America Scores St Louis

Soccer program:poet-athletes meet with their soccer coaches for soccer practices and games during afterschool hours three days per week for 20-24 weeks of the school year, utilizing the America Scores soccer curriculum. This curriculum emphasizes character building skills such as leadership, teamwork, and commitment. Daily lessons end with discussions promoting healthy behaviors, self esteem, goal setting and school stewardship. Poet-athletes play games between America Scores schools at school sites and other community locations once per week. Program years begin and end with community soccer events.

Nutrition education and writing:students participate in nutrition education games and activities each day before their soccer and writing sessions to reinforce the healthy living taught through the afterschool program. Students learn about serving sizes and portions, the importance of increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, and proper hydration. After nutrition education sessions, students participate in writing workshops that reinforce literacy skills by introducing students to the powerful role that language plays in both self-expressions and community service. On alternating days from soccer practice, Scores teams meet with their writing coaches to explore poetry, where their own voices become the context for learning grammar, vocabulary and spoken word performance (poetry slams!). During the second season, the teams use writing to map the diverse resources in their communities and to develop and carry out service projects such as community gardens to promote positive change. Throughout the year, student work is published nationally in kicker! And locally in Scores newsletters.