Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids

Last month, in order to address the growing problems of childhood obesity and malnutrition in the US, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This legislation aims to improve the nutritional value of food served in schools and provide more free meals to low-income students. Over the next few years, the government will allocate an extra six cents per meal served at school, and the USDA will be given authority to introduce new nutritional standards concerning what schools will be allowed to serve in lunches, a la carte lines, and vending machines.

The USDA has proposed a plan to get the ball rolling. Under this proposal, the following changes would be made:

• Minimum and maximum calories for meals
• More servings of fresh fruits and vegetables
  
• Reduced sodium levels
• At least 50% of grains are whole grain
• Less servings of starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, etc.)
• No more food with trans fat

According to the CDC, 17% of children in the US are obese, a number that has tripled in the past 30 years. According to one study, 80% of obese children will be obese as adults. The rise in childhood obesity has seen with it an increase in health problems for these children such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Also, for the first time in history, scientists say, due to the high incidence of obesity, that parents may out-live their children.

While this bill will not instantly cure childhood obesity, it is a good first step. Many kids consume over half of their daily calories at school. This new bill is the first legislation passed in a long time to regulate the food schools serve to them.

Palms Premier League Begins for Middle School

This week marks the first day of the Palms Premier League at Palms Middle School. America SCORES LA and Team Prime Time, an after school program that brings sports, arts, and homework help to Title 1 middle schools in Los Angeles, teamed up to create this six-team, month-long tournament. Every Tuesday and Thursday for the next four weeks, each team gets to play two games. Refs from ASLA and TPT keep track of the score and player stats so that the teams will know the standings before every game. Teams are a mixture of boys and girls 6-8th grade.

The players were excited to take what they've learned in practice and put it to the test in a competitive league. Scroll down to see pictures of them in action!

Braddock's ASCAP Video

Kids at Braddock worked with song-writing duo Da Internz through our partnership with ASCAP to write and record an original song. Watch a video of their experience at the recording studio and listen to their song here.

Mattel Day of Play

Wednesday, December 8th, toy company and long-time America SCORES LA supporter, Mattel, hosted a very special and exciting event for all SCORES poet-athletes called the Day of Play. This event, held at Charnock Elementary, included a cupcake decorating booth, a Hot Wheels race track, dress up picture booths, a dj with a dance floor, and snow -- on which the kids could sled or make snowmen! Throughout the day, Santa was walking about, handing out candy canes and taking pictures with kids.


At the end of the event, Mattel gave every participant a wrapped gift and presented a check to executive director David Joseph. This was an unforgettable experience for the kids, most of whom have never in their lives seen snow. ASLA would like to thank Mattel for everything they have done!

ASCAP Residency Part II: Braddock

Last month, kids at Charnock got to work with grammy-winning artist Claudia Brant to write an original song and record it in a professional studio. This week, ASCAP sent song-writing duo Da Internz to Braddock Elementary for a similar workshop.


Last Thursday, Da Internz came to Braddock to talk about songs, and what the kids wanted to talk about in their own song. After deciding to write a song about making money, the kids wrote down different ideas to go into the song.

Over the weekend, Da Internz put the lyrics together and created beat for it, so that on Monday everyone could practice singing it together. After learning their song, the kids were excited to travel to the studio and record it.










Yesterday, the students boarded the bus to go to the Song Writing School of Los Angeles, a recording studio in Burbank. Da Internz split everyone up into smaller groups to go in and sing their parts.

The kids had an amazing time, while learning how much work goes into the creation of a single song. Now they cannot wait to hear their single.


Da Internz are a song-writing duo from Chicago who currently reside in Los Angeles. They have worked with other SCORES sites in the past, and were excited to bring their workshop to a local school. They have worked with artists such as Greyson Chance, Mims, John Legend, Jesse McCartney, August Rigo, and Justin Bieber. Here are the lyrics to the song they wrote with the kids:

If I had one chance I would take that chance
Grab the whole wide world, put it in my hands. Hey, hey
Gonna make good grades, graduate from school
Get a real job and a house with a pool. Hey, hey

It's what I gotta do to live my dreams
If I want to have everything.

I gotta make money, money, money, money
I gotta make money, money, money, money

I gotta work hard, aim for the stars, they're not that far.

One Pass at a Time Challenge

Meet 10,000 New Friends Nationally Before 2011

Since America SCORES launched in 1999, they have tirelessly worked to create an after school program that helps kids in under-resourced communities become better poets, athletes, and more importantly, people. Today, their program helps close to 6,000 students in 15 cities improve their health, become stronger writers, and increase their school engagement.

However, they still face a challenge:

In most of their cities, only their supporters know who they are and the difference they are making in the communities they serve.

This Holiday Season, every America SCORES city is working together to try something they have never done before. They are asking us, their supporters, to help share their story to 10,000 new friends and invite them to join the America SCORES family.

The Challenge is Simple:

Ask 10,000 new friends to donate $10 to the organization before January 2011.

Here is how you can help –

1. Click here to join our America SCORES team

2. Donate $10

3. Copy and paste this email and send it to ten of your family/friends/colleagues

4. Ask them to donate $10 and forward this email to ten people they know

***Send this email to anyone who likes soccer, poetry, community leadership… or just wants to help support children in under-resourced communities***

5. Our goal is to introduce 10,000 new friends to the organization by Jan. 1^st

Some Questions You May Have:

Why $10?

Anyone can sign up for a newsletter. However, the act of donating signifies a stronger commitment to stay involved.

Where Can I find More Information about America SCORES?

Click here to watch the PSA

Click here to read more about them

How Will My Donation Be Used?

Every dollar donated will go directly to the city you are supporting to support the children in that program.

How Long Will it Take Me to Sign Up and Send Out an Email?

The entire process will take 5 minutes (…at the most).

Why Is It Important to Have People Know Who They Are?

America SCORES is committed to growing and making the program accessible to as many kids around the country as possible. In order to do that, they need to increase their number of supporters. The best way to do that is by us introducing them to people we know who care about the children in our communities.

Will I receive additional emails if I donate?

You will have the option not to be contacted ever again, but I hope you don’t make that decision.

Thank you for joining me in this mission. Together, we can help put this great organization on the map in a much bigger way!

Night of the Rapping Dead

Watch and listen to Night of the Rapping Dead, written and performed by Claudia Brant and the kids of Charnock Elementary!