The Department for Health and Human Services has created this website that gives information on living a healthy lifestyle. There are many interactive games that quiz you on healthy decisions (my favorite is the Bully Roundup under the "Your Life" heading), so sit down with your kids and have some informative family fun!
Click the link below for the BAM! website
http://www.bam.gov/index.html
June 30, 2009
June 26, 2009
Respecting the Opponenets Honors the Game
Sportsmanship is one of the key components to the philosophy of Americas SCORES. Due to recent actions of professional players not shaking hands after losing in the NBA conference finals and winning the Stanley Cup (NHL Finals), Responsible Sports wrote an article on sportsmanship and why it is important to introduce it to young athletes.
For the full article please click here.
Here is an excerpt from the article.
The experts at Positive Coaching Alliance help remind us: how an athlete handles a loss is just as important as how he or she handles a victory. Sports psychologist Jim Fannin has been quoted as saying, "You can still be looked at as tenacious, unwavering, a closer and a winner, but when you lose you need to be gracious. How you handle a loss dictates how you are going to go forward."
Introducing your athletes to the tradition of good sportsmanship is an important element of practicing Responsible Sports. And it does take practice!
•Seek moments during practice when you can encourage your players to congratulate their opponents. Sometimes it’s easier to learn about honoring opponents during a practice because your “opponents” are your teammates.
•Consider staying after your game is over to watch another two teams compete and congratulate the winning team’s fans who appreciated their skills.
•Parents can walk across the aisle in the stands to congratulate the opposing team's parents and set a powerful example for youth athletes. Or how about parents actually hitting the field after a game to say congratulations to the opposing soccer forward who scored the winning goal? Talk about a powerful example!
•At home, look for examples of good sportsmanship and talk about them with your kids. And at the same time, bring up examples of poor sportsmanship and get your kids’ perspective. You might be surprised to hear that kids, sometimes even more than adults, value good sportsmanship and see the issue as very black-and-white, right-and-wrong.
Outside of wins and losses, athletes can also honor their opponents by how they behave during the game: helping a running back up off the field after a tough tackle, kicking the ball out of play when an opposing player goes down with an injury, checking to see if the catcher is okay after a fastball hits his helmet. Or consider Milwaukee Brewers first baseman, Prince Fielder, who nearly hit a grand slam home run but instead found himself tipping his batting helmet to Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson who made an amazing catch.
Whether it’s a handshake, a hug, or a high five, respect for opponents is an important element of Responsible Sports and one we hope you’re celebrating in your community.
For the full article please click here.
Here is an excerpt from the article.
The experts at Positive Coaching Alliance help remind us: how an athlete handles a loss is just as important as how he or she handles a victory. Sports psychologist Jim Fannin has been quoted as saying, "You can still be looked at as tenacious, unwavering, a closer and a winner, but when you lose you need to be gracious. How you handle a loss dictates how you are going to go forward."
Introducing your athletes to the tradition of good sportsmanship is an important element of practicing Responsible Sports. And it does take practice!
•Seek moments during practice when you can encourage your players to congratulate their opponents. Sometimes it’s easier to learn about honoring opponents during a practice because your “opponents” are your teammates.
•Consider staying after your game is over to watch another two teams compete and congratulate the winning team’s fans who appreciated their skills.
•Parents can walk across the aisle in the stands to congratulate the opposing team's parents and set a powerful example for youth athletes. Or how about parents actually hitting the field after a game to say congratulations to the opposing soccer forward who scored the winning goal? Talk about a powerful example!
•At home, look for examples of good sportsmanship and talk about them with your kids. And at the same time, bring up examples of poor sportsmanship and get your kids’ perspective. You might be surprised to hear that kids, sometimes even more than adults, value good sportsmanship and see the issue as very black-and-white, right-and-wrong.
Outside of wins and losses, athletes can also honor their opponents by how they behave during the game: helping a running back up off the field after a tough tackle, kicking the ball out of play when an opposing player goes down with an injury, checking to see if the catcher is okay after a fastball hits his helmet. Or consider Milwaukee Brewers first baseman, Prince Fielder, who nearly hit a grand slam home run but instead found himself tipping his batting helmet to Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson who made an amazing catch.
Whether it’s a handshake, a hug, or a high five, respect for opponents is an important element of Responsible Sports and one we hope you’re celebrating in your community.
June 23, 2009
Learn about America SCORES
Check out the video that the Bay Area office made that gives an overview on America SCORES and what we do to accomplish our goals. (I had to use the lower quality video because the high quality file was too big, sorry)
June 18, 2009
Come play soccer and support America SCORES Denver!
WHEN: July 11, 2009
TIME: 1PM start time with semi-finals and finals played on the Rapids' field prior to the Rapids game.
WHERE: Dicks Sporting Good Park
America SCORES Denver, along with the Colorado Rapids, will be hosting its 6th Annual SCORES Cup. This is a 7-v-7 co-ed corporate fundraising soccer tournament with all proceeds benefiting programming at America SCORES Denver.
For more information about the event and how to register a team please visit our website or contact Brandon at 303-832-5879 or bblew@americascores.org.
June 16, 2009
Valdez Team Reflection
The team at Valdez Elementary learned about pollution and had a presentation from Environmental Learning for Kids on "Who Polluted the South Platte River." The SCORES students learned how various types of trash can pollute the waterways. The students then walked around the South Platte River and picked up trash. They also started a pen pal relationship with one of the SCORES teams in LA.
A guy named Mr. Valdez came and told us how bad our community can become by just throwing trash everywhere. Then Mr. Valdez used a jar of water and we dumped different types of trash into the water to show how the South Platte River had become dirty. Another day we went down to the South Platte River to see what we could clean up. While we were down there we saw a guy on a huge bicycle! We found an open field at the bottom of a hill that had a bunch of trash strewn about. Some things that we found while cleaning up was shoes, a backpack, trash, bottles, and glass. When we were finished we were so proud to help clean up part of our community.
~ Griselda, Jessica, and Sheyla
South Platte River
Sweet smelling
Outstanding place
Under a bridge
Time to spend there
Has plants and people
Prepare to have fun
Little but cool
Awesome to be there
The best place
Takes time away from boredom
Every river is good but the South Platte River is great!
Reminder, go there!
Interesting place
Visiting is always available
Everyday is a good day at the South Platte River
Rolling, it doesn't matter, just go!
~Brayan P.
I Wish, I Promise
I promise, I promise to pick up the trash.
I promise, I promise to pick up everything.
I promise, I promise that you won't see anything, no piece of trash.
I wish, I wish that people could help.
I wish, I wish that people will think.
I need to help pick up the trash.
I wish, I wish that you could help me community, please!
~ Maria S.
South Platte River
Swimming there is cool
Out from the cold mountains comes the water
Under the bridge the kayakers go
Tourist go there
Has flowers planted there
People like to ride their bikes there
Lots of people walk by there
Alligators don't live there
Teachers took some students there
The people like to go swimming
Every time that I go
Rain makes the river grow
In the river there are fish
Very few people in Denver haven't heard about the river
Everyday people go there
Really cool things are there
~ Leonel L.
I Wish, I Promise
I only want one clean community.
We can all help.
It is so easy.
So please help.
Help our community.
I'm going to help our community.
People give me some help.
Respect we will give to our community.
Our place is going to be wonderful.
Meanwhile we are going to have fun.
I promise all these things.
See for yourself.
Everyone come.
~Ana A.
A guy named Mr. Valdez came and told us how bad our community can become by just throwing trash everywhere. Then Mr. Valdez used a jar of water and we dumped different types of trash into the water to show how the South Platte River had become dirty. Another day we went down to the South Platte River to see what we could clean up. While we were down there we saw a guy on a huge bicycle! We found an open field at the bottom of a hill that had a bunch of trash strewn about. Some things that we found while cleaning up was shoes, a backpack, trash, bottles, and glass. When we were finished we were so proud to help clean up part of our community.
~ Griselda, Jessica, and Sheyla
South Platte River
Sweet smelling
Outstanding place
Under a bridge
Time to spend there
Has plants and people
Prepare to have fun
Little but cool
Awesome to be there
The best place
Takes time away from boredom
Every river is good but the South Platte River is great!
Reminder, go there!
Interesting place
Visiting is always available
Everyday is a good day at the South Platte River
Rolling, it doesn't matter, just go!
~Brayan P.
I Wish, I Promise
I promise, I promise to pick up the trash.
I promise, I promise to pick up everything.
I promise, I promise that you won't see anything, no piece of trash.
I wish, I wish that people could help.
I wish, I wish that people will think.
I need to help pick up the trash.
I wish, I wish that you could help me community, please!
~ Maria S.
South Platte River
Swimming there is cool
Out from the cold mountains comes the water
Under the bridge the kayakers go
Tourist go there
Has flowers planted there
People like to ride their bikes there
Lots of people walk by there
Alligators don't live there
Teachers took some students there
The people like to go swimming
Every time that I go
Rain makes the river grow
In the river there are fish
Very few people in Denver haven't heard about the river
Everyday people go there
Really cool things are there
~ Leonel L.
I Wish, I Promise
I only want one clean community.
We can all help.
It is so easy.
So please help.
Help our community.
I'm going to help our community.
People give me some help.
Respect we will give to our community.
Our place is going to be wonderful.
Meanwhile we are going to have fun.
I promise all these things.
See for yourself.
Everyone come.
~Ana A.
June 11, 2009
One School Takes Their Service-learning Project a Step Further
Oh, the places that the internet can take one!Our SCORES team at Knapp Elementary decided to do some internet research for their service-learning project. They discovered a library in Zambia, Africa called the Kala Peace Library that was requesting donations. The goal of the Kala Peace Library is to increase literacy and educational opportunity in the Kala Refugee Camp by providing the only access to educational and informational materials.
The team at Knapp implemented a penny campaign at their school and ecouraged their fellow classmates to bring their pennies in to help out the cause. The result...they raised over $1,000 in pennies!!! As a team they made the donation online to the library and wrote letters to the people who use the library and sent the letters to the library's manager. Congratulations to Knapp on their outstanding effort!!!
A community is a group that helps one another and they work together. More over I think about my team, America SCORES Denver, and how we use our leadership, committment, and teamwork to support one another.
~ Andrea O.
A community is when you are part of something like America SCORES Denver. A community is like a neighborhood. A community is when you have a little group helping people. A community is sharing with friends. A community helps your hood.
~ Jose V
~ Andrea O.
A community is when you are part of something like America SCORES Denver. A community is like a neighborhood. A community is when you have a little group helping people. A community is sharing with friends. A community helps your hood.
~ Jose V
A community is a group of people that work together and are nice to each other. A community is also people that work with one another, never fight, and are not rude to each other. They never say bad words to each other and respect others, so that others will respect them.
~ Jesscia M.
I am part of a big community, there are a few adults and most of them are students. My community is called America SCORES Denver and I am lucky to be on Knapp's SCORES team because we learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. We also help other communities out like when we raised money for the Kala Peace Library.
~ Juan V.
June 9, 2009
Eagleton Team Reflection
The Eagleton Girls Team project story
Our soccer team's service-learning project was cleaning up Paco Sanchez Park. We made the park cleaner so everyone can go often to a beautiful and clean park. We walked to Paco Sanchez from our school and our coach, Ms. Gold, gave us gloves and bags. Then we picked up trash around the park and river. The next day we sorted the garbage from the recycling and put the items into the proper dumpster at our school.
In addition to cleaning up the park, the girls team took a training on visiting nursing homes through Bessie's Hope, which is an organization that works with community groups on what to expect and how to best interact with nursing home residents. When the girls visited the nursing home they brighten the hearts of the residents through their poetry and companionship. The boys team worked on planting trees around their school to offset carbon dioxide and learned about solar panels.
Our soccer team's service-learning project was cleaning up Paco Sanchez Park. We made the park cleaner so everyone can go often to a beautiful and clean park. We walked to Paco Sanchez from our school and our coach, Ms. Gold, gave us gloves and bags. Then we picked up trash around the park and river. The next day we sorted the garbage from the recycling and put the items into the proper dumpster at our school.
In addition to cleaning up the park, the girls team took a training on visiting nursing homes through Bessie's Hope, which is an organization that works with community groups on what to expect and how to best interact with nursing home residents. When the girls visited the nursing home they brighten the hearts of the residents through their poetry and companionship. The boys team worked on planting trees around their school to offset carbon dioxide and learned about solar panels.
Clean Parks
We like to clean up the parks
That is the funnest thing to do
We help the world because we
RECYCLE
We also clean up graffiti on the playground
Let's say, if you litter you are
Sunny morning, no drizzle nor rain,
not helping the world
We are cleaning the Parks so
DON'T LITTER or GRAFFITI
You can help the world too
WE ARE THE PARK PROTECTORS
~ Adleana N.
Community is where you live. A community is where you take care of your neighborhood and outside of your neighborhood. For example, you can help the elderly cross the street, be respectful to others, and you can recycle and pick up trash around your house.
~ Jaime M.
A community is a neighborhood or city. A community stands together to help support each other. A community has trees, buildings, and much more. A community is a good, no great thing!
~Claudia R.
Community is where you live, your environment, the street you live on. A community is also a park, school, pool, or your neighborhood. Community is what is going on in your environment. Community can be a library or it can be the people who protect you like the police, stop sign people, and the fire department. It can be the teachers and principal since they all keep the community nice and safe for others.
~ Manuel D.
~ Jaime M.
A community is a neighborhood or city. A community stands together to help support each other. A community has trees, buildings, and much more. A community is a good, no great thing!
~Claudia R.
Community is where you live, your environment, the street you live on. A community is also a park, school, pool, or your neighborhood. Community is what is going on in your environment. Community can be a library or it can be the people who protect you like the police, stop sign people, and the fire department. It can be the teachers and principal since they all keep the community nice and safe for others.
~ Manuel D.
The Best Day Ever!
Sunny morning, no drizzle nor rain,
Seem to wake up feeling no pain,
So I get up and put on my clothes,
I look out my window, it's the crack of dawn
I go outside into the sunshine,
It's marvelous light was very divine!
I walk through the park,
though it is still dark,
End up on the bay,
What a wonderful day.
~ Claudia R.
June 4, 2009
Beautify Barnum
This Spring the Barnum SCORES team spent their time thinking of ways to make their community better. As a team they decided to go out into their community and pick up trash particularly at homes of elderly people who were unable to do so. They also cleaned up around their school and planted a garden.
Barnum Reflection on Community
I am part of a clean, respectful community that helps clean up graffiti and litter. The community that I am a part of is always clean and if someone throws litter on the ground or does something to make the community look bad, our SCORES team can go clean it up.
This year our SCORES team was helping our community by cleaning up litter and planting a garden in front of our school. Our service-learning project was to "Beautify Barnum" by making our school look cleaner. Our community has also helped by erasing graffiti and getting people to recycle. This is the kind of community I live in.
~ Jose G.
A community is quiet and respectful. A community is where people live and schools are with parks and kids playing. A community is where people help their neighborhood by keeping it clean and are committed to helping the community. A community is a bunch of neighbors that respect one another and respect the community.
~ Nayeli M.
My community is an amanzing place and has gotten more beautiful because we planted flowers in front or our school. This was part of "Beautify Barnum." That means Barnum is going from blue to green, that is why I am part of a community.
~ Diego B.
A community is a home, a place you feel safe in. A community is a place that is filled with people you love, your friends, neighbors and even pets. A community is a place that cares for you because a community is a place filled with love. Whenever I hear the word "community" a good pretty picture comes to mind because when I hear that word I think of home. And my home is my community where I feel loved, cared for, and safe. That's what a community is.
~ Rebecca H.
Barnum Reflection on Community
I am part of a clean, respectful community that helps clean up graffiti and litter. The community that I am a part of is always clean and if someone throws litter on the ground or does something to make the community look bad, our SCORES team can go clean it up.
This year our SCORES team was helping our community by cleaning up litter and planting a garden in front of our school. Our service-learning project was to "Beautify Barnum" by making our school look cleaner. Our community has also helped by erasing graffiti and getting people to recycle. This is the kind of community I live in.
~ Jose G.
A community is quiet and respectful. A community is where people live and schools are with parks and kids playing. A community is where people help their neighborhood by keeping it clean and are committed to helping the community. A community is a bunch of neighbors that respect one another and respect the community.
~ Nayeli M.
My community is an amanzing place and has gotten more beautiful because we planted flowers in front or our school. This was part of "Beautify Barnum." That means Barnum is going from blue to green, that is why I am part of a community.~ Diego B.
A community is a home, a place you feel safe in. A community is a place that is filled with people you love, your friends, neighbors and even pets. A community is a place that cares for you because a community is a place filled with love. Whenever I hear the word "community" a good pretty picture comes to mind because when I hear that word I think of home. And my home is my community where I feel loved, cared for, and safe. That's what a community is.
~ Rebecca H.
June 2, 2009
Newlon Team Reflection
Newlon Elementary's SCORES team spent the spring season learning about homelessness and what they can do to help out. Jessica Johnson from the Gathering Place gave a presentation to the students where they learned what the Gathering Place accomplishes and how the students' contribution from their food drive will be used. The Newlon team also participated in the Shout! Day of Action, where they planted trees in Loveland, Colorado and visited the Community Garden on 1st Ave and Lowell st, to help weed out plots to prepare the soil for planting.
Please enjoy some individual reflections and pictures on what Newlon accomplished through their service-learning this spring.
A community is a large group of people that get along and works as a team. My community is exactly the same but to keep it nice we did lots to help. We picked up trash on Earth Day, which felt so good to do. Yet there was still more things to be done. We needed to help the homeless so we had a food drive at my school. Still that was not enough so my soccer team went to our local garden and pulled weeds. And that warmed my heart. I enjoyed working as a team with my community. All of our hard work will soon pay off. Now my community is a better place to be in.
~ Selina S.
The community that I am part of is America SCORES because we are all a team. We help each other when we need help and we cheer each other on. Not only that but we helped the poor by holding a food drive. We also helped plant trees and cleaned up a Community Garden. This is one of the best communities I have had!
~ Julio N.
A community is a wonderful place. We first picked up trash on Earth Day to make it clean, beautiful, and strong. We are also collecting food for the homeless. Then we went to a beautiful Community Garden and pulled out all the weeds. We all worked together as a wonderful team. I think that this will help our community grow big and strong. In my opinion, the best thing in the world is helping out our community.
~ Alondra S.
A community is a big place where everybody gets along. My community and I pulled weeds and cleaned up a garden. We did it because it is nice to help out. It made me feel so good that I helped somebody out. We also are doing a food drive for the homeless. Even if we can not go and give it to them, we can still imagine what there face will look like when they receive our gift. This is just the way my community is.
~ Kayley L.
A community is a thing that makes a big difference in your life. My soccer team helped our community by having a food drive to help the poor and my whole school helped out by bringing in canned food to school! Our team then went to plant trees and we helped Mother Earth because those trees will last 1,000 years. After that my team went to a garden and picked up all the trash so the garden won't be dirty. All in all, helping the community made a big difference. ~ Ray L.
Please enjoy some individual reflections and pictures on what Newlon accomplished through their service-learning this spring.
A community is a large group of people that get along and works as a team. My community is exactly the same but to keep it nice we did lots to help. We picked up trash on Earth Day, which felt so good to do. Yet there was still more things to be done. We needed to help the homeless so we had a food drive at my school. Still that was not enough so my soccer team went to our local garden and pulled weeds. And that warmed my heart. I enjoyed working as a team with my community. All of our hard work will soon pay off. Now my community is a better place to be in.~ Selina S.
The community that I am part of is America SCORES because we are all a team. We help each other when we need help and we cheer each other on. Not only that but we helped the poor by holding a food drive. We also helped plant trees and cleaned up a Community Garden. This is one of the best communities I have had!
~ Julio N.
A community is a wonderful place. We first picked up trash on Earth Day to make it clean, beautiful, and strong. We are also collecting food for the homeless. Then we went to a beautiful Community Garden and pulled out all the weeds. We all worked together as a wonderful team. I think that this will help our community grow big and strong. In my opinion, the best thing in the world is helping out our community.~ Alondra S.
A community is a big place where everybody gets along. My community and I pulled weeds and cleaned up a garden. We did it because it is nice to help out. It made me feel so good that I helped somebody out. We also are doing a food drive for the homeless. Even if we can not go and give it to them, we can still imagine what there face will look like when they receive our gift. This is just the way my community is.
~ Kayley L.
A community is a thing that makes a big difference in your life. My soccer team helped our community by having a food drive to help the poor and my whole school helped out by bringing in canned food to school! Our team then went to plant trees and we helped Mother Earth because those trees will last 1,000 years. After that my team went to a garden and picked up all the trash so the garden won't be dirty. All in all, helping the community made a big difference. ~ Ray L.
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