Building Teams, Improving Lives

1224 M Street, NW Suite 200Washington, DC 20005www.DCSCORES.orgRETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

CFC #82924

DC SCORES serves 1,500 low-income youth in Washington, DC!

No event encapsulates the impact of DC SCORES like the Poetry Slam!, and December’s 17th edition was no exception. During the two-night event, students expressed themselves in front of capacity audiences. Recap, p.5

The power of poetry Healthy MeHealthy me is the best way to be!

Healthy me is strong and my bones won’t go wrong.

I eat vegetables every night and don’t drink a fattening Sprite.

The sodium is waste and vegetables you can taste.

Healthy me is a bold cold fighter.The more healthy food is the more you lose.

We are the teen, lean, healthy machine.

Healthy me is the best way to be!

Group PoemKIPP QUEST Academy

OpenI open my brain

and out came my thoughtsI open my thoughts

and out came my feelingsI open my feelings

and out came my heartI open my heart

and out came my love

Fatima D.LaSalle-Backus Education Campus

Spring 2013 Volume 14, Issue 2 *Supporters as of 2/1/2015

DC SCORES would like to thank the local and national funders who make our program a success* LEAGUE CHAMPIONCity FundU.S. Soccer Foundation TEAM CHAMPIONSMorris & Gwendolyn Cafritz FoundationD.C. Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation21st Century Community Learning Centers via DC Public Schools’ Middle School MattersEugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation SCORING CHAMPIONS Aetna FoundationClark ConstructionD.C. Commission on the Arts and HumanitiesOffice of the D.C. Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (New Communities Youth Development & Community Wellness)Lois & Richard England Family FoundationFoundation for Advancing Alcohol ResponsibilityJohn Edward Fowler Memorial FoundationHattie M. Strong FoundationVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. MVPs Herb Block FoundationCapital for ChildrenCommonweal FoundationD.C. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA)DIRECTVDistrict SportsThe Frechette Family FoundationLainoff Family FoundationThe George Preston Marshall FoundationMorningstar Philanthropic FundNews CorpsD.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)Share FundSoccer ’94TD Bank (TD Charitable Foundation) FANS Clark-Winchcole FoundationCresa Washington DCThe Andrea L. Custis Family FundCorina Higginson TrustBruce and Karen Levenson Fund

Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott FoundationMount Vernon Place United Methodist ChurchNovo Nordisk Inc.George Wasserman Family FoundationPricewaterhouseCoopersRonald McDonald House Charities(R) of Greater Washington, D.C.Venable FoundationVerizon FoundationWells Fargo FoundationWillkie Farr & Gallagher LLP SUPPORTERSThe Advisory Board CompanyALJAZEERAAlston & Bird LLPArnold & Porter LLPBingham McCutchen LLPBlackboardBooz Allen HamiltonCenturyLinkCIT GroupThe Covello FoundationCrowell & Moring FoundationDimick FoundationMax and Victoria Dreyfus FoundationGrant Thornton LLPHogan Lovells US LLPClaude and Nancy Keener Charitable FundKirkland & Ellis LLPKlausner Bendler + AssociatesJacob & Charlotte Lehrman FoundationMarriott International, Inc.Meltzer Group Employee Giving FundMerrill LynchNational Home Library FoundationSutherland Asbill & Brennan LLPTraining Resources GroupLeslie WilkesWilliams & Connolly LLPZuckerman Spaeder LLP IN-KINDAmerica’s Color Consultants – ArlingtonConstant ContactD.C. Stoddert Soccer LeagueDrinkMore Water

First Book – Washington, DCHunt4SoccerModell’s Sporting GoodsPenya Barcelonista Washington D.C.Occasions CaterersOffice Depot FoundationSoccer.comSport and Spine RehabStarbucksThe Taproot Foundation

Venable LLP MATCHING GIFTSBreckinridge Capital AdvisorsDIRECTVMerrill LynchThe Pew Charitable TrustsSoros Fund Charitable FoundationVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. SCOOP

Spring 2015 Volume 17, Issue 2

IN THIS ISSUEExecutive Director letter, p. 2

Story of impact: Alum Sebastian, p. 4

17th DC SCORES Poetry Slam!, p. 5

Awards, highlights of fall, p. 6

Who is ready for spring?, p. 7

Get Involved!

www.DCSCORES.org

Sign up to volunteerMake a donation

Learn about events

League of ChampionsThe League of Champions includes all donors who pledge a

major gift every year for at least five years.AnonymousKevin and Rachel AlanskyAnthony and Armandina BrownChris BruneauDavid and Brigitte BurgettGraeme Bush and Wendy RudolphJames CainRonya Corey and Devon McFaddenAndrea CustisClem DinsmoreLoretta DiPietroKelly DragelinTilden and Mary EdwardsChris Finley and Ursula SavarainAnthony FrancavillaLon GoldsteinSteve and Michelle GoodmanJohn GraebnerJay and Cheryl GraubergerPaul Jackson and Tracey RutnikOmid JahanbinCal and Barbara KlausnerSam KlausnerDan and Kathleen Knise

Carl Kravitz and Elizabeth WernerPhilip KroskinJamaal LampkinPeter Leibold and Liz McCloskeyKaren LovitchLMAC FoundationPeter Loge and Zoe BeckermanDon MarshallJodi and Eldad MoraruJohn and Livezy MoreGina and Howard McMillan, IIIAmy Nakamoto and Jeremy EdwardsJack and Heather ReaganStephen Replogle and Skye EarlsChris RichardsonChas and Sara RoadesGene SachsDontai SmallsJan and Angelika SmilekBrendan and Tricia SullivanMatt TanielianDarrel ThompsonPierre VigilanceRichard and Batina Washington

Photo by Tina dela Rosa

DC SCORES Staff Bethany Rubin Henderson

Executive Director

Aaron CannonSoccer Coordinator

Carlos FonsecaProgram Manager

— Soccer Operations

Josh FreedholmVolunteer & Outreach Coordinator

Zachary GomesSoccer Coordinator

John GuinanDevelopment Manager

Sean HinkleProgram Director for Quality

Rachel KlepperWriting Coordinator

Jake LloydCommunications Manager

Daniel MeloySenior Director of

Development & Communications

Lyndsey Miller-VierraSenior Director of Operations

Katrina OwensSenior Director of Programs

Greta Poku-AdjeiAlumni Coordinator

Jessica TrevelyanGrants Manager

Keith TuckerSoccer Specialist

Libby WatkinsProgram Coordinator — Monitoring & Evaluation

Phone: 202.393.6999Email: firstinitiallastname

@americascores.org Fax: 202.393.0655

Read staff bios and view our Board of Directors list at www.DCSCORES.org

(About Us section)

What is DC SCORES?DC SCORES has a quality, team-based approach providing youth

with arts, ath-letics, and aca-demics – basic e lemen ts o f a well-round-ed childhood. DC SCORES builds teams through after-

school programs for 1,500 low-income DC youth at 45 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of commu-nity. DC SCORES accomplishes this through an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer, and service-learning year-round. We have worked with more than 8,000 students since our founding in 1994 and we aim to serve EVERY child in the District deserving of a team who does not have one. DC SCORES is an af-filiate of America SCORES, with organizations in 14 cities.

2 7

Dear DC SCORES supporter,Wow, what an incredible fall season at DC SCORES!

From Fall Frenzy to Capital Cup to Poetry Slam!; from DC’s former Mayor Vincent Gray honoring one of our Coach Across America staffers for exceptional public service to repeatedly

high-fiving a DC SCORES alumnus after the middle schooler’s original poetry performance brought down the house at the DC Trust’s 20th anniversary celebration; from multiple DC SCORES teams being invited to the White House to the launch of our Older Youth leadership council – my first DC SCORES fall was chock full of activity and excitement.

As I write this, snow and ice are on the ground. But that doesn’t stop us. Did you know we also run winter programs? Teams at eight of our schools kept their minds and bodies fit despite the cold through indoor soccer drills and scrimmages paired with nutrition lessons.

We look forward to welcoming all our students back onto their teams for the spring season, which kicks off March 16. I’m particularly excited to experience my first DC SCORES spring because it’s the season our writing sessions focus on service-learning. I know the power of service-learning firsthand, having been involved with it for over 20 years (as a student, researcher, practitioner, and curriculum designer). I am excited to see up close how being given the opportunity and tools to identify, own, and solve a community problem transforms our students and their neighborhoods.

With each game day this spring, the weather will get warmer, days will last longer, and our kids’ leadership skills will emerge. I hope to see you at a High Five Tour, in the classroom, or on the fields soon!

Sincerely,

Bethany Rubin HendersonExecutive Director

BY THE NUMBERS: Fall 2014 season (12 weeks)

1,471: Students in the program at 47 schools.

174: DC SCORES soccer and writing coaches.

249: Volunteers during the fall season.

84%: Parents surveyed who say their child’s writing has improved.

68%: Program participants who improved their body mass index (BMI).

Stay Connected ONLINE!

DCSCORES.blogspot.comFacebook.com/DCSCORES

Twitter.com/DCSCORESYouTube.com/DCSCORES

LinkedIn.com/ company/dc-scores

Instagram.com/dc_scores

www.DCSCORES.org

Our Impact

From the Executive Director’s Desk

SCOOP is written and produced by Communications

Manager Jake Lloyd

Students learn new, healthy skills

Teaching kids about nutrition is a difficult task. After all, ask yourself this: When you were 8 years old, did you care what you put in your body?

But during DC SCORES’ six-week winter season at eight schools, nutrition coaches introduce kids to healthy food and also show them why many of their favorite foods and drinks should be con-sumed in moderation. The most effec-tive method? Hands-on demonstrations.

At Marie Reed Elementary School, for example, one of the lessons involved the difference between drinking soda and water. To many kids, a soda is a refreshing, good-tasting drink. But af-

ter nutrition coach Carolyn Brandt had the students make their own sodas — dumping in spoonful after spoonful of sugar, not to mention food coloring! — the kids were no longer so eager to drink one. Instead, they opted for equally refreshing, body-charging water.

“We’re not supposed to drink soda,” fourth-grader Taryn H. said. “It’s a lesson so we can see what’s in soda and why it’s not healthy.”

In addition to nutrition lessons, the eight schools combined for multischool soccer clinics that will give them a head start as spring soccer practices begin. Also, we partnered with organizations such as Brainfood and Project Cre-ate DC to give kids the opportunity to learn skills such as preparing a full meal, photography, pottery making and more. Throw in field trips for schools to the Newseum and a visit to the White House for Lincoln Middle School for the L.A. Galaxy and L.A. Kings’ champion-ship ceremonies, and it was an action-packed and very educational six weeks of winter SCORES.

Nutrition, discovery are part of winter SCORES program

Service-learning: Tackling the issuesIf you think kids don’t care about

their communities and making them better, you haven’t seen DC SCORES service-learning in action. You haven’t seen the H.D. Cooke Elementary School students noticing all the homeless peo-ple in their community; researching the issue online; and then implementing a plan to help provide better services.

You haven’t seen the Thomson Elementary School DC SCORES team discovering through observation that many peers in their school and greater community were malnourished. The Tigers created an awareness cam-paign and made presentations to the student body. They didn’t stop there, writing the DC Council to support a bill that would provide free lunches for im-

poverished kids on snow days. And they took ac-tion, bringing in younger grades at the school to help package healthy snack bags to do-nate to D.C. Cen-tral Kitchen.

Those are just two projects from last year. This spring, every program school will go through the four-step process of dis-covering an issue in their community; researching the roots of it; implement-ing their strategy; and then reflecting. The end result? Kids feel empowered to create change.

Ward 1Bancroft Elementary SchoolCardozo Education CampusCesar Chávez Public Charter

Middle School – Chavez Prep*Columbia Heights Education Campus

H.D. Cooke Elementary SchoolMarie Reed Elementary School

Tubman Elementary School

Ward 2Garrison Elementary SchoolKIPP DC: WILL Academy*

Seaton Elementary School*Thomson Elementary School

Ward 4Barnard Elementary School*

Brightwood Education Campus%Capital City Public Charter School*%LaSalle-Backus Education Campus

Powell Elementary School*Raymond Education Campus*%Truesdell Education Campus%

Ward 5Imagine Hope Community Char-

ter School — Tolson CampusKIPP DC: NORTHEAST Academy

Langley Elementary School

Ward 6Eliot-Hine Middle SchoolJefferson Middle School*Miner Elementary School*

Ward 7Aiton Elementary School

Anne Beers Elementary SchoolBurrville Elementary School

C.W. Harris Elementary SchoolCésar Chávez Public Charter

Middle School - Parkside CampusDrew Elementary School*

J.C. Nalle Elementary School*Kelly Miller Middle School

KIPP DC: KEY Academy*KIPP DC: QUEST Academy*Thomas Elementary School

Ward 8Hart Middle School

Johnson Middle SchoolKIPP DC: AIM Academy*

Leckie Elementary School*Moten Elementary SchoolOrr Elementary School*

*Denotes schools participating in program-ing through a grant from The Social Innova-tion Fund administered by the Corporation

for National and Community Service (CNCS) to DC SCORES, the Latin American Youth

Center (LAYC) and KIPP DC in partner-ship with the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

%Denotes school with elementary and middle school programs

36

DC SCORES serves 1,500 youth in DistrictSpring Program Calendar

• March 16: Programming begins citywide. • March 26-27: First elementary and middle school

game days (sites across the city).• April 13: 9th Annual America SCORES National

Poetry SLAM!, New York City.• May 5: SCORE Awards celebration of coaches and

volunteers. • May 30: 20th Annual Jamboree!

DC SCORES organizational highlightsStaff member Aaron Cannon wins

Mayor’s Community Service Award

In December, Coach Across America staff member Aaron Cannon received a tremendous honor when he was awarded a Mayor’s Community Service Award by District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray. Aaron, who is serving a year with DC SCORES, has made an indelible impact in his short time with the organization, especially on the school community and kids at Thomson Elementary School, where he coached nutrition and soccer during the winter.

See all our awards at DCSCORES.org.

Chris Richardson has been a volunteer-ing superstar for DC SCORES for nearly a decade. Chris’ dedica-tion is so great that two years ago, we named our annual volunteer-ing award in his name. In November, he was recognized outside the organization for his continued commitment

to DC youth when he received the 2014 Scottish Rite Community Service Award at a ceremony in the District.

To sign up to volunteer like Chris — whether refereeing soccer games; working events; pro-viding pro bono services; or helping out at our office — visit DCSCORES.org and click on the Volunteer link to get involved.

Spring 2015Program Schools

Every January for the past five years, the DC SCORES poetry program has taken over live local television on NBC’s Midday News with Barbara Har-rison. This year was no exception. In early January, the two Shine Award winners for indi-vidual excellence at the Poetry Slam! (p. 5) — Jency M. and Leron B. — joined Senior Direc-tor of Programs Katrina Owens on NBC’s set to perform their original poems. They were naturals on TV, and will again take center stage in April as DC’s representatives at the 9th Annual America SCORES National Poetry SLAM!.

Watch the performance at YouTube.com/DCSCORES.

Chris Richardson is honored for volunteering commitment

Pair of DC SCORES poetry stars shine on live television Learn about DC SCORES at

a High Five Tour!The best way to learn about the impact of our program and the various ways you can get involved is by attending a High Five Tour, a one-hour introduction to our mission told through participant stories.

To sign up for a Tour:

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE SPRING SEASON AT DCSCORES.org!

www.DCSCORES.org or email jguinan@americascores.org

54

Alumnus feature: Sebastian Duque, future engineer

When Sebastian Duque immigrated from his native Colombia to Washington, DC, very few places felt com-fortable in the unfamiliar land. Sebastian did, however, feel at ease on the soccer field, and that’s what DC SCORES provided at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School for the eighth-grader who didn’t know more than a lick of English.

A very talented soccer player, Sebastian fit right in on the team. Teammates and coaches went to great lengths to ensure that instructions were at first translated

for him, and Sebastian began not only learning English from listening to his peers but also making many friends. It didn’t take long for him to become a leader.

Fast forward to the present. Sebas-tian is a freshman at West Virginia Uni-versity studying engineering and playing soccer recreationally after he thrived on Wilson High School’s team and also ex-celled on Arlington FC, a DC-area premier club team.

“DC SCORES is a huge part of me,” Sebastian said recently. “That’s how I started from the bottom. I started playing for DC SCORES, another coach saw me playing, and he recruited me.”

Sebastian realized in high school the impact even just one year in the program had on him. That’s why he made the choice to volunteer as an assistant coach at Oyster-Adams during high school. It’s

also why he mentored younger kids as a DC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) counselor at DC SCORES’ Soccer & Arts Camp.

The freshman in college is just getting started giv-ing back, too. In fact, this past summer when he was in Colombia, Sebastian spent a large portion of his vacation working “to implement a soccer program for low income neighborhoods.”

Read more stories at DCSCORES.blogspot.com.

Teams celebrate DC SCORES values at Poetry Slam!Teamwork, leadership and commitment on full display during two-night event

Sebastian Duque (right) is a freshman studying engineering at West Virginia University.

I’m a survivor because I never give up I’m a survivor because I’m a strong young man I’m a survivor because I keep a cool head I’m a survivor because I reach for the Stars I’m a survivor because I don’t criticize, I exercise

Those were just a few of the lines dropped by Aiton Elementary School on the second night of the 17th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam! in early December. Aiton’s perfectly choreographed, energetic and creative performance won the Bears the Golden Mic trophy for first place and demonstrated — as is the case every year — the impact that our writing program has on students.

Aiton, a school DC SCORES has been in since 1999, had never before won the Poetry Slam!, but put together a complete performance in front of a near-capacity crowd at H.D. Woodson High School to do just that.

DC SCORES has only been in Drew Elementary for two years, but poetry is part of the school’s identity. The Rams won the Slam! in their first year — an incred-ible feat, considering they competed against more than 15 schools — and came in second place this year with another performance that demonstrated everything a kid learns during the 12-week fall season.

There was synchronized step-dancing, clapping, a solo poem — part of every school’s performance — and these lines in the middle of their 5 minutes on stage.

You know I am the best, because I always try on tests You know I am a winner, because I eat healthy dinners You know I am a king, because I always help my teamYou know I am a star, can’t you see me from afar?

You know I am intelligent, aren’t my DC-CAS scores relevant?

On the first night of the Slam!, the Columbia Heights Education Campus auditorium was standing-room-only for 20 spirited, powerful and funny performances that culminated with Marie Reed Elementary’s Golden Mic trophy-winning performance about all the kids’ various backgrounds and cultures. If only one performance could be chosen to exemplify how DC SCORES builds teams, Reed’s was the winner. But really, every school was uni-fied on stage — the result of 12 weeks of teambuilding through self-expression, positive critiquing and practice.

The Poetry Slam! was emceed by former DC SCORES staff member and audience-engager extraor-dinaire Charity Blackwell both nights, and she was joined by TV and radio personality Cort-ney Hicks for the Westside Slam!. The first night also featured special guests, as Coun-cilmember David Grosso k icked things off by read-ing a Langston Hughes poem, and the duo of America SCORES spokes-person Br iana Scurry and D.C. United coach Ben Olsen gave out tro-phies and posed for photos with winning teams.

T h e D C SCORES writing program is funded by: D.C. Commis-sion on the Arts a n d H u m a n i -t ies; Common-weal Foundation; Mel tzer Group Employee Giving Fund; and Wells Fargo Foundation.

Capital Cup concludes season of growth for middle schoolsIn the fall of 2013, Raymond Education Campus didn’t have a DC SCORES

soccer team. A year later, Raymond’s girls team was celebrating a championship. Raymond, a K-8 school, has had an elementary school DC SCORES pro-

gram since 2007. In the spring of 2013, we added a middle school team so that kids can continue pursuing their passions — whether soccer, poetry or service-learning — in middle school. In just their second soccer season, the Raymond girls, supported by a strong group of coaches and a large school community, won the Capital Cup middle school championship.

“It’s super exciting,” volunteer coach Ariel Berroa said. “It’s a really nice achievement for the kids and me, too. Yeah, I feel really good.”

The Lincoln Middle School boys team won their third Capital Cup in four years, but the Knights had to grow in a short period of time, too. Many team mem-bers from the previous year graduated, and coach Popsie Lewis had to develop mostly sixth- and seventh-graders and search for new leaders. Dylan, Anthony and Isaac, the Knights’ leading goal scorer, took that responsibility.

“Those guys really stepped up and took the challenge,” Lewis said. Kea Taylor/Imagine Photography

WESTSIDEElementary Schools

1st: Marie Reed ES2nd: Brightwood EC3rd: Seaton ESSpirit Award: Truesdell ECShine Award: Jency M., Barnard ES

Middle Schools1st: KIPP WILL Academy2nd: Lincoln MS3rd: Truesdell ECSpirit Award: César Chávez PCMS — PrepShine Award: Madelin G., Lincoln

EASTSIDEElementary Schools

1st: Aiton ES2nd: Drew ES3rd: Thomas ESSpirit Award: J.C. Nalle ESShine Award: Leron B., Imagine Hope CCS — Tolson

Middle Schools1st: KIPP: AIM2nd: César Chávez PCMS — Parkside3rd: Kelly Miller MSSpirit Award: Johnson MSShine Award: Seanise L., Chávez

Poetry Slam! Winners

Photo by Ian Weston

54

Alumnus feature: Sebastian Duque, future engineer

When Sebastian Duque immigrated from his native Colombia to Washington, DC, very few places felt com-fortable in the unfamiliar land. Sebastian did, however, feel at ease on the soccer field, and that’s what DC SCORES provided at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School for the eighth-grader who didn’t know more than a lick of English.

A very talented soccer player, Sebastian fit right in on the team. Teammates and coaches went to great lengths to ensure that instructions were at first translated

for him, and Sebastian began not only learning English from listening to his peers but also making many friends. It didn’t take long for him to become a leader.

Fast forward to the present. Sebas-tian is a freshman at West Virginia Uni-versity studying engineering and playing soccer recreationally after he thrived on Wilson High School’s team and also ex-celled on Arlington FC, a DC-area premier club team.

“DC SCORES is a huge part of me,” Sebastian said recently. “That’s how I started from the bottom. I started playing for DC SCORES, another coach saw me playing, and he recruited me.”

Sebastian realized in high school the impact even just one year in the program had on him. That’s why he made the choice to volunteer as an assistant coach at Oyster-Adams during high school. It’s

also why he mentored younger kids as a DC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) counselor at DC SCORES’ Soccer & Arts Camp.

The freshman in college is just getting started giv-ing back, too. In fact, this past summer when he was in Colombia, Sebastian spent a large portion of his vacation working “to implement a soccer program for low income neighborhoods.”

Read more stories at DCSCORES.blogspot.com.

Teams celebrate DC SCORES values at Poetry Slam!Teamwork, leadership and commitment on full display during two-night event

Sebastian Duque (right) is a freshman studying engineering at West Virginia University.

I’m a survivor because I never give up I’m a survivor because I’m a strong young man I’m a survivor because I keep a cool head I’m a survivor because I reach for the Stars I’m a survivor because I don’t criticize, I exercise

Those were just a few of the lines dropped by Aiton Elementary School on the second night of the 17th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam! in early December. Aiton’s perfectly choreographed, energetic and creative performance won the Bears the Golden Mic trophy for first place and demonstrated — as is the case every year — the impact that our writing program has on students.

Aiton, a school DC SCORES has been in since 1999, had never before won the Poetry Slam!, but put together a complete performance in front of a near-capacity crowd at H.D. Woodson High School to do just that.

DC SCORES has only been in Drew Elementary for two years, but poetry is part of the school’s identity. The Rams won the Slam! in their first year — an incred-ible feat, considering they competed against more than 15 schools — and came in second place this year with another performance that demonstrated everything a kid learns during the 12-week fall season.

There was synchronized step-dancing, clapping, a solo poem — part of every school’s performance — and these lines in the middle of their 5 minutes on stage.

You know I am the best, because I always try on tests You know I am a winner, because I eat healthy dinners You know I am a king, because I always help my teamYou know I am a star, can’t you see me from afar?

You know I am intelligent, aren’t my DC-CAS scores relevant?

On the first night of the Slam!, the Columbia Heights Education Campus auditorium was standing-room-only for 20 spirited, powerful and funny performances that culminated with Marie Reed Elementary’s Golden Mic trophy-winning performance about all the kids’ various backgrounds and cultures. If only one performance could be chosen to exemplify how DC SCORES builds teams, Reed’s was the winner. But really, every school was uni-fied on stage — the result of 12 weeks of teambuilding through self-expression, positive critiquing and practice.

The Poetry Slam! was emceed by former DC SCORES staff member and audience-engager extraor-dinaire Charity Blackwell both nights, and she was joined by TV and radio personality Cort-ney Hicks for the Westside Slam!. The first night also featured special guests, as Coun-cilmember David Grosso k icked things off by read-ing a Langston Hughes poem, and the duo of America SCORES spokes-person Br iana Scurry and D.C. United coach Ben Olsen gave out tro-phies and posed for photos with winning teams.

T h e D C SCORES writing program is funded by: D.C. Commis-sion on the Arts a n d H u m a n i -t ies; Common-weal Foundation; Mel tzer Group Employee Giving Fund; and Wells Fargo Foundation.

Capital Cup concludes season of growth for middle schoolsIn the fall of 2013, Raymond Education Campus didn’t have a DC SCORES

soccer team. A year later, Raymond’s girls team was celebrating a championship. Raymond, a K-8 school, has had an elementary school DC SCORES pro-

gram since 2007. In the spring of 2013, we added a middle school team so that kids can continue pursuing their passions — whether soccer, poetry or service-learning — in middle school. In just their second soccer season, the Raymond girls, supported by a strong group of coaches and a large school community, won the Capital Cup middle school championship.

“It’s super exciting,” volunteer coach Ariel Berroa said. “It’s a really nice achievement for the kids and me, too. Yeah, I feel really good.”

The Lincoln Middle School boys team won their third Capital Cup in four years, but the Knights had to grow in a short period of time, too. Many team mem-bers from the previous year graduated, and coach Popsie Lewis had to develop mostly sixth- and seventh-graders and search for new leaders. Dylan, Anthony and Isaac, the Knights’ leading goal scorer, took that responsibility.

“Those guys really stepped up and took the challenge,” Lewis said. Kea Taylor/Imagine Photography

WESTSIDEElementary Schools

1st: Marie Reed ES2nd: Brightwood EC3rd: Seaton ESSpirit Award: Truesdell ECShine Award: Jency M., Barnard ES

Middle Schools1st: KIPP WILL Academy2nd: Lincoln MS3rd: Truesdell ECSpirit Award: César Chávez PCMS — PrepShine Award: Madelin G., Lincoln

EASTSIDEElementary Schools

1st: Aiton ES2nd: Drew ES3rd: Thomas ESSpirit Award: J.C. Nalle ESShine Award: Leron B., Imagine Hope CCS — Tolson

Middle Schools1st: KIPP: AIM2nd: César Chávez PCMS — Parkside3rd: Kelly Miller MSSpirit Award: Johnson MSShine Award: Seanise L., Chávez

Poetry Slam! Winners

Photo by Ian Weston

Ward 1Bancroft Elementary SchoolCardozo Education CampusCesar Chávez Public Charter

Middle School – Chavez Prep*Columbia Heights Education Campus

H.D. Cooke Elementary SchoolMarie Reed Elementary School

Tubman Elementary School

Ward 2Garrison Elementary SchoolKIPP DC: WILL Academy*

Seaton Elementary School*Thomson Elementary School

Ward 4Barnard Elementary School*

Brightwood Education Campus%Capital City Public Charter School*%LaSalle-Backus Education Campus

Powell Elementary School*Raymond Education Campus*%Truesdell Education Campus%

Ward 5Imagine Hope Community Char-

ter School — Tolson CampusKIPP DC: NORTHEAST Academy

Langley Elementary School

Ward 6Eliot-Hine Middle SchoolJefferson Middle School*Miner Elementary School*

Ward 7Aiton Elementary School

Anne Beers Elementary SchoolBurrville Elementary School

C.W. Harris Elementary SchoolCésar Chávez Public Charter

Middle School - Parkside CampusDrew Elementary School*

J.C. Nalle Elementary School*Kelly Miller Middle School

KIPP DC: KEY Academy*KIPP DC: QUEST Academy*Thomas Elementary School

Ward 8Hart Middle School

Johnson Middle SchoolKIPP DC: AIM Academy*

Leckie Elementary School*Moten Elementary SchoolOrr Elementary School*

*Denotes schools participating in program-ing through a grant from The Social Innova-tion Fund administered by the Corporation

for National and Community Service (CNCS) to DC SCORES, the Latin American Youth

Center (LAYC) and KIPP DC in partner-ship with the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

%Denotes school with elementary and middle school programs

36

DC SCORES serves 1,500 youth in DistrictSpring Program Calendar

• March 16: Programming begins citywide. • March 26-27: First elementary and middle school

game days (sites across the city).• April 13: 9th Annual America SCORES National

Poetry SLAM!, New York City.• May 5: SCORE Awards celebration of coaches and

volunteers. • May 30: 20th Annual Jamboree!

DC SCORES organizational highlightsStaff member Aaron Cannon wins

Mayor’s Community Service Award

In December, Coach Across America staff member Aaron Cannon received a tremendous honor when he was awarded a Mayor’s Community Service Award by District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray. Aaron, who is serving a year with DC SCORES, has made an indelible impact in his short time with the organization, especially on the school community and kids at Thomson Elementary School, where he coached nutrition and soccer during the winter.

See all our awards at DCSCORES.org.

Chris Richardson has been a volunteer-ing superstar for DC SCORES for nearly a decade. Chris’ dedica-tion is so great that two years ago, we named our annual volunteer-ing award in his name. In November, he was recognized outside the organization for his continued commitment

to DC youth when he received the 2014 Scottish Rite Community Service Award at a ceremony in the District.

To sign up to volunteer like Chris — whether refereeing soccer games; working events; pro-viding pro bono services; or helping out at our office — visit DCSCORES.org and click on the Volunteer link to get involved.

Spring 2015Program Schools

Every January for the past five years, the DC SCORES poetry program has taken over live local television on NBC’s Midday News with Barbara Har-rison. This year was no exception. In early January, the two Shine Award winners for indi-vidual excellence at the Poetry Slam! (p. 5) — Jency M. and Leron B. — joined Senior Direc-tor of Programs Katrina Owens on NBC’s set to perform their original poems. They were naturals on TV, and will again take center stage in April as DC’s representatives at the 9th Annual America SCORES National Poetry SLAM!.

Watch the performance at YouTube.com/DCSCORES.

Chris Richardson is honored for volunteering commitment

Pair of DC SCORES poetry stars shine on live television Learn about DC SCORES at

a High Five Tour!The best way to learn about the impact of our program and the various ways you can get involved is by attending a High Five Tour, a one-hour introduction to our mission told through participant stories.

To sign up for a Tour:

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE SPRING SEASON AT DCSCORES.org!

www.DCSCORES.org or email jguinan@americascores.org

DC SCORES Staff Bethany Rubin Henderson

Executive Director

Aaron CannonSoccer Coordinator

Carlos FonsecaProgram Manager

— Soccer Operations

Josh FreedholmVolunteer & Outreach Coordinator

Zachary GomesSoccer Coordinator

John GuinanDevelopment Manager

Sean HinkleProgram Director for Quality

Rachel KlepperWriting Coordinator

Jake LloydCommunications Manager

Daniel MeloySenior Director of

Development & Communications

Lyndsey Miller-VierraSenior Director of Operations

Katrina OwensSenior Director of Programs

Greta Poku-AdjeiAlumni Coordinator

Jessica TrevelyanGrants Manager

Keith TuckerSoccer Specialist

Libby WatkinsProgram Coordinator — Monitoring & Evaluation

Phone: 202.393.6999Email: firstinitiallastname

@americascores.org Fax: 202.393.0655

Read staff bios and view our Board of Directors list at www.DCSCORES.org

(About Us section)

What is DC SCORES?DC SCORES has a quality, team-based approach providing youth

with arts, ath-letics, and aca-demics – basic e lemen ts o f a well-round-ed childhood. DC SCORES builds teams through after-

school programs for 1,500 low-income DC youth at 45 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of commu-nity. DC SCORES accomplishes this through an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer, and service-learning year-round. We have worked with more than 8,000 students since our founding in 1994 and we aim to serve EVERY child in the District deserving of a team who does not have one. DC SCORES is an af-filiate of America SCORES, with organizations in 14 cities.

2 7

Dear DC SCORES supporter,Wow, what an incredible fall season at DC SCORES!

From Fall Frenzy to Capital Cup to Poetry Slam!; from DC’s former Mayor Vincent Gray honoring one of our Coach Across America staffers for exceptional public service to repeatedly

high-fiving a DC SCORES alumnus after the middle schooler’s original poetry performance brought down the house at the DC Trust’s 20th anniversary celebration; from multiple DC SCORES teams being invited to the White House to the launch of our Older Youth leadership council – my first DC SCORES fall was chock full of activity and excitement.

As I write this, snow and ice are on the ground. But that doesn’t stop us. Did you know we also run winter programs? Teams at eight of our schools kept their minds and bodies fit despite the cold through indoor soccer drills and scrimmages paired with nutrition lessons.

We look forward to welcoming all our students back onto their teams for the spring season, which kicks off March 16. I’m particularly excited to experience my first DC SCORES spring because it’s the season our writing sessions focus on service-learning. I know the power of service-learning firsthand, having been involved with it for over 20 years (as a student, researcher, practitioner, and curriculum designer). I am excited to see up close how being given the opportunity and tools to identify, own, and solve a community problem transforms our students and their neighborhoods.

With each game day this spring, the weather will get warmer, days will last longer, and our kids’ leadership skills will emerge. I hope to see you at a High Five Tour, in the classroom, or on the fields soon!

Sincerely,

Bethany Rubin HendersonExecutive Director

BY THE NUMBERS: Fall 2014 season (12 weeks)

1,471: Students in the program at 47 schools.

174: DC SCORES soccer and writing coaches.

249: Volunteers during the fall season.

84%: Parents surveyed who say their child’s writing has improved.

68%: Program participants who improved their body mass index (BMI).

Stay Connected ONLINE!

DCSCORES.blogspot.comFacebook.com/DCSCORES

Twitter.com/DCSCORESYouTube.com/DCSCORES

LinkedIn.com/ company/dc-scores

Instagram.com/dc_scores

www.DCSCORES.org

Our Impact

From the Executive Director’s Desk

SCOOP is written and produced by Communications

Manager Jake Lloyd

Students learn new, healthy skills

Teaching kids about nutrition is a difficult task. After all, ask yourself this: When you were 8 years old, did you care what you put in your body?

But during DC SCORES’ six-week winter season at eight schools, nutrition coaches introduce kids to healthy food and also show them why many of their favorite foods and drinks should be con-sumed in moderation. The most effec-tive method? Hands-on demonstrations.

At Marie Reed Elementary School, for example, one of the lessons involved the difference between drinking soda and water. To many kids, a soda is a refreshing, good-tasting drink. But af-

ter nutrition coach Carolyn Brandt had the students make their own sodas — dumping in spoonful after spoonful of sugar, not to mention food coloring! — the kids were no longer so eager to drink one. Instead, they opted for equally refreshing, body-charging water.

“We’re not supposed to drink soda,” fourth-grader Taryn H. said. “It’s a lesson so we can see what’s in soda and why it’s not healthy.”

In addition to nutrition lessons, the eight schools combined for multischool soccer clinics that will give them a head start as spring soccer practices begin. Also, we partnered with organizations such as Brainfood and Project Cre-ate DC to give kids the opportunity to learn skills such as preparing a full meal, photography, pottery making and more. Throw in field trips for schools to the Newseum and a visit to the White House for Lincoln Middle School for the L.A. Galaxy and L.A. Kings’ champion-ship ceremonies, and it was an action-packed and very educational six weeks of winter SCORES.

Nutrition, discovery are part of winter SCORES program

Service-learning: Tackling the issuesIf you think kids don’t care about

their communities and making them better, you haven’t seen DC SCORES service-learning in action. You haven’t seen the H.D. Cooke Elementary School students noticing all the homeless peo-ple in their community; researching the issue online; and then implementing a plan to help provide better services.

You haven’t seen the Thomson Elementary School DC SCORES team discovering through observation that many peers in their school and greater community were malnourished. The Tigers created an awareness cam-paign and made presentations to the student body. They didn’t stop there, writing the DC Council to support a bill that would provide free lunches for im-

poverished kids on snow days. And they took ac-tion, bringing in younger grades at the school to help package healthy snack bags to do-nate to D.C. Cen-tral Kitchen.

Those are just two projects from last year. This spring, every program school will go through the four-step process of dis-covering an issue in their community; researching the roots of it; implement-ing their strategy; and then reflecting. The end result? Kids feel empowered to create change.

Building Teams, Improving Lives

1224 M Street, NW Suite 200Washington, DC 20005www.DCSCORES.orgRETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

CFC #82924

DC SCORES serves 1,500 low-income youth in Washington, DC!

No event encapsulates the impact of DC SCORES like the Poetry Slam!, and December’s 17th edition was no exception. During the two-night event, students expressed themselves in front of capacity audiences. Recap, p.5

The power of poetry Healthy MeHealthy me is the best way to be!

Healthy me is strong and my bones won’t go wrong.

I eat vegetables every night and don’t drink a fattening Sprite.

The sodium is waste and vegetables you can taste.

Healthy me is a bold cold fighter.The more healthy food is the more you lose.

We are the teen, lean, healthy machine.

Healthy me is the best way to be!

Group PoemKIPP QUEST Academy

OpenI open my brain

and out came my thoughtsI open my thoughts

and out came my feelingsI open my feelings

and out came my heartI open my heart

and out came my love

Fatima D.LaSalle-Backus Education Campus

Spring 2013 Volume 14, Issue 2 *Supporters as of 2/1/2015

DC SCORES would like to thank the local and national funders who make our program a success* LEAGUE CHAMPIONCity FundU.S. Soccer Foundation TEAM CHAMPIONSMorris & Gwendolyn Cafritz FoundationD.C. Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation21st Century Community Learning Centers via DC Public Schools’ Middle School MattersEugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation SCORING CHAMPIONS Aetna FoundationClark ConstructionD.C. Commission on the Arts and HumanitiesOffice of the D.C. Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (New Communities Youth Development & Community Wellness)Lois & Richard England Family FoundationFoundation for Advancing Alcohol ResponsibilityJohn Edward Fowler Memorial FoundationHattie M. Strong FoundationVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. MVPs Herb Block FoundationCapital for ChildrenCommonweal FoundationD.C. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA)DIRECTVDistrict SportsThe Frechette Family FoundationLainoff Family FoundationThe George Preston Marshall FoundationMorningstar Philanthropic FundNews CorpsD.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)Share FundSoccer ’94TD Bank (TD Charitable Foundation) FANS Clark-Winchcole FoundationCresa Washington DCThe Andrea L. Custis Family FundCorina Higginson TrustBruce and Karen Levenson Fund

Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott FoundationMount Vernon Place United Methodist ChurchNovo Nordisk Inc.George Wasserman Family FoundationPricewaterhouseCoopersRonald McDonald House Charities(R) of Greater Washington, D.C.Venable FoundationVerizon FoundationWells Fargo FoundationWillkie Farr & Gallagher LLP SUPPORTERSThe Advisory Board CompanyALJAZEERAAlston & Bird LLPArnold & Porter LLPBingham McCutchen LLPBlackboardBooz Allen HamiltonCenturyLinkCIT GroupThe Covello FoundationCrowell & Moring FoundationDimick FoundationMax and Victoria Dreyfus FoundationGrant Thornton LLPHogan Lovells US LLPClaude and Nancy Keener Charitable FundKirkland & Ellis LLPKlausner Bendler + AssociatesJacob & Charlotte Lehrman FoundationMarriott International, Inc.Meltzer Group Employee Giving FundMerrill LynchNational Home Library FoundationSutherland Asbill & Brennan LLPTraining Resources GroupLeslie WilkesWilliams & Connolly LLPZuckerman Spaeder LLP IN-KINDAmerica’s Color Consultants – ArlingtonConstant ContactD.C. Stoddert Soccer LeagueDrinkMore Water

First Book – Washington, DCHunt4SoccerModell’s Sporting GoodsPenya Barcelonista Washington D.C.Occasions CaterersOffice Depot FoundationSoccer.comSport and Spine RehabStarbucksThe Taproot Foundation

Venable LLP MATCHING GIFTSBreckinridge Capital AdvisorsDIRECTVMerrill LynchThe Pew Charitable TrustsSoros Fund Charitable FoundationVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. SCOOP

Spring 2015 Volume 17, Issue 2

IN THIS ISSUEExecutive Director letter, p. 2

Story of impact: Alum Sebastian, p. 4

17th DC SCORES Poetry Slam!, p. 5

Awards, highlights of fall, p. 6

Who is ready for spring?, p. 7

Get Involved!

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Carl Kravitz and Elizabeth WernerPhilip KroskinJamaal LampkinPeter Leibold and Liz McCloskeyKaren LovitchLMAC FoundationPeter Loge and Zoe BeckermanDon MarshallJodi and Eldad MoraruJohn and Livezy MoreGina and Howard McMillan, IIIAmy Nakamoto and Jeremy EdwardsJack and Heather ReaganStephen Replogle and Skye EarlsChris RichardsonChas and Sara RoadesGene SachsDontai SmallsJan and Angelika SmilekBrendan and Tricia SullivanMatt TanielianDarrel ThompsonPierre VigilanceRichard and Batina Washington

Photo by Tina dela Rosa