"LOVE IS"

Watch the final version of the ASCAP video project created by the LA SCORES students at Palms Middle School with film maker Roger Blaunder and composer Shawn Clement.



Click this link to watch another version of the project! VERSION 3

POETRY SLAM TOMORROW

THE 8TH ANNUAL LA SCORES POETRY SLAM WILL BE HELD TOMORROW, DECEMBER 3RD AT THE CHARNOCK ROAD ELEMENTARY AUDITORIUM.
THE EVENT WILL BEGIN AT 4:30PM AND LAST UNTIL 7:00PM.

COME SUPPORT THE POET ATHLETES OF CHARNOCK ROAD, BRADDOCK DRIVE AND PALMS ELEMENTARY AS THEY SHOWCASE THEIR ORIGINAL POEMS IN FRONT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

JOIN US FOR AN EXCITING NIGHT FULL OF POETRY, MUSIC AND FOOD, HOSTED BY SPOKEN WORD ARTIST, POETRI!

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

United...even when fallen

About a month ago, on the eve of a World Cup birth, United States striker Charlie Davies was involved in a car accident that claimed the life of a passenger and sent Davies to the hospital in serious condition. Davies is one of the States' brightest new stars and had scored 4 goals in 17 international appearances. A few days after the accident, American fans and his fellow teammates showed their appreciation and support of the player at the US clinched the Concacaf in a dramatic tie against Costa Rica, with signs and pictures.

Davies is expected to be out for about a year and will miss the upcoming World Cup. But Davies' injury reminds us of a few things more meaningful. First, is the importance of life. As cliche as it is, it takes a great tragedy to remind us of the simple pleasures. The prominence of Davies as a sports star brought this truth to light for thousands of fans around the country. Second, is the bond that sports create. The unity of fans that night and the emotion showed by the players is a symbol of how closely connected we can all become.

Charlie Davies was released from the hospital yesterday and is on the road to recovery. We are glad he is well and hope he makes a full recovery to re join the squad as soon as possible. And although he will not be playing in South Africa, he can be proud on the mark he made on American fans and the motivation he is bringing to his teammates.

LA SCORES on the field at HDC

4 of our LA SCORES students and Executive Director David Joseph took to the field at the Home Depot Center this past Sunday. They were able to spend some time on the sidelines as the Galaxy got ready for the second leg of the Western Conference Semi-finals against Chivas USA. Emiliano, Nestor, Juan and Miquel were able to watch some of America's best players warm up right in front of them as they prepared for the biggest game of the season thus far. Our kids were extremely excited to have the opportunity to be so close to the likes of David Beckham and Landon Donovan and be present for such an important match.


Once the match started they were able to watch from some amazing center field seats and contribute to a great playoff atmosphere at the HDC. The game was tightly contested but a penalty kick by Donovan in the 70th minute proved enough to lift the Galaxy to the Conference finals for the first time since 2005, when they last won the MLS Cup.

We want to thank the Galaxy for giving us such a great opportunity and will rally behind them as they seek their third MLS Title!

Real world sportsmanship

At LA SCORES we try to teach our students the importance of sportsmanship. One of the best ways to impart this lesson upon them is by practicing it ourselves. An even better way for our kids to learn this is by seeing high level athletes exhibit traits of good sportsmanship on the field and on TV. Below I have included two videos of professional and college athletes performing great acts of sportsmanship in some of the most competitive arenas in the world.

***If you have stories of good sportsmanship you would like us to share on the blog please e mail them to edelapeza@americascores.org and we will post them next week. Also, if you know of any other videos you think we should share, email or comment with the link and we will post them as well.***

Until then, lets keep promoting good sportsmanship and take our hats off to those who set a great example.

Split decision

LA is blessed with having two professional teams in the MLS, the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA. Both teams share a home field at the Home Depot Center and are at the center of one of the most intense rivalries in all the league, the Super Classico.

The Galaxy have been in the league since its inception in 1996, originally playing in Pasadena at the famous Rose Bowl. People like Cobi Jones, Jorge Campos and Mauricio Cienfuegos and are now joined by international stars like Landon Donavon and David Beckham on the list of players who have donned the LA crest (who remebers this crest?). They have a legacy of success, appearing in the first ever MLS cup in 1996, although falling to DC United. Since then, the Galaxy have claimed the cup two times-- in 2002 and 2005-- and have appeared in the Championship match two more times in 1999 and 2001. The have become the symbol of soccer in LA and have a loyal fan base, many of whom have been with the team for over10 years.

Similarly, Chivas USA boast one of the largest fan bases in North America-- due primarlity to their connection to C.D. Guadalajara in Mexico-- even though they did not join the leauge until 2004. Chivas Guadalajara owns the most championships in the history of the Mexican Premier Division and their success carried over to the American counterpart when in 2007 Chivas USA finished on top of the Western Conference. Though they are still seeking their first Championship birth they are becoming a main stay in the MLS playoffs.

At present the Galaxy and Chivas are, fittingly, deadlocked in the middle of a two game cumulative playoff bout. The first game ended in a 2-2 tie with Chivas being the home team at the shared stadium. Sunday is the final match to determine who moves on, but until the final whistle LA soccer fans are split. The game is sure to be an exciting match and who ever wins we hope an LA team will be making the flight to Seattle to play in the MLS Cup on November 22nd.

ASCAP

Monday was the first day of an LA SCORES collaboration with the organization ASCAP. ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) has partnered with America SCORES to bring singers and songwriters to SCORES sites to record songs. These songs have been compiled and put on a few annual CD's that SCORES has released for promotional tools. Last year, our kids at Braddock Dr had the opportunity to work with Saul Williams, an amazing spoken word and hip hop artist.

But the project we are working on now is a little different. For the first time, student at our Middle School program have the chance to work with an animator and composer to put together a short film! The film will be depicting a poem that was written by our students, about love. With the help of Roger Blonder and Shawn Clement our kids are learning about what it takes to make a project like this happened; how to plan out the frames, how to fill in stop-motion, how to record the best sound etc... It has been a truly amazing process that everyone has had a lot of fun with. Shawn and Roger have been great teachers and role models for our kids, explaining to them the process and having fun too. We want to thank everyone involved for their part in putting this together and can't wait to unveil our final project! Check out some pictures below from one of our sessions.

SCORES Site Update: Palms Elementary

Palms Elementary was the first school LA SCORES ever served and has been a great partner for the past seven years. The school is located just a few streets up from our office which makes it easy for us to visit and join them for practice. We are also happy to say that many students who participate in LA SCORES at Palms Elementary continue to give back through volunteer opportunities and our Alumni program. Take a minute and enjoy the slideshow below of our current kids at Palms!

You pay less, SCORES gets more!

Q: What is the easiest way to donate to LA SCORES?

A: Doing what you normally do and having someone else give us money for it!

If this answer seems too good to be true, pinch yourself now because you're not dreaming! You can actually contribute to LA SCORES without breaking your normal routine and not spending a cent more than you normally would. How you ask? Well I'll tell you. LA SCORES has teamed up with Ralphs and Albertsons super markets through their community contribution program. If you have a club card to either one of these stores all you have to do is register it online, select LA SCORES as the program you would like to contribute to and then shop! Each time you swipe your card at checkout Ralphs will donate a percentage of the total purchase cost to our organization. Heres how to do it...

WHAT YOU NEED:
1) Ralphs Club Card (You will use the number on the back to register)
2) Internet access

WHAT YOU DO:
1) Click this link to register your Card
2) Log In after and click "Community Contribution Program" in the left column
3) Follow the steps and search for "LA SCORES" or use the NPO #90692
4) Select LA SCORES as the program you would like contribute to.
5) SHOP AND SWIPE!

1st Game Day of the season!

Today is the first game day of the season and we are excited to re-unite all our elementary school programs at Mar Vista park this afternoon. Our teams have been practicing for almost two weeks now and are ready to strut their stuff in front of friends, family and LA SCORES peers.

Game day is the ultimate chance for our kids to show what they learned from their coaches at practice in terms of both technical skills and abilities as well as SCORES principles like teamwork, compassion and effort. We are excited to see returning players re-united with their friends from last year and eager to see the new students in action for their first time on the field.

Game days are special because they give our kids a opportunity to play on a beautiful turf field. Since none of our elementary schools have grass fields they have to hold practice on the asphalt school yard everyday. Because of this, our kids have to be extra careful to prevent injuries and very patient when the balls go out of bounds and roll to the end of the yard. Needless to say its a great pleasure to move to an actual field and only adds to the excitement of the day.

If you want to come out and support our kids come to Mar Vista Park from 3:15-4:30. We play there every Friday during the Fall and Spring seasons.

For a rainy day...

If you're like me you have mixed feelings about the rain. Having spent the majority of my life in LA I understand the importance of water in a city built in a desert. With that said, our blessed climate makes rain a rare occurrence that seems to stop most Los Angelinos (including LA SCORES staff and students) in the their tracks for more than a moment. Call us spoiled, but realize our lives revolve around moving and being active. We spend a lot of time outside and prefer the decision to remain indoors to be on our own accord. So in these times when our freedom of choice has been stricken from us, here are some things to occupy our busy minds.

1) Tell a scary story! Its a great way to organize a group and get them to be attentive and excited. The rain actually provides a great setting for the story with the fog and and clouds making the setting all the more dark and ominous.

2) Team building games! Rainy days are great time to use team building games like pulse, soccer mystery, two truths and a lie, or even games like hang man or tournaments of tic-tac-toe. All these things are fun for the kids and still provide an active day.

3) Make a team banner! Just because its raining doesn't mean you can't do something soccer related. If the forces of nature prevent a practice have your team go inside and create a team banner that they can bring with them to game day. They can write their team name, players and coaches names and decorate it how they see fit. Its something they can be proud of and is a great way to promote team unity and camaraderie.

4) Watch a soccer movie! There are some amazing movies out there that incorporate many of the SCORES principles. Use the time inside to let the kids unwind and enjoy some family friendly cinema.

5) Draw yourself! Have the kids lie on butcher paper while a coach outlines their silhouette. Then let the student take their body double back and have them draw themselves in this life-size picture!

6) Play in the mud! Leave your inhibitions at the door and walk right through it. Go outside anyways and enjoy the puddles, mud, sprinkles and everything else.

LA SCORES in full effect

As of this afternoon, all 4 LA SCORES schools will be running programming. Palms Elementary and Braddock Dr. Elementary began their seasons last Wednesday and got off to a great start with a half week of practice. Students were able to meet their coaches and teammates, some old some new, and begin what is sure to be a great season. Teams participated in some amazing bouts of Head-Catch (a game of opposites-the coach throws you the ball and she/he says "Catch it" you must head it back to her. If she/he says "Head it" you must catch it and throw it back. ), relay races using speed ladders and agility rings and of course, a few scrimmages!
It was great to see the kids back out on the yard and in the classroom. We have a wonderful group of kids again this year and a group of excited and talented coaches to lead them. Our first game day is this Friday at Mar Vista park. We hope to see you out there cheering our kids on!

LA at a glance...

If there were only 100 people in Los Angeles County:
69 would be non-white
45 would be Latino
12 would be Asian or Pacific Islander
9 would be African-American
28 would be children
36 would have been born outside the U.S.
31 would have no health insurance
17 would live in overcrowded housing
18 would live below the official poverty line
7 would be children living below the poverty line
30 would live in households making less than $25,000

If there were only 100 people in the City of Los Angeles:
70 would be non-white
46 would be Latino
10 would be Asian or Pacific Islander
11 would be African-American
27 would be children
41 would have been born outside the U.S.
22 would live below the official poverty line
8 would be children living below the poverty line
35 would live in households making less than $25,000

*Information provided by http://www.libertyhill.org/donor/economics101.html

Where it all began...soccer in LA

The NASL (North American Soccer League) brought the world's game across the pond to the US and Canada. It operated between 1968 and 1984 with numerous teams across the country and players from around the world. Most notably, Pele signed with the New York Cosmos and ignited a fire under the feet of Americans to acknowledge the sport.

Six years after its inception, LA blessed the NASL with its presence and quickly left their mark. In 1974 the LA Aztecs joined the league, finished 1st in the Western Conference and went on to win the Championship against the Miami Toros. This would be the Aztecs only League title but would go on to finish in the top three in their conference all but two years during their existence.

The Aztecs would also boast the Rookie of Year and League MVP in 1979 with Larry Hulcer and Dutch legend, Johan Cruyff, respectively. Manchester United star George Best also played with the squad from 1976-1978.

The Aztecs and the NASL are huge reason why today there is a Galaxy and an MLS or a SOL and a WPS. The cliche goes "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been." But cliches are such for a reason...they all bare a certain truth. We are privileged in such a day and time where international soccer is broadcast online and on TV regularly and domestic soccer is bigger and more accessible, for both men and women, than ever before. What used to be a foreign sport has now been made our own. What the NASL began has led to kids in schools across the country, wearing SCORES jerseys and playing soccer in the yard.

The country and the sport have come so far and its great to see how things have evolved in our individual city. Los Angeles has a rich history in both culture and sports and a portion which was solely comprised of the Aztecs, now includes the Galaxy, Chivas USA, SOL and LA SCORES!

What describes you?

I am...

thirsty, happy, funny, cute, pretty, a soccer player, smart, HAPPY TO BE ALIVE!!


What kind of shoe are you?

"I'm a high heel shoe because I am tall"- Evelyn L.

"I am Skechers because I wear them every day."- Tiffany L.

"I am Chucks because I like their colors." - Keylan

"I am Vans because they are cute." - Bryanna

What will you be doing in 20 years?

"I will be studying science." - Leila

"In 20 years I am going to be a teacher." - Sofie A.

"I will be doing fashion and clothes." -Paola

"In 20 years I will be baking food!"- Guiliana

"I will be owning a restaurant." -Alexa A.

266 days and counting!

As of today there are only 266 days left until the 2010 World Cup begins. And in honor of this years momentous event here is a video of the theme song for this years World Cup in South Africa- "For the love of the game" performed by Rezza Brothers. Also below is a countdown timer for WC2010!

Week 1 in the books!

Last week marked the start of our programmatic year at Charnock Rd. Elementary. We started on Tuesday with a busy day of registration mixed within an already full first day of school. Regardless of staff and teacher stress levels, we were immediately relaxed when we saw how many kids were excited to participate in another year of LA SCORES. We are continuing to serve the Charnock community everyday after school from 2:30-6:00 providing snack, our 90 minutes of SCORES programming, as well as 90 minutes of homework help. We have more kids than ever and enthusiasm is running high with a few new coaches and more than a few new kids. Even though it is only the second week, we know it is going to be a great year and are excited see what all our kids will achieve!

Here are some pictures from the first few days at Charnock, Enjoy! (Click on the pictures to see them larger!)

Welcome back Poetry!

Here at LA SCORES the summer sun has begun to set in the distance. The beach chairs are folded up, slip 'n slides put away, pools are still and in their place backpacks are dusted off, pencils sharpened and school bells are tuned (I doubt they do this but with the noise they make it doesn't seem like all that bad an idea...I digress). While kids don't quite look forward to the end of summer, students at Charnock, Palms and Braddock know that with it comes another year of LA SCORES. This fall season promises to be another great year and to get everyone ready I have included some ideas for poems below. We know our students' imaginations' are boundless and the topics below are just ideas of ways to help them tap this amazing resource.

Try writing these poems yourself before doing them with your students so you are more comfortable with the process and creative steps you can take to make them into something special. Enjoy!

Put the pen to the pad!

-Speaking from the point of view of something you lost or misplaced.

-In one loooooong sentence.

-Explaining what it's like to wake up in the morning, using sounds.

-Telling what a place will look like in a hundred years, or what it looked like a century ago.

-Saying exactly the same thing over and over in completely different ways.

-In collage, cutting words and phrases (and pictures, if you like) from the newspaper.

-Explaining why you don't have your homework (to your mother, to your teacher, to yourself)

-Without the letter e.

-About things that make you smile.

-About an imaginary city.

How much do you know?

· Soccer originated generally in its present form in Britain.

· The world's oldest club formed in 1857 is Sheffield FC

· Soccer is the most played and most watched sport on Earth

· Soccer is called football in practically every country except America, who call 'Grid Iron' football and football soccer.

· The largest attendance for a soccer match ever was 199,854 people - Brazil v. Uruguay in the World Cup at the Maracana Municipal Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, July 1950.

· In the largest soccer tournament ever, no less than 5,098 teams competed in 1999 for the second Bangkok League Seven-a-Side Competition. Over 35,000 players involved!

· The most goals scored by one player in a single soccer match was 16
- Stephan Stanis (France) playing for Racing Club de Lens in December 1942.

· Based on video evidence, one of the fastest ever scored was in 2.8 seconds by Ricardo Olivera (Uruguay) in December 1998.

· The international governing body of soccer is the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), based in Zurich, Switzerland.

· Diego Maradona was only 16 when he made his soccer debut for Argentina.

· Soccer goalies didn't have to wear different coloured shirts from their teammates until 1913.

· Chris Woods once went 1196 minutes without conceding a goal while at Rangers, from between November 26 1986 and January 31 1987.

· Ryan Giggs' dad was a professional Rugby League player.

· In 1973, the entire Galilee team spent the night in jail for kicking their opponents during an Israeli League game.

*Information provided by http://ezinearticles.com/?Soccer-Trivia-and-Facts&id=200678

LA SCORES well represented in Inaugural WPS championship match

On behalf of LA SCORES, we would like to congratulate board member Heather O' Reilly for leading the New Jersey Sky Blue to victory in the inaugural WPS Championship Game! Her goal in the 16th minute held on to be the lone tally in a hard fought game against our very own LA SOL. Heather played a great game on both sides of the pitch and her efforts were dutifully rewarded as she selected the MVP of the Championship game. Congratulations Heather and the Sky Blue on a great season!

We would also like to say CONGRATULATIONS to the LA SOL for a great inaugural season in the WPS! The SOL clinched the regular season title and won an automatic bid to host the Championship game. It was a great achievement and a sign that continued success is on their horizon! We want to thank them for everything they did for us this year and we can't wait till next season!

We hope to see Heather and many members of the Sol representing their team in the inaugural WPS All Star game this Sunday, August 30 against Swedish Club, Umea IK.

Once again, congratulations to everyone in the WPS for a great first year! And to Heather and the Sky Blue, enjoy the victory now because LA is coming for you next year!

LA SCORES in Jordan! Pt. Wahid (1)

About a month ago LA SCORES Program Director Amy Fleischauer and AmeriCorps Vista Dre De La Peza took part in a sports and culture exchange with Relief International to Amman, Jordan. The exchange allowed five American coaches to participate in visiting Jordan and organizing and running sports camps and trainings for both youth and adults. The exchange lasted for about two and half weeks and took the coaches all over Jordan, visiting local community centers, living with host families, meeting and building relationships with local youth and dedicated adults and sharing values, ideals, personalities and experiences through sport. It was the back end of an exchange that had started months ago when five coaches from Jordan came to LA and visited local programs, including LA SCORES.

The group that went consisted of five coaches, Amy and Dre, John-a past LA SCORES volunteer and soccer player, Sarah-a volleyball coach working with Special Olympics in Maryland and Gil-a coach/teacher/writer from Wildwood School in LA. The entire exchange was run, organized and basically held together by our fearless leader and guide Emily Carwell. With the five coaches working as the legs of the exchange, running trainings and camps on the ground, Emily was the hands who put it all together and Ahmed--our translator--was the head, piecing all our experiences together, putting them into context and enlightening us with his wealth of knowledge.

During the exchange we ran full days of coach clinics-- focusing on soccer, athletics and volleyball-- during which we taught basic skills, rules, techniques and games they can implement with their own teams. We also ran day camps with kids from local community centers and took part in an all girls summer camp at the King's Academy school in Amman. We visited local NGO's --Relief International and Right to Play-- met their staff and spoke about how they function. We also had a chance to visit different areas of Jordan including refugee camps, historical ruins and sites and local neighborhoods.

By the time our few weeks were over it was hard to take in everything that had happened. We had established bonds and friendships with each other, the children we coached and played with, the coaches we taught and worked beside and the families who took us in. Beyond this, a light had been shown upon a country in an area of the world, that in the US, is shrouded in darkness, mystery and fear. We had met the people, traveled the country and, for a short time, adopted the culture. The exchange made powerfully clear the insight an open mind and experience can bring you and the power of sport to connect people around the world.

The bridge between cultures will not be built with iron and steel. It will be built on thousands of fields, with hundreds of teams, communicating through sports.

Please read on in the next few weeks as we detail more of our trip and experiences!

GiveZooks!

As more LA SCORES students enter high school we continue to try to provide new resources and expanded programming for those who want to stay involved. We have established a high school camp during the summer, organized trips to soccer games and planned events geared for our alumni. We are also in the process of providing SAT prep classes for our 11th graders and organizing a weekly indoor soccer league. All of our efforts, in turn, have been received by the unmatched reciprocity of our alumni students. They continually volunteer at game days, summer camps, tutoring sessions and other special events. Their passion for our program is what motivates us to keep striving to provide them with whatever we can and remain involved in their lives as they mature as athletes, students and young men and women.

But our abilities can only take us so far. This is why we have started a donation campaign with GiveZooks online giving to raise money to support our Alumni Program. We are trying to raise money to provide scholarships for our students to attend SAT classes with Revolution Prep and pay for gym reservations and transportation costs of starting up the indoor soccer league. The thermometer on the right will show the progress we are making and the "Learn More" button will take you to our campaign page where you can read about what we are hoping to achieve. We hope you will take a minute to look at our page and support our alumni.

On behalf of the LA SCORES staff and students, Thank You.

8 foods you should eat everyday!

Here are some foods you should try to fit into your diet on a daily basis to help keep your body and mind healthy.

SPINACH: Helps muscle growth, is good for the heart, strengthens bones and enhances eye sight. Plus it makes a great salad.

YOGURT: Helps fight cancer, strengthens bones and boosts the body's immunity. This means plain yogurt, not the sweetened kinds we tend to lean to. But mixed with some berries and you have a delicious snack or breakfast.

TOMATOES: Fights cancer, keeps a healthy heart and also boosts immunity. A glass of tomato juice or 8 red cherry tomatoes should do the trick.

CARROTS: Fights cancer, enhances eyesight and boosts the body's immunity. Go to town on those baby carrots!

BLUEBERRIES: Stimulates the brain, fights off cancer, helps the heart and boots immunity. C'mon their delicious!

BLACK BEANS: Helps build muscle, stimulates the brain and keeps a healthy heart. You can use them in a burrito or in a chili.

WALNUTS: Help build muscle, stimulate the brain, fight cancer, good for the heart and boosts immunity. Add to salads or in pancakes for some extra pizazz.

OATS: Helps build muscle, stimulates the brain and keeps a healthy heart. Eat granolas and cereals to get lots of fiber.


*Information provided from www.bestlifeonline.com and Men's Health Magazine

Feelin' like a million bucks...a healthy perspective to finess

In today's world the idea of fitness has become synonymous with gym routines and work out regiments; and people believe that in order to be fit they have to lift weights and run for miles. While all these things have their value and benefit to the body it is also important to understand that fitness is not confined to the two hours you spend in the gym. It encompasses a healthy lifestyle of activity and an awareness of personal habits and choices. To understand more about what this means and how we can have a healthy perspective on fitness click the image above. You will be redirected to a personal fitness blog, written by Mint Condition Personal Training, that provides weekly health and work out tips. Read the post on "Fitness in Motion" and for a more serious workout continue on to the "Core Training" posts.

Enjoy and, in the words of a good friend of mine, Happy Fitness!

Follow Mint Condition on Facebook here

Can you put it all together?

Click the link below to put together a puzzle of a mystery LA SCORES photo! Test your wits and see if you can complete the picture!

Puzzle Time!

--click the link and scroll down on the page it re-directs you to. The puzzle will show up on the bottom half of the page. You can also use the website to create your puzzle of a picture you have.--

Summer in the City

Now that schools have officially closed their doors until September we at LA SCORES thought it would be a good idea to create a list of free or cheap things to do this summer. Here is how to enjoy LA in the next few months while on a budget.

1. LA SCORES SUMMER CAMPS!- Its free, its fun, its friends...what more could you possibly ask for.

2. Green in the City- Los Angeles Parks are a beautiful way to enjoy the summer. At Echo Park you can rent paddle boats for $10.00 for 1 hour or $7.00 for 1/2 an hour. MacArthur Park (shown in the picture above) has a small amphitheater that is home to some summer concerts and shows, while you can also relax by the lake or play soccer. (MacArthur Park is also easily accessed via the Metro Red Line). Griffith Park is the country's largest city park with a sprawling 4,107 acres (Central Park in New York by comparison is 843 acres) and offers many free activities while also providing great hiking and picnic areas.

3. The Pyramid of Books- LA Central Library is a monument in itself. A beautiful architectural feet designed in the theme of ancient Egypt during the 1920's. Its collection of books will have you busy, simply browsing, for hours and its summer programs for kids will help narrow down your selection. Having a library card is a great thing and this would be a great place to either get one or use one.

4. Where it all began- Olvera Street is located in the heart of downtown right next to Union Station. As the puebla that birthed a city, Olvera Street is a cultural and historical center. Along the alley, you will find great food and fun shopping. Olvera St. is easily accessible using any Metro line that stops at Union Station.

5. Downtown Concerts- The California Plaza is an area in downtown LA that holds free concerts throughout the summer months. The artists who come through are just as diverse as the people who inhabit the city. Its a fun event that the whole family can attend and is in a beautiful part of downtown, close to the Disney Concert Hall and Museum of Contemporary Art.

The battle for bragging rights

It was the match up every NBA fan across the country was looking forward to...Los Angeles vs Cleveland. And while the rosters didn't include either Kobe or Lebron, the pick-up game played between LA SCORES Executive Director, and Cleveland native, David Joseph and AmeriCorps VISTA, and LA groomed, Dre De La Peza was just as captivating.

There had a been a buzz around the LA SCORES office for the past few months; David Joseph, an undefeated 1-0 against SCORES staff in previous meetings, had challenged the newcomer VISTA to a game of basketball. As time passed, the anticipation grew. Backed with a seemingly endless supply of linguistic quips and verbal artillery, David's trash talk would've sent Floyd Mayweather himself, back to his corner, head hanging in despair. But Dre absorbed every word, hoping that with each blow the the mighty would only have farther to fall.

Fast forward to lunch hour on Monday. The two competitors find themselves at Palms Rancho Park taking some shots to ease the tension the last week of school has brought. After warming up David casually states "For fitness sake, wanna run one?" and with those few simple words the battle had begun. Cleveland vs. LA: Games 1-7 all at once. First to 11 and to the winner go the spoils.

The game begins and David wastes no time. A stong drive to the hole for an easy lay-up. 1-0, winner's outs. Then the Ohio version of Rex Chapman steps back and nails a shot from distance. 3-0 Cleveland. (Dre's thoughts:"Uh oh") On the ensuing play, Dre grabs a rebound of a missed lay-up. Needing to get on the board, he drives to basket to score on a reverse. 3-1. Next play, another lay-up followed by a long range shot of his own. 4-3, advantage LA. The two trade baskets leaving LA up 5-4.

Now I wish I could say what ensued was an epic battle, one of those straight to ESPN Classic games that people use to define their childhood. But it wasn't. LA would not score another bucket. Cleveland would tally 7 straight points ending on a long range 2 pointer to seal it. David's range and length allowed him to block multiple shots while converting from all over. He moves to 2-0 against SCORES staff and was able to back up his pre-game poetics. Dre had an extra long drive home that day, as he stands 0-1 and impatiently awaits the re-match.

So Congratulations Cleveland, you might not be able to win in the Majors but you're undefeated in 501 (c)(3).

SUMMER IS HERE!

The June gloom has been overcome by the summer-time sun! With that also comes the LA SCORES Summer Camps! Here are our dates and we hope you can join us!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP

Dates: Monday July 6 through Friday July 31. Five days a week
Times: 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Palms Elementary

MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP

Dates:Tuesday July 7 through Thursday July 30. Tuesdays and Thursdays
Times:1:00pm-3:00pm
Location: Palms Middle School

JAM ON IT!

Last Tuesday the students, family and staff all enjoyed an afternoon at Mar Vista Park for our end of year JAMBOREE! The event celebrated the hard work of our poet-athletes, the dedication of our staff, the passion of our volunteers and the enthusiasm of our parents and supporters.

Campos Original Tacos catered for the afternoon and a team of amazing Starbucks volunteers helped make sure everyone had a delicious plate of tacos, rice and beans. Lots of parents also contributed to the buffet line of food with homemade salads. It was a delicious way to start the event and an area I made sure to revisit a few times.

All our SCORES team also had a chance to play soccer games where we combined the boys and girls teams from each school, based on jersey color, for some great co-ed matches. The kids were excited to play with each other on a larger field and as unified school teams. We also had a great game with our alumni and middle schoolers; even some coaches and volunteers jumped in to what was probably the most intense game of the afternoon.

This year, our JAMBOREE also featured two inflatable bounce houses , an airbrush tattoo artist, a water balloon dunk tank and an inflatable obstacle course that showed no pity. With dragons and flaming soccer balls colored on our kids, they participated in drenching coaches with water balloons and racing friends through the obstacle course.

With additional visits from the LA SOL and Chivas USA everyone left the event not only with a gift bag but great memories. We want to thank everyone in the LA SCORES family for making this such a great year and this JAMBOREE such a memorable event. We also want to thank everyone who made the event possible, including all our volunteers, families, coaches, referees, alumni, Palms Neighborhood Council, Starbucks, the LA SOL, Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, Magic Jump, Campos Tacos, Aaramark and Arrowhead.

The water that feeds the trees

The Palms Neighborhood Council is the governing body in charge of maintaining and evolving the community of Palms. Ties between the Neighborhood Council and LA SCORES go all the way back when LA SCORES founding Executive Director, Alejandro Soschin, was a member of the founding board that helped certify the council. Ever since, the Palms Neighborhood Council has been a stalwart supporter of our program and most recently generously pledged a grant to support the ‘Hire LA’s Youth’ initiative for LA SCORES. ‘Hire LA’s Youth’ is an initiative from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, meant to give LA’s youth more opportunities to work while also gaining valuable training and experience in a variety of different fields. With the Neighborhood Council's support of this initiative we will be able to hire 3 youth to work for LA SCORES in an internship position lasting a few months. We are very excited for this opportunity, as it gives community youth who participated in LA SCORES a chance to learn more about the how the program works and a have a chance to give back.

In addition to this, the Neighborhood Council is helping put a computer lab in Palms Elementary school and also sponsors an annual bike rodeo. The bike rodeo is a carnival like event that in the past has included magicians, a bike obstacle course and visits from the local Police Department, but centers around a bike raffle for neighborhood youth. These are just a few of the visible ways the Neighborhood Council has impacted Palms, to go along with all the intangibles they have provided us with.

The Palms Neighborhood Council continues to make the community stronger and more beautiful. LA SCORES is very gracious of their continuous support of our program and the children and families we serve.

JAMBOREE IS HERE!

Join us tomorrow, June 2nd, at Mar Vista Park from 2:30-5:30 for our year end JAMBOREE!

Be with the entire LA SCORES family as we enjoy food, soccer, inflatable bounce houses, face painting and much more as we celebrate the culmination of our 7th year here in Palms!

It has been another great year at all our schools and before we look forward to the summer, we want to thank everyone who helped make it such a success. Our students, coaches, families, volunteers, referees, alumni and supporters.

Click the map to get directions to the park.

Urban Compass pointing in the right direction

Within the great expanse that is Los Angeles, non profit organizations bring the focus back to the individual and do what they can to best serve their unique community. At SCORES, we have fostered a great relationship with the community and families of Palms in West LA. Similarly, the organization Urban Compass has made a large impact on students in the community of Watts. Their after school program at Verbum Dei High School serves 26 students, four days a week for two and half hours a day. It involves the hard work of their staff, a dedicated volunteer base from local schools and universities and the passion of the students participating. This has allowed them to grow an even greater network of community support and mentorship than their walls may lead you to believe.

Recently, Urban Compass partnered with Pharmaka to create an exhibit of student art work inspired by the great Andy Warhol. Some of the work and process are featured in an on-line photo album on the LA Times website which you can access by clicking the picture above. You can also continue on to Urban Compass’s website to learn more about their organization by clicking the logo below.

Even though organizations like Urban Compass or LA SCORES may only serve a small portion of greater Los Angeles the impact of their work can be seen and felt by everyone. It is important to remember that “every waterfall begins with a drop”; SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NON-PROFITS!

Huevos Rancheros with Pico de Gallo

In the context of our busy lives certain things are bound to fall by the wayside for the sake of time and money. More often than not, these things include our health and in particular the food we eat. One way to avoid this is by finding healthy recipes with a short prep time. There are a lot of websites where you can find healthy recipes, that fit within your budget and schedule. Here is a recipe for a delicious traditional Mexican dish that is both healthy and fast. Enjoy

PICO DE GALLO:
Ingredients:
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups of chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3 jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Combine ingredients and serve or refrigerate

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
SERVING SIZE: 1/2 cup (6 servings)
NUTRITIONAL FACTS: 34 calories, 8 g carbohydrates, 0 total fat

HUEVOS RANCHEROS with PICO DE GALLO
Ingredients:
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
2 cups Pico de Gallo (see above)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper


PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Lightly brush tortillas with oil on both sides and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until tortillas are crisp on the edges and starting to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Spray a large skillet with non stick cooking spray.
4. Pour egg substitute in skillet. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until eggs are cooked through.
5. Place equal amount of eggs on top of each tortilla and top with 1/2 tablespoon cheese.
6. Place under broiler for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Spoon Pico de Gallo on each tortilla and top with ground black pepper.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIMES: 15 minutes
SERVING SIZE: 1 tortilla
NUTRITIONAL FACTS: 146 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat

*Recipes from Healthy Latino Recipes by Champions for Change

CHECK THEM OUT AND FIND MORE RECIPES HERE!

GAME ON!!

With the the Spring sun at its peak and the ocean breeze keeping us cool, our game day last Friday was pure LA fun! Check out this slide show of photos from the day as our kids enjoyed the second to last game day of the season. If you can't see the slide show click HERE to see the album online.

For their community service project, the girls' teams from Palms Elementary organized a community clothing drive. Families and students brought bags and bags full of clothes to donate to those in need. The drive was an enormous success, bringing in full car loads worth of donated items. The clothes were given to Chrysalis, an organization that helps "economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals become self-sufficient through employment opportunities." Hopefully the efforts of our small community can benefit others all over Los Angeles.

To learn more about Chrysalis, click this link to visit their website.

Thank you to all the LA SCORES students and coaches who made this possible and the Palms Elementary community for embracing this project. LA SCORES would also like to give a special thanks to Justin Portaz from Hogan and Hartson, who filled his car, past its capacity, to transport the clothes from our office to Chrysalis (Who needs to see through their back windows anyways?).

If you can't the slideshow above, click here to view the photo album online.

Inspiring positive change through soccer!

America SCORES prides itself on utilizing sports as a means to inspire positive change in people and communities. Under this same mission, the Homeless World Cup seeks to improve the lives of the in-need participants who make up the teams in it's tournament. The annual tournament brings together international teams of players who are either homeless, have mental illness or deal substance abuse or are otherwise excluded. The tournament, that started in 2003 with 18 national teams and has since expanded to include 56 nations and the first Women's Cup in 2008.

The Homeless World Cup has a significant impact on the lives of its participants. 73% of the players involved, changed "their lives for the better for the better by coming off drugs and alcohol, moving into jobs, education, homes, training, reuniting with families and even going on to become players and coaches for pro or semi-pro football teams."

Ambassadors of the Cup include Eric Cantona, Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand. This years Cup will be held in Milan September 6-13. Follow the link below to learn more and see how you can get involved.

HOMELESS WORLD CUP!

Classic Art With Contemporary Culture

The Bilingual Foundation of Arts is a theater that cherishes classical art forms and sees the necessity of infusing it with contemporary culture. The Bilingual Foundation of Arts' mission is "to serve communities by presenting classic Spanish language drama and contemporary plays on Hispanic themes to English- and Spanish-speaking audiences, thereby bringing awareness of the diversity of the Hispanic culture through theater." The performances are educational, entertaining and ,often times, interactive. The intimacy of the theater itself promotes a sense of community within the audience and the messages conveyed through the plays only reinforce this value. The Bilingual Foundation is a great place to go as a family and can bridge generations through youthful and vibrant acting and important traditional values. It also embodies Los Angeles' rich artistic presence and its diverse cultural heritage. Please click the masks below to be redirected to the Bilingual Foundation of Arts website.

SOL shines bright on a cloudy day!

On an unusually cold and cloudy Tuesday at Braddock Dr. Elementary LA SCORES students stayed warm playing soccer with the LA SOL. The Womens' Professional Soccer team LA SOL had their first visit with our program that day a few weeks ago and has since made regular appearances during soccer practice and one writing class. They have played in some raucous scrimmages, intense battles of survival in sharks vs minnows, and have made kids' days as they chose their names to be recipients of giants pens, kites or other goodies as rewards for good behavior.

The level of enthusiasm and excitement that the SOL exhibits has been contagious. It has spread to every boy and girl on the playground and energized our coaches with emphatic examples of what positive role models can do. The SOL have worked hard to establish relationships with our students regardless of language barriers (Thank You Aya and Camile), demographics and celebrity. Very telling of the bonds formed was when students invited SOL players to their school's open house. "We are supposed to bring our parents or brothers or sisters or grandparents but can you come with me?"

All the players have been impressive in so many different ways. Not only with their talent and abilities on the ball, but also with their abilities to communicate with the kids and become teachers and role models so quickly. From the students and staff at LA SCORES we want to send a special THANK YOU to Camile Abily, Brittany Bock, Liz Bogus, Stephanie Cox, Katie Larkin, Aya Miyama, Lisa Sari and Kendall Fletcher! And another thank you to the entire LA SOL organization! Your involvement has been invaluable and we look forward to our continued work together!

**Click the players names above to see player profiles and the LA SOL webpage**

• Pictures: Top: Group shot of Braddock students and SOL players (from left to right) Stephanie Cox, Lisa Sari, Aya Miyama, and Katie Larkin
• Left: Stephanie Cox showing off her moves to Tyanni with Alexa looking on in amazement!
• Right: Katie Larkin looking down field with Lisa Sari right on her heels.
• Bottom: Aya Miyama high fives her team after a successful game!

National Poetry Slam Pt. 3!

Here is the final original poem performed by a LA SCORES student at the National Poetry Slam!

Edgar D. (middle) Braddock Dr.
"What Happens In The Night"

I sleep in the night

To rest from the day

But how can you sleep

When there are monsters.

I hear growling calling my name

I see a crawling monster

Going up my bed

I feel a steel hand

Pulling my leg

I smell my fright

That gives me goose bumps!

I see walking rocks

Coming my way

They feel my heart beat

To get some meat

They smell me

They’re under my bed

I see their head.

They come closer and closer

They’ve got me!

So get ready because they got your teddy,

And next will be you

On the bed!

National Poetry Slam Pt. 2!

Here is an original poem from one of the poet-athletes from LA who performed at the National Poetry Slam last week! Enjoy!

Come back tomorrow for the poem from our other student!

Sabrinna C. (middle) Charnock Rd.

"Being a Soccer Player"

Have you ever played soccer?

Have you ever been on a soccer field?

Playing soccer is exciting.

Playing soccer is fun

and playing soccer is my life.

When I put on my uniform,

I become a different person.

I feel like I can do anything I want to.

When I run on the grass

with the ball at my feet,

I feel powerful

I feel aggressive.

When I look around

and I see my teammates.

I feel like I’m looking at my family.

Playing soccer is teamwork.

You have to play smart

and use all of your ability

to overcome your opponents.

When you score a goal,

you feel like a rockstar,

you feel important,

you feel special,

you feel like

you bumped up a grade at last,

and you feel like

you accomplished your dream.

Being a soccer player is my world.

Being a soccer player is my life.

Sabrinna (left) at Central Park with Chanel from St. Louis SCORES

America SCORES National Poetry Slam Pt. 1

A busy few weeks of programming for LA SCORES was capped off this past weekend as two of our poet-athletes flew to New York to participate in the America SCORES National Poetry Slam. Sabrinna C., a 5th grader from Charnock Rd. Elementary, and Edgar D., a 5th grader from Braddock Dr. Elementary were selected to perform their original poetry along with 25 other SCORES poet-athletes at the National Poetry Slam in the Big Apple.

The weekend was chalked full of special events and sight seeing for the kids as well as hours of rehearsal and practice for the big night on Monday. During the weekend, SCORES participants from all over the country had a chance to meet their East coast, West coast and Mid-West peers. Many instantly become close friends as they spent all hours of the day together playing soccer, reading and hearing each others poetry, offering critique and support and engaging in some of the most fierce pillow fights New York hotel rooms have ever been witness to.

The weekend events included a picnic and soccer game on the Grand Field in Central Park, a visit to Times Square, a trip to Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty, a special performance by spoken word poet Mayda Del Valle and a trip to the New York Stock Exchange where a few lucky SCORES kids were able to take part in the closing bell ceremony on April 20th.

The entire weekend was amazing but nothing could compare to the greatness of seeing our kids under the lights as they performed their own poems in front of a capacity crowd in the NYSE. To put it simply, THEY ROCKED!!! I have never felt so proud of anything as I did seeing all our kids do so well and have so much fun as they did that night.

Keep a look out for more stories and pictures from the actual Poetry Slam event itself in the days to come.

And to WATCH OUR KIDS AT THE NYSE CLOSING BELL CEREMONY click this link!!

GO SCORES!!!