Spring 2017 SCOOP Newsletter by Jake Lloyd

DC SCORES would like to thank the local and national funders who make our program a success*

SCORING CHAMPIONS Butterfields Butter LLC Capital for Children D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Office of the D.C. Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (New Communities Youth Development & Community Wellness) Lois & Richard England Family Foundation Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation Near Southeast Community Partners Singing for Change Target Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. MVPs Audi of America Herb Block Foundation BrightView Cresa Washington DC D.C. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) District Sports Lainoff Family Foundation Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation The George Preston Marshall Foundation Morningstar Philanthropic Fund PricewaterhouseCoopers Share Fund Wells Fargo Foundation World Bank Community Outreach Program FANS Arnold & Porter LLP Blank Rome LLP CenturyLink Chipotle

SUPPORTERS The Advisory Board Company CIT Group The Covello Foundation Crowell & Moring Foundation Dimick Foundation Claude and Nancy Keener Charitable Fund Jacob & Charlotte Lehrman Foundation Meltzer Group Employee Giving Fund Mintz Levin Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation Training Resources Group Leslie Wilkes IN-KIND Constant Contact AmeriHealth Carl Cohen DLA Piper DrinkMore Water First Book – Washington, DC Hunt4Soccer

Junior League of Washington Resolution Read Committee Leveling the Playing Field Penya Barcelonista Washington D.C. Princeton AlumniCorps Safeway Soccer.com Starbucks Venable LLP

Merrill Lynch The Pew Charitable Trusts Pimco Foundation VentureCount LLC Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

MATCHING GIFTS Breckinridge Capital Advisors

*Supporters as of 2/1/2017

League of Champions Donors who pledge a major gift every year for at least 5 years. Anonymous David Barritt-Flatt Ben Brewster Anthony Brown Chris Bruneau David and Brigitte Burgett James Cain Kyra Cheremeteff and Tom Richardson Ronya Corey and Devon McFadden Andrea Custis Timothy J.H. Delaney Clem Dinsmore Loretta DiPietro Kelly Dragelin Chris Finley and Ursula Savarain Kemba Ford Tony Francavilla Steve and Michelle Goodman John Graebner Jay and Cheryl Grauberger Tom Hunt Paul Jackson and Tracey Rutnik Cal and Barbara Klausner Sam Klausner

Dan and Kathleen Knise Lisa Koteen Gerchick Carl Kravitz and Elizabeth Werner Sara Kushma Peter Leibold and Liz McCloskey Edwin “Chip” Lohmeyer Karen Lovitch Peter Loge and Zoe Beckerman Connie and Erik Lindenauer Don Marshall John and Livezy More Joshua McGee Howard and Gina McMillan, III Amy Nakamoto David and Paige Nicol Walter and Christine Okpych Tim Preotle Stephen Replogle and Skye Earls Chris Richardson Gene Sachs Bruce Schulman David Sheon Pierre Vigilance

SCOOP

Spring2013 2017Volume Volume14, 19,Issue Issue2 2 Spring

Our Words Our City

Our Lives Matter Ready or not, Some day it will all come to an end. Don’t be afraid of the people who make fun of you Be proud of yourself for being the best What will matter is your memories. Choose to live a life that matters. My life is so amazing. Seeing all the things that matter in our lives.

Building Teams, Improving Lives

When I see myself I say what am I thinking about Me and the people who matter Everybody matter. Photo by Anna Langer

In life we matter.

On February 7, we held the first Our Words Our City poetry showcase at Busboys and Poets. Thirteen current and former poet-athletes put on a show to remember. Read more, p. 5.

Nakayla F., age 9 Aiton Elementary School

Poem for my Sister

IN THIS ISSUE

My sister is as sweet as an oreo. She is as funny as a clown. She is as tall as a giraffe. She is also as cool as an ice cube. My sister is as smart as a phone. She is as kind as Mrs. Obama. My sister is as fast as a Jeep car.

Alejandra F., age 11 CFC #82924

TEAM CHAMPIONS Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation The John G. and Jean R. Gosnell Foundation Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation United Way of the National Capital Region

Clark Construction Clark-Winchcole Foundation The Andrea L. Custis Family Fund Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Enlightenment Capital EventsDC Grant Thornton LLP Corina Higginson Trust Hogan Lovells US LLP International Monetary Fund Kirkland & Ellis LLP Marriott International, Inc. Merrill Lynch Nando’s Restaurant Group Nike Promontory Financial Group TD Bank (TD Charitable Foundation) TEGNA Venable Foundation Verizon Foundation George Wasserman Family Foundation Williams & Connolly LLP Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Women’s Sports Foundation Sports4Life Zuckerman Spaeder LLP

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

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS City Fund D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education D.C. United U.S. Soccer Foundation

Barnard Elementary School

Executive Director letter, p. 2 Spring season calendar, p. 3

Coach wins national award, p. 6 19th Annual Poetry Slam!, p. 7

Get Involved! Donate! Volunteer! Learn more!

www.DCSCORES.org

What is DC SCORES? DC SCORES goes where kids in need are and creates neighborhood teams that give kids the confidence and skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and in life. We envision a DC where every child - no matter their family income - experiences the joys of childhood: sports, arts, service, and being part of a team. Where every child - no matter their family circumstances - is empowered to find academic success and grow into an emotionally and physically healthy teen and adult. Where every neighborhood supports and celebrates its children and their accomplishments on and off the playing field.

Stay Connected! DCSCORES.blogspot.com Facebook.com/DCSCORES Twitter.com/DCSCORES YouTube.com/DCSCORES LinkedIn.com/ company/dc-scores

From the Executive Director’s Desk Hi Team DC SCORES! So much has happened already this year, it’s hard for me to believe the DC SCORES year is only halfway done. This fall we operated at 55 sites (most ever!) and launched DC’s first-ever recreation center-based soccer league. Local and national media (including NBC, WUSA, and Telemundo) came out in force to cover the Poetry Slam! (p. 7) for a close-up look at children freely, poignantly and powerfully expressing themselves with original poetry. The media and capacity audiences heard directly from kids about how the election was affecting them and about their hopes, fears, dreams, and anxieties for the future (media hits at DCSCORES.org). We also launched a new poetry series partnership with Busboys and Poets. Throughout the fall, DC SCORES teams did performance workshops with spoken word artists at the restaurant. In February, nine of our most powerful young poets took to the stage with those spoken word artists and four DC SCORES alumni to perform original pieces to a sold-out crowd (p. 5). Also in February, our 150 winter program participants enjoyed an indoor soccer tournament and cultural event at our second annual Winter Sports Day, a partnership with the Embassy of Qatar and Qatar foundation International (p. 5). And longtime coach Gerson Quinteros won a national Double Goal Coach Award from the Positive Coaching Alliance for his work with our Capital City Public Charter School team (p. 6). So much more is to come! This spring, cheer on your favorite team at a game day or referee an elementary school game. Volunteer at Jamboree! on June 3. Be inspired by our coaches and volunteers at our annual SCORE Awards on May 9. Join us for a night of fun, art, and food benefiting DC SCORES on May 11. You can donate, learn more about, and register for all of these activities on our website: DCSCORES.org. I look forward to seeing you on the field, in our classrooms, or at an event soon! Sincerely,

We are the future: Kids inspire at Slam! Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that It’s impossible to choose one line from the first night of the DC SCORES Poetry Slam!, held Nov. 17, that encapsulates the collective message sent by DC kids over the course of three hours. But that first line from Marie Reed Elementary School, the last of 21 teams to take the stage, is as representative as any. In front of a standing-roomonly audience inside Columbia Heights Education Campus’ auditorium, team after team of District kids ages 8-14 expressed their feelings through poetry. Performances were choreographed beautifully. They were often bilingual. They brought laughter from the audience. And tears, too. During a time in our country when things are uncertain and nerve-racking -- particularly for immigrant youth and their families who watched with pride -- the event was a catharsis of sorts. And reason for optimism. Kids are incredibly smart, their thoughts nuanced. Kids’ voices are powerful, inspirational, impassioned. We all come from different places, but we all come as one -- Bancroft Elementary School ---------------------

Bethany Rubin Henderson Executive Director

2015-16 DC SCORES By The Numbers

Instagram.com/dc_scores www.DCSCORES.org

SCOOP is written and produced by Communications Manager Jake Lloyd Photo by Tina dela Rosa

Poetry Slam! Winners NIGHT 1 Elementary Schools 1st: Marie Reed ES 2nd: Brightwood EC 3rd: Seaton ES Spirit Award: H.D. Cooke ES Shine Award: Natalia L., Brightwood Middle Schools 1st: KIPP WILL 2nd: Truesdell EC 3rd: MacFarland MS Spirit Award: Brightwood EC Shine Award: Yanina C., Lincoln MS NIGHT 2 Elementary Schools 1st: Aiton ES 2nd: Amidon ES 3rd: Burrville ES Spirit Award: Imagine Hope Tolson Shine Award: Arnye’ Y., Thomas ES Middle Schools 1st: Jefferson MS 2nd: Kelly Miller MS 3rd: KIPP KEY Spirit Award: KIPP AIM Shine Award: Janiah P., Jefferson We are all more than just kids. We. Are. The. Future. And with that line, Zakayah A. of Burrville Elementary School -- wearing a “Burrville Strong” T-shirt -- summed up the underlying message sent during the second night of the Poetry Slam! at H.D. Woodson High School. DC SCORES school communities east of Washington, DC’s Anacostia River are strong, and never was that more evident than Nov. 18 when the 20 teams who took the stage collectively told the audience -- and anyone else listening -- what shouldn’t have to be said. WE MATTER. WE WILL SUCCEED. “Me and my peers will not shed tears, but we will persevere.” -- KIPP KEY Academy Watch any team’s performance from the 19th Annual Poetry Slam! at YouTube.com/DCSCORES

DC SCORES Staff Bethany Rubin Henderson Executive Director Katrina Owens Chief of Staff Chloe Doto Community Engagement Coordinator Hannah Ehlers Writing Coordinator — AVODAH AmeriCorps Duha Elmardi Atlas Corps Fellow Tony Francavilla Director of Individual Gifts & Corporate Partnerships Sean Hinkle Chief Program Officer Chris Hudler Soccer Program Manager Greg James Athletic Director Rachel Klepper Director of Content & Learning Jake Lloyd Communications Manager Greta Poku-Adjei Operations Coordinator Angel Reynolds Bookkeeper Lindsey Sharp Soccer Coordinator — Up2Us AmeriCorps Will Sutton Program Manager Julia Thayer Soccer Coordinator — Up2Us AmeriCorps Jessica Trevelyan Director of Foundation & Government Grants Keith Tucker Soccer Specialist Libby Watkins Director of Monitoring & Evaluation

Phone: 202.393.6999 Email: firstinitiallastname @dcscores.org Fax: 202.393.0655

Recent organizational highlights

Spring DC SCORES is in the air

DC SCORES coach Gerson Quinteros wins Positive Coaching Alliance Award

On Feb. 15, it was announced that DC SCORES coach Gerson Quinteros is one of 50 National Winners of the Positive Coaching Alliance’s Double-Goal Coach® Award Presented by TeamSnap. Gerson was chosen from more than 2,000 nominations from throughout the U.S. and he might have the opportunity to join a panel discussion on-stage at PCA’s National Youth Sports

Awards Dinner and Benefit in Palo Alto, CA on April 22. Gerson has coached at Capital City Public Charter School, which he attended, since 2013 and is embedded in the school community as a leader and someone kids -- whether they’re on his soccer team or not -- can rely on. While his elementary school teams are competitive, Gerson has tirelessly stressed youth development and positive sportsmanship above winning, and it’s carried over to his poet-athletes. Additionally, he has gone above and beyond his coaching duties, creating a futsal league during the offseason for kids, cheering on the older kids now in middle school at CCPCS, and volunteering to help coach other teams when needed. He does all this while going to school full-time and advocating tirelessly for immigrants’ rights. As an immigrant himself, Gerson can relate to many of his kids and has used soccer and poetry -- which he also helps teach -- to assuage kids’ fears about their lives and uncertainties. More than anything, Gerson is a positive force in hundreds of children’s lives. Learn more about this award and more at DCSCORES.org

Zakayah and Mashir are naturals on live TV, perform on NBC Washington We. Are. The Future. Those are the final words to Zakayah A.’s poem that she performed at the 19th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam! Nov. 18 (p. 7). The 8-yearold next brought them in front of a live TV audience the morning of Dec. 1. I am Washington, DC That was the crux of Mashir C.’s poem at the Slam!, and he introduced himself to all of Washington, DC, by brilliantly performing on NBC, too. Zakayah of Burrville Elementary School and Mashir, 10, were joined by Program Director Sean Hinkle on the set with host Barbara Harrison — bringing a giant dose of inspiration during the midday news. See all our earned media at DCSCORES.org and videos of Zakayah and Mashir at YouTube.com/DCSCORES

Leron B. is outstanding, wins Mayor’s Arts Award This past fall, Leron B., 11, took the stage at the 31st Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards in front of hundreds of distinguished musicians and artists and wowed a crowd once more. Leron of Imagine Hope Community Charter School - Tolson Campus performed and then was announced as the Oustanding Student Award winner. “Shout-out to my parents ... and to DC SCORES for starting me writing poems,” Leron said proudly upon receiving the award. The audience laughed. He was a natural.

Spring Program Calendar •

March 13: Season begins

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March 24: Middle school games begin

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March 30: Elementary school games begin

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May 9: SCORE Awards coaches celebration

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June 2: Last day of programming

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June 3: 22nd Annual program-wide Jamboree!

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June 24: 15th Annual DC SCORES Cup

Spring 2017 Program Sites Ward 1 Bancroft Elementary School (1999) Cardozo Education Campus (2010) Cesar Chavez Public Charter Middle School for Public Policy – Chavez Prep (2012)* Harrison Recreation Center — Elementary (2015)* Harrison Recreation Center — Middle (2015)* H.D. Cooke Elementary School (2005)* Lincoln Middle School (2007) Marie Reed Elementary School (1994) Parkview Recreation Center — Elementary (2015)* Parkview Recreation Center — Middle (2015)* Tubman Elementary School (2001) Ward 2 KIPP DC: WILL Academy (2012)* Seaton Elementary School (2012)* Thomson Elementary School (2007) Ward 3 Hearst Recreation Center (2016) Ward 4 Barnard Elementary School (2013)* Brightwood Education Campus — Elementary (2002)

Brightwood Education Campus — Middle (2014)* Capital City Public Charter School — Elementary (2012)* Capital City Public Charter School — Middle (2012)* Imagine Hope — Lamond Campus (2016) LaSalle-Backus Education Campus (2014)* MacFarland Middle School (2007) Powell Elementary School (2012)* Raymond Education Campus — Elementary (2007) Raymond Education Campus — Middle (2014)* Truesdell Education Campus — Elementary (2000) Truesdell Education Campus — Middle (2014) Upshur Recreation Center (2016) Ward 5 Imagine Hope Community Charter School — Tolson Campus (2013)* Taft Recreation Center (2015)* Turkey Thicket Recreation Center — Elementary (2015)* Turkey Thicket Recreation Center — Middle (2015)* Ward 6 Amidon Elementary School (2015)* Eliot-Hine Middle School (2014) Jefferson Middle School (2012)* Miner Elementary School (2013)* Payne Elementary School (2015)*

Ward 7 Aiton Elementary School (1999) Anne Beers Elementary School (1994) Burrville Elementary School (2000) Deanwood Recreation Center (2016) Hillcrest Recreation Center (2016) J.C. Nalle Elementary School (2012)* Kelly Miller Middle School (2004) KIPP DC: KEY Academy (2013)* KIPP DC: QUEST Academy (2014)* Thomas Elementary School (2014) Ward 8 Barry Farm Recreation Center (2015)* Hart Middle School (2012) Leckie Elementary School (2013)* Moten Elementary School (2011) Orr Elementary School (2012)* Turner Elementary School (2016) Washington School for Girls (2015)* *Denotes schools that participate in programming through a Soccer for Success Social Innovation Fund (SIF) Sub-Grant awarded by the U.S. Soccer Foundation. Visit DCSCORES.org for a list that includes all schools and recreation centers that participate in our four soccer leagues.

Capital Cup celebrates strong SCORES communities

The fall DC SCORES season came to a close the Tuesday before Thanksgiving with a pair of championship games that demonstrated what the program means to kids, their schools, and their schools’ greater communities. As the Truesdell Education Campus girls team stood for the national anthem alongside their opponent DC International, a large contingent of Truesdell boys stood in the stands. Even as the afternoon light disappeared and the temperature plunged, the boys -- and dozens of parents and community members -- stayed to cheer on the Trojans. What they saw was incredible. A game-tying goal in the last minute by Nereida M.,13, which sent the Truesdell contingent into a frenzy. And then a penalty kicks shootout that wasn’t decided until Trojans goalie Angela M., 13, saved DCI’s sixth shot -- and the Truesdell players piled on top of each other to celebrate. “Nereida’s been a special player all year and if anyone was going to do it, it was going to be Nereida,” Truesdell co-coach Adam Zimmermann said. “We talked about leadership at the beginning of the game, and we focused on it with her. She came through for her teammates.” Under the light as spectators huddled closer to each other for warmth, the Raymond Education Campus boys team played like a well-oiled machine. Using one pass after another, the ball rarely sticking to one player’s foot, the team in red moved possession up the field and capitalized on their opportunities for a 2-0 win over Capital City Public Charter School. Raymond’s boys have won back-to-back Capital Cup titles, and their girls won it the year before. The reason? They really like each other, according to coach David Petersen.

“This team has been amazing,” Petersen said afterward, his players passing the trophy around behind him. “The way they’ve passed and shared the ball, no one is selfish, no one wants the credit, and they’ve come together. We have a lot of new kids -- some sixth-graders -- and they’ve all kind of blended. It’s been fun to coach.” DC SCORES is a huge part of both schools’ communities. And not just the soccer. Zimmermann smiled while recounting what a whirlwind few years of SCORES it’s been for Truesdell. Because of immense popularity, the education campus (K-8) added the middle school program in 2014. And now, kids from all grades participate in soccer, writing and service sessions. “I think it caps off a really good run,” Zimmermann said Tuesday. “Mr (Charles) Robinson has led this program for the last 15 years from barely getting enough players out to having a consistent program with almost two teams of each girls and boys in our middle school and our elementary school as well. At Raymond, the kids are probably already thinking about the spring DC SCORES season. That’s how eagerly they anticipate each session together. And not just the poet-athletes. Petersen keeps a text chain with a large group of parents, informing them about schedule changes and other chances to see their kids and support the Raymond community. He wasn’t surprised by the dozens of families and friends who came out Tuesday in the chill. “When we play at Tubman (Elementary School), a normal game, it’s usually the same,” Petersen said. “They always come out. The parents have been amazing. They’re always very supportive. They give us a lot of love.”

Photos by Tina dela Rosa

Our Words Our City: A night of inspiration

I got to get where I’m going, no time to fall below No time for despair, I can only grow/ I can make it, it’s all I’ve ever known I’ve got ideas, and courage, and life -- Myiah S., 18

Poetry and creative expression bring people together. This was most evident and most powerfully displayed Feb. 7 at Busboys and Poets in downtown Washington, DC. Those entering the popular restaurant were greeted with a sign on the door: “Our Words Our City SOLD OUT.” The back room was packed with people by 6:15pm, half an Photo by Anna Langer hour before the show. And Natalia L., 10, performs Feb. 7. then around 6:45pm, the lights dimmed and focused on 13 DC children sitting in a semicircle on the small stage. There was Zakayah A., age 8, one of the many stars from November’s Poetry Slam! who also performed on NBC Washington in December (see p. 6). Sitting to her left was A’dora W., age 18, who last performed on a DC SCORES stage seven years prior. To Zakayah’s right and Adora’s left sat poet-athletes current and past, spanning that 10-

year age range. During the following hour, the kids provided one dose after another of inspiration for an audience chock full of jaws dropped. The performances -- a few current poet-athletes followed by an alumnus, repeated -- demonstrated the evolution of a kid in our self-expression program. The current participants’ poems were a little lighter while the alumni delved deep into myriad issues plaguing their communities today. But don’t call them cynical. Every poem rung of hope, of creating change and making the world a better place. And every poem showcased the incredible talent and voices these young minds possess. Hope came from hip hop and even that got tainted to learn, to live, to liberate themselves in America// where murder, mayhem, and the N word never, never, never seem to cease obvious cheating politicians pushing poor folk to a non-existence Visual violence virtually violating the minds of our young I wish I was an X-ray to examine America’s heart, and see if it really has a spirit -- Xavier C., 13 Special thanks to Busboys and Poets for hosting, to DC AmeriHealth for sponsoring, to emcee Charity Blackwell, and guest poet and longtime DC SCORES advocate Councilmember David Grosso. Watch any performance: YouTube.com/DCSCORES.

Winter Sports Day puts exclamation mark on season One could have been excused for not realizing there were soccer games occurring at Total Soccer arena in Landover, Md., on Feb. 14. There were that many other activities going on during the second annual Winter Sports Day. The event, held for all seven Winter SCORES schools and sponsored by the Qatar Embassy and Qatar Foundation International, featured all of the following for the kids nonstop for two hours: Soccer games, painting, creating Arabic mosaic tiles, trying on Qatari clothing, a photo booth, a 2,000-piece puzzle station, a huge spread of traditional Qatari food and drink, DJ RBI spinning tunes, facepainting, and even more. Kids learned, kids played, kids ate, kids danced, and kids had a great time with their schools, meeting kids from other schools, and putting an exclamation mark on the winter season. Winter SCORES was six weeks and featured nutrition lessons — using the Common Threads curriculum — and soccer practices four times a week for each school. Big thanks to Brainfood DC for holding community cooking classes for our students. Learn more: dcscores.blogspot.com