New photos from Affiliates!

Cleveland posted new photos of poetry and game days on their Flickr photostream.

Denver has new photos of their most recent game day and Fall Frenzy! on their Picasa Web Album.

Seattle posted adorable soccer and poetry photos on their Facebook page.

Poem of the week!

The Sky is the Limit

The sky is the limit as to what I can do
with faith in God and self-confidence too,
I can be a female boxer like Laila Ali
or inspire others with my words
just wait and see!

Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, or Martin Luther King, Jr.
are just a few that stood up for their rights even though others didn't want them to!

I'm sure if they were here they would tell you they did what they had to do!
They had to make a change.... a difference too!
Trailblazing and paving the way for me and for you!

So I stand before you today full of hope
and a heart full of joy
because I know the sky is the limit as to what I can do!

In case you haven't heard, or perhaps you didn't see
Barack Hussein Obama
the first black president has made HISTORY
This proves that the SKY is truly limitless when it comes to me!!!!

By A'Dora W., Age 11.

October's Affiliate Digest!

Be on the lookout for monthly updates highlighting various activities at SCORES sites. If your site has a certain event you would like to be included in next month's digest, please contact Katie.

Cleveland:
October 19- Need some inspiration? Cleveland posted this adorable video of their game day. Check out the awesome goal at the one-minute mark!

DC:
October 19 - Destiny, Aisha and James, DC fifth- and sixth-graders performed an original work as part of a poetry session leading up to one of the Kicking & Screening film festival's showings. Performing alongside Briana Scurry, Grant Wahl, Josh Wicks, and celebrated poets, the SCORES poet-athletes received the loudest ovation! For more details about the event, visit their blog.

Denver:
October 15 - Denver announced the debut of their new SCORES t-shirt, with their logo on the front and a choice of "futbol + poesia = alegria" or "soccer + poetry = happiness" for the backs. They plan to sell the t-shirts at their last game day, during the upcoming Poetry Slam, and online. To view the t-shirt design, visit their blog.

New England:
October 8 - New England announced its selection as an official charity for the 114th Boston Marathon® to be held on April 19, 2010. They are looking for 15 enthusiastic and dedicated runners to join their SCORES Boston Marathon Team. For more information or to apply to be a team member, click here. Applications due November 1.

Seattle:
October 14 - The SCORES-Sounders Pub Event was a resounding success! Not only did the attendees watch a great game, they heard a heartfelt tribute to Charlie Davies, and participated in a great discussion with Sounders Coach Sigi and Technical Director Chris Henderson.The event raised over $1,000! For more information, visit their blog.

After-School studies and statistics

The Afterschool Alliance just posted the results of their in-depth study, "America After 3PM," which examines the availability of after-school programs and the current need for them. Their research indicates that 15 million children are unsupervised after school, and that the parents of 18 million recognize the importance of after-school programs and would enroll their kids if programs were available.

To view their key findings, click here. An interactive map and statistics for each state will be available at their website on October 15th.

The Campaign for Educational Equity recently produced a report entitled "Can After-School Programs Help Level the Academic Playing Field for Disadvantaged Youth?"

As this review suggests, rates of participation in after-school programs remain relatively low among disadvantaged and minority youth - the very youth who may be most in need of academic assistance. The report also examines the current state of after-school programs, and attempts to answer their title question.

To view a PDF of the full report, click here.

Poem of the week!

From now on, we'll be posting a poem each week from our poet-athletes across the country! Enjoy this week's poem!


Facing my Fears

It is hard for me to face my fears,
I try to be my true self,
I want to be like other kids.
People expect me to be smart,
Nice and not get in trouble.
If I do get in trouble,
They will tease me a bit.
People say I'm very quiet and shy.
Very soon, I will show my true self.
I will be more talkative and active,
But still be the person I am now!

Alyza G., age 9.

Is There a Link Between Poverty and Obesity?

A study produced in a joint effort by the Center on Hunger and Poverty and the Food Research & Action Center examines answers to this question.

Their research suggests that food insecurity and poverty may lead to obesity.

To view a PDF of the complete study,"The Paradox of Hunger and Obesity in America," click here.

For an article that summarizes this research and other similar studies, click here.

Inspiring Results from Chicago's Art Show

On Thursday, October 1, America SCORES Chicago displayed and auctioned the works of art created in their Inspired Art Project. At the event, 40 artists displayed 43 works of art. Thanks to the artists, poet-athletes, and the 85 attendees, the event made nearly $7,000.

For more information about the event, go to the Inspired Art blog. Congratulations to AS Chicago, and we hope that AS Milwaukee's Inspired Art event in November is just as successful!

adidas honors America SCORES poet-athletes at MLS games

On Saturday, September 12, the children of PS 153 in Harlem, NY went to the MLS Red Bulls game to be recognized for their achievement in the adidas "Make the World a Better Place" challenge. For their project, the students organized a soccer tournament for kids at a nearby homeless shelter. The students stood on the field as the Red Bulls warmed up, and their video was played on the Jumbotron before the game.

To view the video that played at the game on Saturday, click here.

To view a video of the NY students at the game, click here.

The poet-athletes of AS Dallas were also invited onto the field at the MLS FC Dallas game on Saturday, September 26. Bringing a crowd of 49 kids, coaches, and parents, the students were recognized for their hard work in the adidas "Make the World a Better Place" challenge, and their video was played on the Jumbotron at the game.

For their service project, the student-athletes revitalized a community field for kids in the area to have a safe playing environment. Now, they are also able to host SCORES game days at the improved field. To view the video that played at the game, click here.

Seattle Benefit Bike Ride a Success!

On Sunday, October 4, AS Seattle held their first SCORES Century Benefit Bike ride. Though they only had 7 riders who participated in the contest, those 7 were able to raise between $4,000 and 5,000 dollars!

A whopping 100 miles, the ride wrapped twice around Lake Washington, combining exercise, fun, and fundraising. Congrats to America SCORES Seattle!

Fit kids do better in school.

A study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that increasing physical education time at the expense of classroom time was well worth the sacrifice.

The study found that even though they spent less time in the classroom, kids who are physically active and fit are likely to have stronger academic performance.

For the complete article, click here.

After-school programs matter for at-risk kids.

An article by the Educational Resource Information Center examines the effects of after-school programs on academic success and social skills.

The research indicates that children from high-risk backgrounds have both the most to gain from after-school programs in terms of educational opportunity and the least access to them.

To read the full article, click here.