The SCORESheet, February 2022
ANNOUNCEMENT OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRANSITION
After sixteen years of tireless work and service to the mission and values of America SCORES Chicago, Amy Mummery has announced that she will be departing from her role as Executive Director in the early Summer of 2022. Mummery served as Education Director (2006-12) and Program Director (2012-17) prior to taking over as the organization’s Executive Director in 2017. She has been the driving force behind SCORES’ success, impact, and growth during her unparalleled tenure. Her vision and leadership will be greatly missed by the staff, Board, volunteers, poet-athletes, coaches, education leaders, and organizational partners. Over the next several months, the Board will be conducting a thorough search to find America SCORES Chicago’s next Executive Director.
Full Release | Job Posting
A SUCCESSFUL ALL-STARS SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
SCORES All-Stars, which features more than 25 middle school poet-athletes from a mix of partner schools, comes to a close in the coming weeks after a successful winter campaign. Since early-January, the group has come together once a week for practice at ChiTown Futbol, where they are led by a group of coaches who design practices that challenge them both as soccer players and leaders. To go along with the opportunity to improve their athletic and leadership skills through more intense and extensive practice sessions, All-Stars are also invited to join SCORES alums in girls and boys high school leagues at ChiTown. On the girls side, teams representing SCORES (Warriors and All-Stars) met in the championship match on Feb. 22. The boys league will continue over the next month with the final round of playoffs slated for the last week in March. The teams’ entries are supported by SCORES and championed by Coach Ernie Alvarez (Cardenas), who has seen the program grow in popularity over the years. “The athletes create friendships and get exposure to other playing styles,” said Alvarez of the impact the leagues have had on the students and community. “It gets people talking about SCORES - they want to know who we are! These kids take a great deal of pride in SCORES and they do their best to be role models for the younger boys and girls. SCORES alums are known for how dedicated they are, and their commitment speaks volumes.”
JOHN H. HAMLINE ELEMENTARY
For this month’s School Spotlight, we head to the Back of the Yards neighborhood to highlight the Hawks of John H. Hamline Elementary School (4747 South Bishop Street). In 2019, Hamline emerged as a potential partner within a community that SCORES wanted to establish roots and eventually grow. As is often the case, the relationship began thanks to the advocacy of a former coach who worked within the school and foresaw the potential impact of bringing SCORES programming to the space. As one of the organization's newest partners, Hamline’s story continues to be written - evidenced by the fact that despite the challenges faced by the pandemic, Hamline’s programming grew and evolved in response to the needs of the community. The Louis De Guzman Mural Project from the summer of 2021 serves an example of such. Today, Hamline Elementary is a 21st Century Community Learning Center site offering programs such as math and reading tutoring, Joffrey Ballet, basketball, dancing, lacrosse, Bitspace Wearables, Cooking Skills and World Cuisine, and Heart(Art), to go along with Literacy In Action Programming for elementary and middle school.
Hamline Elementary
WEST MONROE PARTNERS
America SCORES Chicago is proud to work with a number of partners over the course of the year. Partners who believe in a world where all youth find their voice, achieve their goals, and unleash their full potential. Thanks to their support, we continue to be a leader in the sport-based youth development space and are able to carry out our mission of inspiring youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world. This winter, SCORES was fortunate to partner with West Monroe Partners as part of its Philanthropy Friday program, where employees are given the opportunity to support close to home causes that their colleagues care and advocate for. The partnership grew from there and West Monroe will now support Red Carpet Poetry SLAM as a Gold Sponsor. Being held on April 7 at Adler Planetarium, RCPS is SCORES’ marquee fundraising event welcoming an audience of more than 300 to celebrate the best poet-athletes performances from the past year.
DREAM THE FUTURE
When I look into the future, this is what I wanna see
Me working hard, being what I want to be
When I look into the future, this is what I’m gonna need
True equality, for all people to be free
No violence
Because you leave us silent
They told us you protect
So why you coming for our necks?
Don’t mean no disrespect
We just want you at your best- I guess
We just want it to be fair
Cuz when we look up at the news
It seems like you don’t care
15 shots
A body drops
But your job is still there
Abuse of power
Protecting cowards in ivory towers
Cuz when you got money stacked
You can buy alternative facts
Get that check back
Before you’re forced to comply- but why?
Your future can be famous
Just focus your mind and try
When I look into the future, this is what I wanna see
Me working hard, being what I want to be
When I look into the future, this is what I’m gonna need
True equality, for all people to be free
Keontae and Brandon
Grade 7
Learn 8 Charter School
