SCORES at 30: Poet-Athlete City

DC SCORES receives funding for equipment and coaching from the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) in the wake of the 1994 Men’s World Cup. U.S. Soccer stars John Harkes, Jeff Agoos, Cobi Jones, and Alexi Lalas visit D.C. and host a training clinic for DC SCORES, which is reaching 300 poet-athletes at ten schools.

DC SCORES hosts its first-ever citywide poetry slam, inaugurating a series of annual performances that have grown into the largest youth poetry events in the DMV. Note: Photo is from the 2000 Poetry Slam.

DC SCORES’ model debuts in Boston, launching the America SCORES network, which now serves more than 13,000 poet-athletes in 13 cities across North America. A large portion of expansion funding comes from U.S. Soccer as a legacy program of the 1994 Men’s World Cup.

DC SCORES hosts the first-ever SCORE Awards honoring the poet-athletes and community members who have made an outstanding contribution to their teams and neighborhoods.

The Washington Freedom and Starbucks team up with DC SCORES to promote youth poetry events in the District. The Freedom, an inaugural team in the world’s first all-professional women’s soccer league, Women’s United Soccer, hopes to use the partnership to create positive mentors for youth players in the DMV.

Jamboree, DC SCORES’ annual soccer and community festival, is held at Trinity College. The program is serving 21 schools, while the SCORES network has expanded to Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, and San Francisco.

DC SCORES hosts its first-ever Sharks vs Suits corporate soccer tournament fundraiser. The tournament will eventually be renamed SCORES Cup, an event that is held annually to this day.

DC SCORES celebrates its 10th anniversary. Numerous celebratory events are held throughout the year, including a poetry reading with iconic actor James Earl Jones at Fletcher-Johnson Education Center!

American soccer phenom Freddy Adu hosts a fundraising coaching clinic for DC SCORES at RFK Stadium. The clinic is sponsored by Audi and Condé Nast.

DC SCORES is serving 20 schools in the District. The organization splits its annual poetry slam over two nights to accommodate demand for the event.

DC SCORES launches a middle school program, significantly increasing its impact on young people in D.C. Katrina Owens, who will eventually become DC SCORES’ executive director, is hired to lead the new middle school program.

The U.S. State Department and the Academy for Educational Development host a cultural exchange between DC SCORES poet-athletes and youth coaches from Argentina.

Poet-athletes at Bancroft Elementary School are hosted by Michelle Obama at the White House. Students join the First Lady in the White House Garden to reap the autumn harvest and learn about community green spaces.

DC SCORES and the Volkswagen Group of America win the 2010 Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Youth Partnership Award. The organization is serving more than 750 poet-athletes.

Up2Us, a national coalition of sports-based youth development organizations, invites DC SCORES to the White House for an event celebrating a state visit from Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa.

Tubman Elementary School poet-athlete Luis accompanies President Barack Obama for the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.

DC SCORES hosts its first-ever alumni soccer tournament.

Bancroft Elementary School poet-athletes attend a soccer clinic hosted by U.S. soccer legend Mia Hamm.

DC SCORES and Up2Us host a youth event with professional skateboarder Tony Hawk at D.C. landmark Ben’s Chili Bowl.

DC SCORES formalizes its partnership with the community-based adult soccer league nonprofit, District Sports. Today, District Sports donates more than $50,000 every year to DC SCORES’ programming.

Poet-athletes at Brightwood Education Campus join L.A. Galaxy stars including David Beckham and Landon Donovan for an official White House ceremony honoring the club’s MLS championship win.

In partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, DC SCORES expands to 15 new schools.

Representatives from Manchester City F.C. and the United Arab Emirates government join poet-athletes at Marie Reed Elementary School to celebrate the beginning of construction on a new soccer field. The new turf field was opened in the fall of 2013 at Marie Reed, the school where DC SCORES was founded in 1994.

DC SCORES caps off its summer camp with visits from players from Inter Milan and Manchester United ahead of a friendly match between the two teams at FedEx Field.

The D.C. United Foundation’s United Soccer Club consolidates with DC SCORES to significantly enhance both organizations’ work with youth in the District. The merger created an Official Community Partnership between the MLS club and DC SCORES that continues to this day.

DC SCORES debuts the City Soccer League, a Wednesday gameday hosted in partnership with the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. The league expands DC SCORES programs to students beyond participants in the 3rd through 8th grades.

The inaugural Our Words Our City is held at Busboys and Poets. Our Words Our City, DC SCORES’ premier youth poetry showcase, is the culmination of an enhanced poetry program for poet-athletes who are passionate about writing and performing.

DC SCORES wins the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s Board Leadership and Advancement in Management awards.

DC SCORES, D.C. United, and Enlightenment Capital host the first-ever One Night One Goal gala at Audi Field, giving attendees a first look at the new D.C. soccer stadium.

Nine DC SCORES alumnae are selected to represent the United States at the Street Child World Cup in Moscow, Russia. All of the girls participating play soccer with the Open Goal Project, a partner of DC SCORES that enables young people from all backgrounds to play elite travel soccer.

DC SCORES launches the Junior SCORES program. The new program opens DC SCORES to 1st and 2nd graders, equipping them with the teamwork skills that are the foundation of the SCORES model.

DC SCORES celebrates its 25th anniversary and names professional soccer stars Johanna Lohmann and Bill Hamid as the organization’s ambassadors.

First and second-grade poet-athletes participate in the first-ever Junior Jamboree at Audi Field.

DC SCORES partners with the Public Charter School Athletic Association to create a new, District-wide middle school soccer league. The expansion grows DC SCORES’ middle school league from 28 to 42 D.C. public and public charter schools.

Volkswagen donates its Women’s World Cup advertising space to America SCORES. The 30-second ad features poet-athletes from Truesdell Elementary School and is set to an original poem by DC SCORES staff member Charity Blackwell.

In celebration of DC SCORES’ 25th anniversary, Our Words Our City features performances from poet-athletes representing different stages of the organization’s history.

DC SCORES kicks off its SCORES At Home program with the #AtHomePoetryChallenge with Joanna Lohmann. In the wake of COVID-19 stay-at-home rules, SCORES At Home offers virtual activities and guest talks from luminaries in poetry and soccer, including writers such as Jason Reynolds and D.C.Youth Poet Laureates Marjan Naderi, MalPractice and Kenneth Carroll, and professional soccer players Bill Hamid and Staci Wilson.

DC SCORES launches an official community partnership with the Washington Spirit. The NWSL club supports SCORES At Home programming and pledges to work with DC SCORES to increase opportunities for girls across the DMV to play soccer.

Bethesda Soccer Club and DC SCORES form an official community soccer club, cementing ties with one of the premier elite youth soccer clubs in the region.

The Washington Spirit features DC SCORES on the front of their 2022 Challenge Cup jerseys. A number of jerseys are auctioned to raise funds for DC SCORES’ soccer, poetry, and service-learning projects.

Poet-athletes join F.C. Bayern Munich players at training at Audi Field. DC SCORES alumni Jaquan and DeAndre perform their original poetry for one of the team’s stars, Alphonso Davies.

In-person DC SCORES poetry slams return after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DC SCORES’ partners Artemis Ward create an award-winning commercial for America SCORES that air’s during the Men’s World Cup. The ad features DC SCORES poet-athletes, coaches, and locations.

DC SCORES presents the inaugural Poet-Athlete Award to award-winning writer and former D1 soccer player Clint Smith. The award is presented annually to recipients who embody the ethos of DC SCORES poet-athletes.

DC SCORES celebrates the 20th anniversary of SCORES Cup with a record-breaking fundraising tournament and exclusive commemorative jerseys.

Poet-athletes are front and center as the All-Star Game comes to Audi Field. With D.C. United, DC SCORES is represented at community days, the All-Stars Skills Challenge, and the All-Star game against Arsenal F.C. DC SCORES receives a $25,000 check as the All-Stars’ nonprofit of choice.

The U.S. embassies of Australia and New Zealand host a soccer and poetry-themed “sausage sizzle” at DC SCORES’ summer to honor their status as host nations of the Women’s World Cup.

DC SCORES receives a $2 million gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call, the largest-ever single donation in DC SCORES’ history.