being there for anything. If they were going to lose to any team, I would hope the US would lose to Ghana, who is the only remaining African team in the World Cup. At the end of the game, one of the Ghanaian players took a lap of the stadium holding a South African flag, which was super classy and an indication of how Ghana sees itself as representing the continent during the rest of the tournament. That’s the kind of sportsmanship that seems to happen all of the time here at the World Cup!

More to come on my last few days in SA soon!

Happy viewing…I can’t believe it’s already time for the quarterfinals!

Caitlin

World Cup Update #4: Going to the USA game!

2010-06-25T13:16:00.001-04:00

This is going to be a quick one, but just wanted to let you all know that I’ve managed to get my hands on tickets to the USA-Ghana 2nd round game tomorrow night in Rustenburg! I am SO excited:) And now I’ll have lots to blog post-game, so check back later this weekend for a full report.

Here’s my current schedule:

Today – Brazil vs. Portugal

Tomorrow – USA vs. Ghana

Sunday – Germany vs. England

GO USA!!

World Cup Update #3: The excitement continues…

2010-06-24T17:56:00.003-04:00

The past two days have been my favorites so far during my World Cup adventure…never before have I felt so connected to the worldwide soccer community!

On Tuesday I woke up to the sound of vuvuzelas, which was understandable because it was the day of the South Africa-France group match! The entire country was outfitted in the green and gold of Bafana Bafana, with seemingly everyone ready to cheer on their team. I had the great honor of attending the game with a group of students in the Grassroot Soccer program from Richmond, Northern Cape, where my sister has worked and lived all year. Standing next to these young people while they belted out the South African national anthem (which has lines in 4 different languages!) before the game was awe-inspiring. They come from a community with a population that is less than half that of the capacity of the Bloemfontein stadium; poverty and the challenges of HIV/AIDS are part of daily life. For them, the chance to watch their country—a place that has come so far in the last two decades, and still faces a hard road ahead—was something that I know they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.

South Africa was on the brink of elimination, and they played an outstanding game. Both of their two goals were followed by massive celebrations around the stadium in Bloem. My kids were beside themselves, hugging each other and blasting their vuvuzelas. Unfortunately, with the result of the other group game, South Africa did not advance to the next round. For the South Africans in the stadium, though, you wouldn’t have known. Their support of their team was unconditional. I was inspired by the game and the support that Bafana Bafana received from their country. It once again proved that sports and teams can become common ground for people who otherwise have little in common, and unity is something that South Africa is still building after years of apartheid.

Right after the South Africa game, my sister and I traveled to Durban, which is on the Indian Ocean on South Africa’s East Coast (add another ocean and a few hundred kilometers to my list!). After days of cold weather, it was great to arrive in Durban’s balmy and humid climate on Wednesday morning!

Our goal for the day was to get to the Fan Fest to watch the USA-Algeria game. Once again, FIFA came through with a great location for the public viewing area: the screen was set up on the beach! Thus, feet in the sand, we settled in beside a huge group of Americans for the action.

And what a game it was! Seriously, the US had so many chances and kept it exciting until the very end. I have to admit that the atmosphere was pretty tense as the minutes ticked down, but then when Landon Donovan scored in injury time the place went CRAZY! There were Americans everywhere, jumping up and down, cheering, and celebrating—it was so special to be able to share the excitement, even though we were thousands of miles away from the US. With the win, the US advances to the next round, where they will meet the 2^nd place finisher of Group D. I’m excited to keep following them as they continue their success in this World Cup.

As I write this, I’m watching the Germany-Ghana game which will determine the final standings of Group D (not sure if you’ve heard this, but this game is the first in which brothers have faced each other in a World Cup game—one on Germany and one on Ghana, both starters!). We have tickets to the Brazil-Portugal game here in Durban on Friday, and then we’ll see England and one of the Group D teams in the Round of 16 on Sunday back in Bloem.

I hope that you are all enjoying the games back in the US, and that you’re celebrating this amazing tournament with America SCORES! As I watch all of this soccer, I feel so lucky to work for an organization like SCORES that introduces kids to such an amazing sport.

Happy viewing, and good luck to the USA in their 2^nd round game!

-Caitlin

World Cup Update #2: 24-7 Soccer (with a few other adventures thrown in)!

2010-06-21T13:03:00.002-04:00

Hi! Sorry for the delay between posts…it’s been an amazing few days and I haven’t had a chance to sit down at the computer until now. The last few group round matches are happening this week, so it’s an exciting time here in South Africa!

Since I last posted, I’ve watched an average of 2-3 soccer games per day on TV, with another live match thrown in. I’ve also traveled over 3,500 kilometers by bus, seen the Atlantic Ocean, cheered on Team USA until my voice was gone, and met countless people from around the world. Here’s a little summary of what’s going on!

My 2^nd live match was at the stadium in Bloemfontein again, where we saw Greece play Nigeria. Both teams had great fans in attendance, and we were seated near the Greeks (think a lot of blue and white clothing and cheers of “HELLAS!”). It was another beautiful day in Bloem, marred only by a red card given out to one of the Nigerian players for kicking an opponent before a throw in. I’ve seen a lot of great sportsmanship here, but that can’t be included. It was unfortunate, because Nigeria was playing really well, but ended up losing by 1 goal.

Although they aren’t high in the world rankings, the South Africans are certainly one of the most high-profile teams here. As the hosts, there are a lot of expectations on the team to perform well, and it seems like the entire country walks around in gold and green “Bafana Bafana” jerseys with South African flags proudly displayed on their cars. They lost to Uruguay last week (with a VERY questionable red card given to their goalie at the end of the game) which hurt their chances of advancing, but I’m hopeful that they can still pull out a miracle. I’ll be there tomorrow in person to watch them play France in Bloem, and I can’t wait. The stadium is going to be packed with vuvuzela-blowing (that’s the super-loud plastic horn that everyone has here—you’ve probably heard the din if you’ve watched any games on TV), Bafana-supporting fans!

My sister and I also traveled to Cape Town, which ranks pretty high on my list of beautiful cities. With the ocean on one side and Table Mountain on the other, the scenery is stunning. We arrived just in time to watch the USA take on Slovenia (on TV), and, wow, what a game! The Americans definitely got themselves into quite a hole in the first half, but I was super impressed by the heart they showed to come back from behind. Landon Donovan’s goal almost took the Slovenian goalie’s head off, and really kick-started the comeback. As a USA fan, I personally thought they should have won, but…;) We’ll be in Durban to cheer them on as they take on Algeria later this week.

While we were in Cape Town we also went to the official FIFA Fan Fest, which was a free, outdoor festival with huge screens set up so that everyone could watch the games. It was located in the Grand Parade, an important historical location for South Africa—it was here that Nelson Mandela spoke to thousands of people after his release from prison (if you’ve seen the movie Invictus, you would recognize it). I loved the Fan Fest because it was another example of how passionate people are about their countries, and how excited they are to share those passions with others, even if they are opposing fans! You can’t go far here without seeing supporters wearing the most amazing outfits (flags, face paint, wigs, etc.) and posing for photos with other like-dressed people from other countries. The action on the field may be intense, but off the field it’s one big soccer party!

I hope that you are all enjoying the tournament back in the States—I know that there are lots of SCORES events going on, and don’t forget about our Best Buy @15 campaign as well. It’s such a great time to celebrate soccer and the opportunities that all kids get to play the game, and I hope you’ll get on board with Team SCORES as you cheer on the best players in the world.

Happy viewing!

-Caitlin

World Cup Update: Have awesome fan outfit, will travel!

2010-06-16T12:27:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, this blog title doesn’t refer to me…I decided not to travel in my orange wig, Holland jersey, and white linen trousers, with a Netherlands flag tied around my neck. HOWEVER, it is how most of the people in my section were dressed on my flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg. One even had a bullhorn that alternated between playing the Dutch national anthem and broadcasting his (loud) voice to lead team cheers. It was awesome!

But before we get into the great fans I’ve met so far, let’s start at the beginning.

Before jetting out, I caught the first half of the US-England game at South Street Seaport in NYC. It was packed with supporters of both teams, and a great place to watch!

Then, bags in tow, I set off to Amsterdam, where I was lucky enough to meet up with a huge group of Dutch fans headed down to see their beloved team play Denmark the next day. I’ll have pictures in a few days of their amazing outfits, but for now, think lots and lots of orange. Everywhere. The Dutch love their footballers, and they definitely got me in the World Cup spirit.

After a quick night in Johannesburg, I was off to Bloemfontein, where I was to see Cameroon take on Japan. And the Japanese fans were not going to be outdone by the Dutch! They too were sporting wigs, flags, hats, facepaint, and the like.

Bloemfontein–known as the City of Roses–is the capital of the Free State in South Africa and its soccer stadium holds approximately 45,000 people. Before the game, the Japanese and Cameroonian fans celebrated outside. My favorite sight was watching groups of fans from the 2 countries come together to take photos and wish each other luck. Just one example of how soccer really is bringing the world together!

I got to attend the game with my sister and some of the young people from her program, Grassroot Soccer. They do HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention here in South Africa (and beyond) using soccer, and it was great to see her and get to meet some of her co-workers and kids. They were SO excited to see the match!

Our seats were right behind the goal, which was amazing! Seriously, we couldn’t have asked for a better spot. It was a hard fought game, and the stadium was full of vuvuzelas (the famous South African plastic horn), dances, and flags. Both teams looked sharp (the Cameroonian right back was my player of the match for his ability to play defense and join in the attack), but Japan struck first and scored the game’s only goal. We really thought Cameroon was going to get one at the end, but no such luck.

As we walked through the parking lot to get to our bus, the Grassroot Soccer kids got a chance to meet and get their picture taken with some Japanese fans, and–just like that–we had an instant cultural exchange. For me, that’s what makes the World Cup more than just a sporting event: it’s a time when everyone gets to come together and share their love of the sport with new people. It was a sight to remember!

Today, we’re hanging out in my sister’s house in the Northern Cape Province, and it is cold. Like snow-on-the-ground, snowman-outside-the-supermarket cold. So quite a change from summery New York!

I’ll be checking in after our next game, which is Greece-Nigeria on Thursday. Until then, don’t forget to check out all of the awesome SCORES events going on around the country, and check out our Best Buy @15 campaign as well!

Happy Viewing,

Caitlin

http://americascoresworldcup.wordpress.com

Welcome! Caitlin's first World Cup post

2010-06-09T12:24:00.001-04:00

Each day around the country, thousands of America SCORES poet-athletes lace up their shoes and take the field to play soccer. And while they may not know it, they are part of an international phenomenon: across the globe, hundreds of millions of people play the game.

Every four years, all of these soccer players and fans come together to celebrate their sport at the World Cup, arguably the greatest team sporting event on earth. For over a month, teams representing their countries battle it out to see who is best, with plenty of drama, heroics, and bravery thrown in.

My name is Caitlin Barrett, and I am the National Soccer Director at America SCORES. We’ve decided to commemorate the 2010 World Cup in style here at SCORES, and this site will be your ultimate destination for all related information. In addition to news about local viewing parties and fundraising events, I’ll also be blogging live from the tournament for two weeks in June.

My blog won’t just cover all of the nuts and bolts of the soccer side of things. During my time abroad, I’ll also be looking at the social aspects of the tournament: How is soccer bringing people together? What is South Africa doing to welcome the world? Who amongst the world’s greatest players is demonstrating the SCORES values of teamwork, leadership, and commitment?

We’re so excited to celebrate this event with you, and we hope you’ll come along for the ride with us. Keep checking back for more news and information as the tournament progresses.

Happy Viewing!

http://americascoresworldcup.wordpress.com

Introducing: The America SCORES World Cup Blog!

2010-06-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

Our National Soccer Director and New York Site Director Caitlin Barrett is heading to South Africa to see the World Cup. While she’s there, she will be blogging at: http://americascoresworldcup.wordpress.com

We will also share her thoughts here.

What you will find on the blog:

Posts from Caitlin's experience in South Africa
World Cup activities for kids
Parent activities- teach kids health lessons through soccer
Posts from America SCORES Staff across the country on ways to engage with the World Cup
Links to other information on the World Cup, Soccer, Literacy, and Health
Information on World Cup events and viewing parties across the country

We'll be posting through the entire World Cup, so keep checking back for updates!

America SCORES Shortlisted for the Beyond Sport Awards!

2010-06-04T17:53:00.000-04:00

Beyond Sport is a global organization that promotes, develops and funds the use of sports to create positive social change across the world. Each year, they invite all sports-based organizations to apply for various community awards. In April, the National Office applied for the Beyond Sport UNICEF Sport for Education Award. This week, we received news that America SCORES is among three global organizations, and is the only US nonprofit, shortlisted for this award category.

Shortlisted entries receive:
• A free invitation to the Beyond Sport Summit on September 27-30 in Chicago
• Flights to and accommodation during the Summit
• Access to Beyond Sport's global network of international sports organizations, company leaders, and influential political figures
• Opportunities for business mentoring and to become members of the most influential group of social entrepreneurs ever assembled around sport

The winners of the six Beyond Sport Community Awards will be announced during the Summit, will receive a minimum of £10,000 (~$14,700) funding each. They will also receive a package of substantial business support to enable them to move forward and become fully sustainable in the future.

For the full press release and list of shortlisted organizations, click here.

America SCORES Recognized by White House in the Fight against Childhood Obesity

2010-05-27T16:55:00.005-04:00

In February, First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the "Let's Move!" campaign, her plan to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. Joining in this effort, President Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity to create a multi-faceted strategy for ending childhood obesity in the United States.

This month, the White House Task Force presented a report to the President entitled, "Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity." On page 76 of this comprehensive action plan in a section on the importance of after-school activities, America SCORES was featured. Discussing an evaluation conducted by our Bay Area affiliate, the Task Force's report highlighted that America SCORES is effective in fighting childhood obesity for urban youth.

From the Task Force Report:

"Soccer as a Building Block for Learning: America SCORES is an after-school program that combines soccer, creative writing, and service learning. With affiliates across the country, a pilot study of the America SCORES Bay Area in San Francisco showed that participants in the program had statistically significant lowering of BMI. An unpublished national evaluation also showed that participants had an increased level of physical activity, increased reporting of feelings of self-confidence, self-efficacy, and enjoyment in learning, increased reporting of reading enjoyment and longer time reading independently, and gains in writing achievement."

For a link to the full report from the White House, click here.

America SCORES applauds the First Lady's campaign to fight against childhood obesity. We are honored to be included in her efforts to end this epidemic within a generation.

For more information about Let's Move, click here.

To learn more about how America SCORES fights obesity, click here.

Listen to songs written by our poet-athletes and ASCAP artists!

2010-05-25T17:05:00.000-04:00

The ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES was launched in 2006 to create a collaboration between songwriters and students utilizing music as a way for our poet-athletes to express themselves. Award-winning ASCAP artists teach songwriting workshops as a part of America SCORES poetry classes. By the end of three 2-hour sessions, America SCORES poet-athletes have co-written and recorded a song with the ASCAP songwriter.

Shawn Clement, a composer who worked with America SCORES poet-athletes in Los Angeles, said of the program:

This program is amazing. It's awesome to see how the students really light up and work together in a positive way. You can really see them learn and have fun at the same time. I've enjoyed working with the ASCAP/America SCORES program immensely. I wish that they had a program like this that lasted throughout the school year. It's amazing to see how it makes the kids think and create beyond their normal activity.

To listen to all the tracks from ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES Volume 3 use the player in the sidebar. For photos and videos from the creation and recording of the songs, click here. Don't forget to "like" the program on Facebook!

Special thanks to The ASCAP Foundation for bringing this amazing program to our poet-athletes!

An Unforgettable Evening- Reflecting on the National Poetry SLAM!

2010-05-19T15:45:00.002-04:00

On April 19, 2010, an audience of 300 supporters joined us in celebrating the accomplishments of our poet-athletes from around the country at our Fourth Annual National Poetry SLAM! Out of more than 4,500 elementary school students across the country, two poet-athletes from each of our fifteen affiliate cities were chosen to come to New York City with their families and perform their poetry at the New York Stock Exchange. The culmination of our fall Power of Poetry curriculum, the National Poetry SLAM! gives our poet-athletes a chance to share their voices, emotions, and experiences onstage.

As an Americorps* VISTA volunteer with the America SCORES National Office, I was involved in planning the event. It was my first year being involved in the organization, and I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as the event neared. My vision of the performances became clearer as we got closer to the event, but I was completely unprepared for the amazing performances by our talented poet-athletes.

At the National Poetry SLAM! , I was repeatedly blown away by the energy, resilience, and creativity of our poet-athletes as they bravely stood onstage to share their poems with the audience. Each poem was unique, ranging from moving expressions of personal struggles to silly to inspirational and hopeful. I loved too many of the poems to pick just one favorite, but here are some of the many highlights. Silly poems included one boy’s thoughts about turning into a pencil and Gonzalo’s hysterical overview of the balloon boy incident (“The story was AMAAAZING. A boy? In a balloon?”). More serious poems spoke of crime and conflict, and one boy shared a story of his own family’s struggle with poverty and homelessness. Several poems discussed lost love, crushes, and four –year relationships between 11 year olds. Another great moment was Alec’s poem, “What big means to me,” where the poet shared that being big means having a big heart and having big dreams.

By far, the most moving event of the night was a moment that could have just as easily been a disaster. One of the girls was so nervous that she ended up having an “accident” onstage as she performed her poem. The audience was silent as she ran off stage, feeling our hearts drop with empathy and embarrassment for the little poet. We wondered what would happen—and hoped that she would be okay. Her mother and the program staff ran after her and later encouraged her to try again.

After the final group of poets finished performing, the girl came back to give a show-stopping performance. Her poem, “Hypnotize” was incredibly powerful—and her delivery was twice as strong and confident the second time around. Not only did she deliver an absolutely beautiful performance—she displayed a level of courage well beyond her years.

The entire audience rewarded her amazing performance with a standing ovation. I felt incredibly privileged and honored to share this life-changing moment for this student and so many others. It was certainly an evening that I will never forget.

National SLAM! media collection

2010-04-28T10:11:00.000-04:00

At the National Office, we're busy collecting photos, videos, and press clippings from this year's National Poetry SLAM!

Click here to see our collection of photos.

VIDEOS:
Click here and here to see videos from the SLAM! weekend.

For press about the Poetry SLAM!, including an article in the Daily News and an interview on KFOG, click here.

2010 National Poetry SLAM! a success!

2010-04-21T10:13:00.000-04:00

From Balloon Boys to blue-eyed crushes to character-defining acts of heroism, the 2010 America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! showcased just how brave and gifted our poet-athletes are. An audience of 300--made up of families, coaches, staff, and supporters--filled the New York Stock Exchange, making it a night the kids will never forget!

This year's National Poetry SLAM! was the most successful to date, raising $180,000, $55,000 more than last year and the most ever raised! All the funds from this year's SLAM! will go directly to supporting the America SCORES' mission of empowering children in cities all across America--on the soccer field, in the classroom, and in the community. In addition, we had the most parents, coaches, and families ever fly to New York, attend the event, and see their kids in action, which made for a room full of very proud spectators!

A full re-cap of the 2010 National Poetry SLAM! is coming soon. New photos, videos, and press clippings are coming in every day. Until then, we'll leave you with the current highlights.

Thank you for everything you have done to make an opportunity like this possible for our poet-athletes across the country!

Poetry SLAM! Poem of the week!

2010-04-15T17:27:00.002-04:00

In honor of the National Poetry SLAM! on Monday, here's our poem of the week:

Poetry SLAM Letter

When I get onto the stage,
I am going to feel proud and confident and
When I get up to that microphone,
I'll probably feel a little shy
Because of all the people watching us.
And I might feel a little bit stage-fright.
When I go up to that microphone
When I go and tell everyone my poem
I wrote all by myself
I will be looking at
everyone in the auditorium.
And I know SCORES and I are good writers
And good at making poems in SCORES.
And even if I am little or small
I am still good at writing poems.

Michael M., Age 9.

Our Poet-Athletes Prepare for the National Poetry SLAM!

2010-04-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Our Poet-Athletes Prepare for the National Poetry SLAM!

After Community Poetry SLAMs! across the country, two poet-athletes from each city have been chosen to come to New York City to perform at the National Poetry SLAM! For many of our participants, this will be their first trip to New York, and for some, their first time on an airplane.

On April 17th, all of the National Poetry SLAM! participants, parents and chaperones will arrive in New York City for this once-in-a-lifetime weekend. They will have the opportunity to explore the city and to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange before they get ready for the main event: performing their original poems onstage at the National Poetry SLAM!

This year, we are proud to honor Sunil Gulati, President of the US Soccer Federation and a true pioneer in bringing soccer to the United States. Among our special guests we welcome MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Dave Checketts, founder of Sports Capital Partners Worldwide and owner of Real Salt Lake and the St. Louis Blues.

We hope you can join us for this inspiring evening!

VIDEO:
During last year's National Poetry SLAM! weekend, we asked our poet-athletes and their coaches this question:"What is Poetry?"

Spread the Word!

Please help America SCORES spread the word about the amazing work of our poet-athletes.

How to help:

1. Send an email about the National Poetry SLAM! to three friends.

2. Use the "retweet" button to share on twitter, or share on facebook and other social networking sites.

Support the National Poetry SLAM!

Click here to purchase a ticket or to support this year's National Poetry SLAM!

Poem of the week!

2010-03-26T17:10:00.002-04:00

My Dove

My life is surrounded
by great peers and teachers.
My parents are my fans, cheering from the bleachers.
When I'm in the spotlight
It's like nobody's here.
I'll have so much success by the end of the year.
I'm cool, you're not.
I'm extreme, I rock.
I'm fresh like a brand new minty pack of gum.
I'm hot like a chili on your tongue.

Team Poem by Cesar Chavez Public Charter Middle School (DC)

Want "Clifford the Dog" to visit your program?

2010-03-20T17:09:00.000-04:00

Special Opportunity from the Scholastic After School Learning Program!

Scholastic After School Learning is sponsoring a sweepstakes as part of the "Clifford BE BIG" program.

Enter here by April 15th for a chance to win a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog at your program.

"BE BIG" is a national campaign that invites everyone, big and small, to take action and raise awareness for how to make the world a better place. Hoping to provide opportunities and inspiration to transform communities, the "BE BIG" campaign encourages having a "BIG spirit" and sharing, recognizing and rewarding "BIG ideas." For more information about "BE BIG," click here.

Poem of the week!

2010-03-15T17:07:00.002-04:00

I Don't Know

I don't know why dogs know how to cross the street.
I don't know why people throw trash out of their cars.
I don't know why some kids don't like soccer.
I don't know why people like to do things that are bad for them.
I don't know why people drive too fast in the street.

Ceasar 0., age 8.

Affiliate News Digest

2010-03-09T16:37:00.002-05:00

Bay Area: Bay Area is listed as a participating charity in the San Francisco Marathon! See their profile here.

Chicago: The inaugural winter season of Junior SCORES is finishing up with a game day. Starting this year with K-2 programs in two schools, the program has been very successful. Photos coming soon!

Cleveland: Cleveland's Spring SCORES Cup is coming up on March 13, where teams from 9 businesses and law firms will compete under the dome at Cleveland State University's Krenzler Field. An exciting addition to this day of soccer, Cleveland's two winning poets will perform their poems for the teams.

DC: DC recently completed a comprehensive outcomes evaluation, which shows the impact of the program on students' school engagement and physical fitness. The report was compiled after DC partnered with Symphonic Strategies, an independent consulting firm, last spring to assess the program's effectiveness over a 12-week period. The full evaluation as well as the press release can be found under the Resource Center portion of DC's website.

Denver:
As Denver prepares for its April 29th Inspired Art event, they have been keeping the blog updated with artist bios, interviews, and previews of the art. Enrollment for artists closes March 15th, and it looks like its going to be an exciting event! Tickets on sale here.

New England:
New England introduces 2 new programs, the SCORES Mentorship Program and the SCORES Alumni Program. The mentorship program provides poet-athletes with a one-on-one mentoring relationship with a college student or professional in the Boston Community. The alumni program facilitates meetings between 28 SCORES alumni that are now in high school. They meet to talk about their futures, go on college tours, and receive college counseling and other advice. More details on their blog.

New York:
New York welcomes Arway Boker, their new Coach Across America member. During her first week, Arway helped lead a very successful winter camp. The New York team trained their soccer coaches last week and will train service-learning coaches today. The entire New York team is looking forward to a great spring season!

Seattle:
This summer, the Seattle Sounders FC is hosting a SCORES Cup for Pacific Northwest corporations to raise money for Seattle. The three-part event gives corporate employees a taste of the professional soccer life, and includes a party with the Sounders, qualifiers, and the championship match on Xbox Pitch @ Qwest Field. Click here for more information.

Poem of the week!

2010-03-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

My Teachers

My teachers are the people who have helped me
Throughout English language arts, math, science and more.
They have showed me a lot of things,
I've learned from them a lot.
Sometimes they get on your nerves but they can be cool once you pay attention.

By Jaime S., age 9.

2010 National Poetry SLAM! Tickets available NOW!!

2010-03-01T16:57:00.000-05:00

On April 19, 2010, join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our poet-athletes from around the country at our Fourth Annual National Poetry SLAM! Out of more than 4,500 elementary school students across the country, two poet-athletes from each of our thirteen affiliate cities will be selected to come to New York City with their families and perform their poetry at the New York Stock Exchange. It is a unique evening full of fun, learning, humor, and inspiration. This year the Poetry SLAM! will honor Sunil Gulati, the President of the US Soccer Federation.

For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, click here.

Click here for our "What is Poetry?" video from last year's National Poetry SLAM!

Poem of the week!

2010-03-01T11:09:00.002-05:00

My Love

My love is like a big heart hugging me.
It runs and swims through all people.
It reminds me of a time when I was a small, cute baby.
It makes me feel like a heart full of warmth.
I want to give some love to the world.

Deja H., age 8.