DC SCORES Honored at Washington Spirit Home Opener

Fans attending the Washington Spirit’s home opener on Saturday got an extra dose of DC SCORES when the nonprofit was honored in multiple activations at Audi Field. 

DC SCORES always has a presence at Spirit games thanks to an Official Community Partnership between the club and the after-school soccer, poetry, and service-learning program. DC SCORES has a dedicated section of the stands where poet-athletes from across the organization’s 68 school teams cheer for their soccer heroes at every game. 

However, Saturday saw an enhanced DC SCORES matchday presence. DC SCORES Executive Director Katrina Owens served as the game’s honorary captain alongside Melissa Schulman, the senior vice president of government and public affairs at CVS Health. 

Before the game, Owens joined Schulman, Spirit owner Michele Kang, and player Andi Sullivan at an event announcing the expansion of the Spirit’s multi-year partnership with CVS Health, solidifying the health solutions company as the team’s Official Health & Wellness Partner. CVS also sponsors DC SCORES programming for more than 50 middle schoolers at Cardozo Education Campus. 

One of those poet-athletes, Andrea, addressed the audience at the expansion event, sharing how DC SCORES had impacted her life. 

“I am proud to look at my DC SCORES jersey and the Washington Spirit jersey and see we share the same sponsor. It reminds me that we’re on the same team,” said Andrea. “CVS is not just sponsoring a program. They’re supporting me and my friends to build a community.”

In addition to Andrea’s remarks, Maya, a poet-athlete at Ida B. Wells Middle School, performed a poem she wrote as a member of Youth Word Project, DC SCORES’ enhanced youth poetry program. Maya will also perform at Our Words Our City, DC SCORES’ premier poetry showcase, on May 20. 

Right before kickoff, Shaynita Blanchard, a DC SCORES coach at Barnard Elementary, was celebrated on the field as part of the Spirit’s District Diaries series, which honors D.C. residents who have a positive impact on their communities. Blanchard was recognized for her work as a dedicated soccer and poetry coach for the DC SCORES program at Barnard. 

After the game, DC SCORES poet-athletes in the Young Supporters section awarded the Player of the Match to Spirit forward and DC SCORES board member, Ashley Hatch. Poet-athletes will also be in the stands for tomorrow’s match, when the Spirit will celebrate the work of DC SCORES alumna, Natasha Dupee, executive director of the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives, who will serve as the game’s honorary captain.

“Audi Field truly is our home away from home, and it was so special to see how our partnership with the Spirit and CVS has been interwoven into the matchday experience from the very beginning of the season,” said Owens. “Providing these incredible platforms for our young people to perform and our coaches to celebrate their amazing work underscores the power of our partnership. I can’t wait to cheer on the Spirit as part of the wider DC SCORES family this season!”