Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thomson Reuters and America SCORES New England have a ball in East Boston!

EAST BOSTON, MA—On October 23rd 2009, a seasonably chilly Friday afternoon, thirty employees from Thomson Reuters’ Boston office left their business suits behind, donning soccer cleats and windbreakers as they gathered on the field of LoPresti Park in East Boston. It must have seemed strange that a group of financial industry heads were hanging out at a park on the Boston harbor during the workday, but the Thomson Reuters employees in Boston and across the nation were on a mission: to organize a service project with the national non-profit America SCORES. In the Boston area, Thomson Reuters collaborated with the America SCORES’ regional affiliate, America SCORES New England, to benefit the public school students who attend its after-school program. This school year, 660 at-risk elementary and middle school students are participating in the America SCORES New England after-school program, which combines soccer leagues, language arts workshops, and service-learning projects that inspire youth to lead healthy lifestyles, be engaged students, and become agents of change in their communities.

As the Thomson Reuters employees set out a fajita buffet, erected soccer goals, and unfurled their hand drawn soccer team signs, sixty of America SCORES New England’s 3rd-8th grade poet-athletes from the McKay K-8 School in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of East Boston came racing down the sidewalk. “I am the king!” the fastest boy shouted, jumping up and down on a nearby bench.
As kids began to funnel in, dropping their backpacks hurriedly at the corner of the field, they began searching for their teammates. “Whoa, you are totally on Team Toros too!” one girl exclaimed to her friend, motioning grandly to a nearby group of Thomson Reuters staff holding up a poster with a large, frightening looking bull on it. Within minutes, everyone made their way over to one of seven teams, which sported names such as Team Ole Ole, Los Diablos, and Team Del Sol.

At the blow of a whistle, the first of six rounds of scrimmages began, with four teams playing at any given time. Competition was intense, and fancy footwork abounded, as the McKay students and Thomson Reuters staff maneuvered the ball back and forth across the field. During the games, headers were made on the goal, several huge kicks almost sent the ball flying into the harbor, the “Ole, Ole, Ole” song was sung with much gusto at least once, and an elementary school boy unsuspectingly tripped over a Thomson Reuters player’s outstretched leg, tumbled to the ground, and came up giggling.

When each team came off the field for a break between scrimmages, they were welcomed by a heaping buffet of fajita chicken, beans, salsa, tortillas, roasted peppers, shredded cheese, and orange wedges which had been donated by Thomson Reuters staff. “This is fine Mexican cuisine!” one boy declared with a big smile as he approached the table. Dwayne Simmons, the Education Director at America SCORES New England, beamed as he announced that it was “the best food these kids have had all season.” When one girl fit an orange wedge rind in her mouth and an America SCORES staff member asked if she was impersonating a monster or an alien, she immediately answered “I’m the fastest player in the world! My name is Bianca. Would you like my soccer player autograph?”

As the day drew to a close, the Thomson Reuters volunteers and McKay poet-athletes assembled on the grass for the awards ceremony. Calling out student names with much cheering, Thomson Reuters staff handed out certificates of achievement and a donated soccer ball for each poet-athlete to take home. As the poet-athletes picked up their knapsacks and began to head home, there was already talk amongst Thomson Reuters and America SCORES staff about when they could hold another event. “It’s great to see our employees so engaged!” Danielle McLaughlin from Thomson Reuters’ Human Resources Department announced. America SCORES New England’s Deputy Director, Caryl Lattof, had this to say: “In the midst of a major recession it’s inspiring to see individuals from the financial sector work so closely with non-profits to provide at-risk youth with events like this. In this new and ever-changing economic climate, corporate citizenship is arguably more important now than ever…people are re-directing more of their energy towards helping others.” For the McKay kids in East Boston, many of whom had never met employees from a downtown financial firm, this burgeoning corporate citizenship is an unprecedented gift.

To check out more pictures from the event, visit our flickr page.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Accepting Marathon Team Applications on a Rolling Basis

The 11/01/2009 deadline to apply for the SCORES Boston Marathon Team has been changed. We will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Some Recent Poems from This Week's Language Arts Workshops at Russell and Mather Elementary

Russell Elementary's poems about color:

Green:

green is the grass as wet as the dew in the morning
green is the world
green gives us air
thank you green!

Pink:

My life is the color of a rose
Rose shows up in my life
and makes me feel nice

Black:

Black is like zombies!

Mather Elementary girl's team haikus:

A tribute to: Michael Jackson

MJ's songs are cool.
MJ is a great singer.
MJ has good taste

A tribute to: Barack Obama

Barack Obama
He is an awesome leader
Because he works hard

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Run for the SCORES Boston Marathon® Team!

Great news! America SCORES New England is proud to announce its selection as an official charity for the 114th Boston Marathon® to be held on April 19, 2010. We are currently looking for 15 enthusiastic and dedicated runners to join the SCORES Boston Marathon Team.

Are you an avid runner? Do you have the determination to finish the 26.2 grueling miles that comprise the legendary Boston Marathon? Do you share our passion to promote literary, soccer, and service learning programming for low-income, at-risk Boston public elementary and middle school students? If so, we would love to have you represent America SCORES New England in the 2010 Boston Marathon!

As a member of the SCORES Boston Marathon Team, you will receive:
• An official entry number for the 2010 Boston Marathon
• Specialized marathon training and support
• Access to an online fundraising service to facilitate your fundraising efforts

All interested runners must complete and submit an official application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications and additional information regarding the SCORES Boston Marathon Team are accessible online here. Our Selection Committee is charged with making the final decisions. Runners who are accepted and commit to being a member of the SCORES Boston Marathon Team are required to raise a minimum of $3250. All proceeds raised will directly support ASNE’s programs.

For additional questions, please contact:

Jessica LaMoe
AmeriCorps*VISTA
150 Mount Vernon Street, Suite 2, Dorchester, MA 02125
P: 617.265.0066x143
F: 617.282.6367
jlamoe@americascores.org

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

An article about American Outlaws: Boston Chapter, and the upcoming Winter Ball!

Soccer fans, rejoice! There is now a chapter of the US National Soccer Team's American Outlaws supporters group in the Boston area, and they are holding a Winter Ball to benefit America SCORES on Friday, Dec 4! Check out the recent article in The Examiner about their organization and the upcoming event here. For more information about the event, and to RSVP, visit the event's website here.

Monday, October 5, 2009

The Second Depression, by Linda Qin

The Second Depression



Father announces at dinner,
That he got fired.
It was only one month
After he got hired!

Daddy looked for new jobs
Day after day.
Bad news- mom's
Boss had lowered her pay.

Then the house rent went up,
And our money went down.
Things became costly
All over the town.

Mom- I don't need new sneakers,
I'll keep wearing my old one.
Sister doesn't need new Barbies,
There's other ways to have fun!

It's dinner again,
Our family gathers around.
We say our grace,
Thankful we're safe and sound.

It doesn't matter what will happen,
Everyone will stick together,
We're content with what we have
Anytime, in any weather.

Tomorrow is a brand new day,
New hope is in the air.
Obama's the new president
He'll make this economy fair.




-By Linda Qin (One of ASNE's poet representatives at the 3rd Annual National Poetry Slam! held in New York)

Friday, October 2, 2009

Welcome to the America SCORES New England Blog!

America SCORES New England is a unique, comprehensive youth development program which uses the triad of soccer, poetry, and service-learning to equip and inspire under-served 3rd-8th grade students to lead healthy lifestyles, become engaged students, and grow into leaders for their school and their community.

America SCORES' diverse program builds connections...
...between teamwork on the field and teamwork in the classroom.
...between developing a voice in your writing and making your voice heard in the community.
...between good sportsmanship and engaged citizenship.
...between healthy choices on Game Day and healthy choices for life.
...between identifying challenges and the responsibility to be part of solutions

This blog is intended to build connections...
...between our poet-athletes and our supporters.
...between our efforts and the good work being done by other agencies in our community.
...between our curriculum and the best practice research in youth development.
...between the challenges faced by our youth and our communities, and the many opportunities (volunteer, support, donation, word-of-mouth, and more) where you can make an impact.

Keep checking back for news on recent SCORES activity and upcoming events!