The Families of America SCORES

 

Early this week, I visited an America SCORES parent meeting at Junipero Serra Elementary in San Francisco.  There were about 35 parents there representing 2 boys teams, 1 girls team and 2 Jr. SCORES teams, with a total of over 50 poet-athletes at the school.  Edgar, a long-time America SCORES coach at the school, gave a speech about how his goal is for those 50 students to be the students that every other kid and adult in the school looks up to, and recognizes as an exemplary student.  He talked about how even he looks up to Selascie, one of the poet-athletes chosen to go to New York for our National Poetry Slam, for his performance in New York. 

At the end he suggested that instead of having a snack schedule that it would be easier if, each week, parents chipped in a dollar or fifty cents so the America SCORES coaches could buy snacks themselves.  Parents started getting up and handing Edgar money on the spot.  He raised $236 by the end of the meeting for the snack fund, with lots of parents promising to bring more money later.  It was great to see how excited the parents are to be able to help.  I hope all of the schools are having parent meetings like this one!

Write On,

Marty Mannion