Exciting Weekend for Denver

Thursday, 21 March, 27 Cowell students participated in a 90 minute clinic with professional coaches at the Denver Sports Center.  Each participant received a McDonald's Nike Dri Fit uniform, backpack, and some had the opportunity to attend the USA-Costa Rica game Friday the 22nd.

Denver was a winter wonderland just in time for the U.S. Men's National Team to take on Costa Rica at Dick's Sporting Goods Park! Zuriah Castillo, Carlos Aguilar, Axel Ruiz, and Stephanie Mejia were among the 22 children who walked out starters before joining coaches to watch the match Friday night.

It was exciting to have USA win the World Cup qualifier in our back yard, and even with the record-breaking snow it was a special event for some very happy America SCORES poet-athletes.

They're Heading to the Big Apple!

Performers from Eagleton Elementary

It's official. We have selected fifth graders Christian I. from Eagleton Elementary and Libni G. from Cowell Elementary to represent America SCORES Denver in the National Poetry SLAM! April 8, 2013 at the New York Stock Exchange.  These great kids will join 26 poet-athletes from other SCORES cities for a long weekend in New York City.

Newlon Elementary Poet-Athletes

Denver's auditions for the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! were held Thursday, January 31 with 21 fourth and fifth graders performing original poetry for a panel of judges. The judges had a difficult time deciding among the participants and each poet-athlete should be proud of the accomplishments which inspired parents, teachers, coaches and passersby.

SCORES is thankful to our Starbucks partners and REI Store #6342 for hosting us Thursday! Starbucks Coffee Company made sure we had sound, somewhere to sit, and generously provided hot cocoa as a special treat to our students!

Mark Your Calendars

It may be the off-season but SCORES staff are busy planning great events and readying for spring! Please mark your calendars for upcoming annual events and click on links for more information.

Inspired Art 2012 poet-athletes

   
     National Poetry SLAM! Auditions        
     January 31, 2013, 3:30-5:00PM
     hosted by Starbucks Coffee Company, REI

     National Poetry SLAM! and activities  
     April 6-8, 2013
     New York City

Brandon Blew & James Mejia
Colfax Marathon 2012

     Inspired Art
     April 11, 2013, 5:30-8:00PM
     Artwork Network, Santa Fe Art District

     Colfax Marathon
     May 19, 2013
     beginning and ending in City Park

     SCORES Cup
     August 3, 2013 (to be confirmed)
     Dick's Sporting Goods Park




We're always looking for volunteers and SCORES supporters to make our events successful! Can you help prepare poets for a trip of a lifetime this spring? Are you an artist or collector who might contribute to Inspired Art? Are you a runner who can participate in the Colfax Marathon as a member of the SCORES team? Would your coworkers like to play against other companies and organizations in our annual soccer tournament?

Contact us at 303.832.5879 to answer any questions not found online! We look forward to seeing you at our 2013 events.

Happy New Year!

We welcome winter and hope you all enjoyed the holidays!

SCORES Denver's fall season ended with our 13th Annual Poetry SLAM! held at Abraham Lincoln High School in November.  We're always amazed by the variety of poetry and the talents of so many young poet-athletes.  Congratulations to all who performed their original works in front of teammates and community members!

Please visit our Picasa album to see all the great photos of teams and their performances, as well as the volunteers who helped make the night special.  A special thanks to Starbucks Coffee Company employees and  to the University of Denver students who worked that evening!

We also wish to express our thanks to our special guest from Minor Disturbance Youth Slam Poetry, Leah Scott, who attended our event in the middle of DU's finals week!  She wowed the crowd with several performances and we can't wait to see her again.

Our own poet-athletes wrote over 1,400 pieces this season.  Some are funny, some sad and inspirational; many are based on formats learned in over 30 hours of writing workshops this fall.

SCORES staff members have collected the poems and are busily posting some of our favorites for all to read on our Inspired Art Poetry page.  If you are, or know an artist who might like to be involved in our fourth annual Inspired Art event we welcome you to visit the Artists' Corner page for more information and to fill out a contract, letting us know which poem inspired you.  All submitted and accepted creations will be featured for auction at Artwork Network on April 11, 2013.

Other exciting happenings in this off-season will include preparations for National Poetry SLAM! in New York City and some organized soccer play time at SCORES schools for neighborhood children.  Check back for more information and stay on top of the latest news by "liking" us on Facebook.

Fun Fall Season for SCORES

Poet-athletes are learning alliteration like used above, and many other poetic devices, as well as honing their soccer skills and having fun this fall!

game time!

We're already mid-way through the season and have much to celebrate.  There is some wonderful writing happening in each site during workshops and one may witness positive sportsmanship at weekly match-ups between the schools.

face painting at Fall Frenzy

The season began with Fall Frenzy on September 15th.  We're very thankful for Regis University's Women's Soccer and their coach, J.B. Belzer.  Regis hosted SCORES for the 8th year!  The weather was wonderful and there's nothing better than a Saturday of soccer to start the season.

A continued partnership with University of Denver professor, Liz Drogin has provided volunteers from a first year seminar to work regularly in three SCORES schools.  This has been fun for students on both sides!

Several poet-athletes had the opportunity to perform early this season at an event for Social Venture Partners during which Cowell and Eagleton students learned from professional spoken word artists and shared brand new poems with the crowd.

On September 29th Denver joined nine other SCORES cities in attempting to break the Guinness World Record for most people dribbling a soccer ball at one time.  Several Cowell coaches and students joined in that fun too!

All teams are preparing for the upcoming 13th Annual Poetry Slam to be held again this year at Abraham Lincoln High School in Denver.  Please join us Wednesday, November 14 at 5:30pm and witness the poet-athletes' last hurrah of the fall season.

Back-to-School Time for Denver Students

Brandon Blew among the riders with
Superintendent Boasberg  and Mayor Hancock  Monday

All SCORES sites join other Denver Public Schools in returning to class this week.  We're really excited about our 13th year in Denver and ready for a great fall season!

How can you help us succeed?  Donate time on a Friday game day to referee, drop off some school supplies at our office to share with coaches, write us a check of any amount to put toward program costs, support us in classrooms and playgrounds any afternoon you want to see smiles of our great kids...

There are many ways to get involved with America SCORES Denver.  We look forward to having your help!  Welcome back, everyone.

It's Summertime for SCORES

The spring season was full of reasons for celebration.  SCORES values of Commitment, Leadership and Teamwork were evident in daily sessions, game days and service projects!

Projects on display

Teams gave back to their communities in many ways including planting new trees on school grounds, raising money for The Children's Hospital, MADD and local animal shelters, cleaning up yards of neighbors and community gardens, reading to early childhood classes, picking up litter and recycling education, and holding assemblies on topics ranging from bullying prevention to getting rid of graffiti.  SCORES' service learning had a broad reach and significant impact this season.

Our partnership with University of Denver students was fun and schools enjoyed having DU students join their after school sessions and activities.  After hosting DU students in many schools it was wonderful to be able to spend time on their campus-- Jamboree! was hosted by University of Denver the evening of May 18th.  SCORES participants played games on the practice fields after meeting members of the DU men's soccer team, and many DU students volunteered by handing out snacks, books, and face-painting.  Thanks to DU for helping us celebrate our season!

As always we wish to thank our coaches and liaisons for jobs well-done and working toward shared goals to create positive opportunities for extending learning during out-of school-time.  Every day teachers and community members who work for America SCORES Denver help inspire youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world.

Have a great summer, everyone!  We look forward to seeing you all in August.