The SCORESheet, January 2022
TO THE STARS! RCPS TO BE HELD AT ADLER PLANETARIUM
America SCORES Chicago is excited to announce the details for the 2022 Red Carpet Poetry SLAM! Serving as SCORES' marquee event and largest fundraiser, Red Carpet Poetry SLAM will take place on Thursday, April 7 from 6:30-10 p.m. at the Adler Planetarium. The event will once again be a celebration of the hard work and talent of our community, with selected poet-athletes performing poetry to a crowd of professionals, donors, poetry enthusiasts, volunteers, coaches, community leaders, and their families. This year’s RCPS is made even more special because of its unique location, being held at the Adler Planetarium for the first time. Poet-athletes will perform in the immersive Grainger Sky Theatre, and guests will have the opportunity to explore the planetarium throughout the night. More than 300 people are expected to attend this year’s event with 100-percent of the proceeds raised benefitting SCORES’ programs.
RCPS Press Release | Website | Sponsorship Opportunities
ROCIO ALDANA AND JULIE ELLAFRITS SELECTED TO CO-CHAIR EXECUTIVE BOARD
The America SCORES Chicago Board of Directors is pleased to announce a leadership transition within its Executive Board effective January of 2022. Following twenty years of service to SCORES, Matt Raino of Madison Dearborn Capital Partners has resigned his position as Chair. Throughout Raino's tenure, America SCORES Chicago has evolved tremendously and is deeply grateful for his leadership and generous commitment, which dates back to 2002. As part of a redesigned governance model created in collaboration with the Board of Directors and centered in shared leadership, SCORES has elected Rocio Aldana of William Blair and Julie Ellafrits of Businessolver to serve in elevated roles as Co-Chairs of the Executive Board moving forward. Follow the link below to read more about Rocio and Julie.
America SCORES Chicago’s Executive Board is made up of caring business and community leaders representing a wide array of professional sectors within Chicago. The Board provides strategic and fiscal oversight, corporate partnerships, and fundraising support in an effort to support SCORES’ mission to inspire youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world.
Full Release
NEW YEAR, NEW PROGRAMS
With 2021 in the rearview mirror, SCORES is excited for the start of several winter programs including Junior SCORES, SCORES All-Stars, and Red Carpet Poetry SLAM Training. Junior SCORES engages poet-athletes grades K - 2 and takes place twice a week from January to March. SCORES All-Stars is a coed group made up of a select group of middle school poet-athletes and high school SCORES alumni. The poet-athletes are nominated by their coaches for their strong soccer skills and demonstration of our core values of teamwork, leadership, and commitment. All-Stars practice once a week and are given the opportunity to compete on a boys and girls team in ChiTown Futbol's winter league, where they benefit from the competition and experience playing with and learning from their high school peers. RCPS Training consists of specialized practice sessions for individuals and teams honored at Community SLAM, helping poet-athletes to hone their skills and finely tune their performance for the upcoming showcase event. You can follow all the action of our winter programs through our social media channels.
MERARY FLORES
What would you say, you do here?
I am a Community Schools Program Assistant. Although I assist multiple community schools, much of my time is spent supporting Amy Thayer at Pilsen Community Academy. I also coach soccer and writing for the middle school girls team at Eli Whitney Elementary.
Where do you call home?
Home to me is Little Village. Although I moved when I was in middle school, Little Village is where I grew up and still holds a special place in my heart. It’s such a warm and hard-working community, and whenever I am there a sense of comfort comes over me.
Who do you cheer for?
The U.S. Women’s National Team…my favorite team of all time. I don’t particularly enjoy watching soccer as compared to volleyball and basketball, but when it comes to the U.S. Women’s National Team, I will drop everything to watch.
Where are you bringing a tourist in Chicago?
I would probably bring them to Wicker Park. It’s a great neighborhood for entertainment with great restaurants and shops,, and it’s close to a lot of other fun neighborhoods so you can go wherever from there.
What do you listen to on your commute?
My music preference is very diverse so it really depends on my mood. I can switch between rap and alternative on any given day. However, when I’m on my way to coach, I like to get pumped up with artists like Kanye West and J. Cole.
Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?
I want to read more. Although it’s challenging with school, I want to make a point to consistently find time to read and get through more books this year. Right now I’m mostly interested in reading nonfiction, self-achievement, and American history books.
What are you most looking forward to in 2022?
I am most looking forward to Red Carpet Poetry SLAM and Jamboree. Red Carpet is such a cool event because it’s a space where our poet-athletes are in the spotlight and are treated like the stars they are! Jamboree will also be back, which has always been my favorite event of the year. As a kid, I loved Jamboree. The kids have their families there, they get to play multiple games, and they get to meet so many other kids from different schools.
What is your SCORES journey?
I started SCORES when I was a 3rd grader. It was one of the few programs in our community that had soccer, so I was extremely grateful to be a part of something that allowed me to play the sport I loved. In college while majoring in social work, I looked for opportunities to work with young people wherever I could find them. I started volunteering at Eli Whitney as a tutor and then became a coach before signing up for AmeriCorps. After my service with AmeriCorps, America SCORES Chicago came along and here we are! Joining SCORES was one of the best decisions of my life because it gave me the opportunity to grow independently and give back to a community that meant so much to me.
What do you like most about this place?
I’ve always been drawn to SCORES’ unique combination of soccer and poetry, but also the fact that it keeps kids busy with something positive to be a part of. For a 3rd grader to have the chance to be a part of a team - to grow, to learn, to be a part of something - can mean the world.
What puts a smile on your face?
When a student feels accomplished, that’s what makes me most happy. I am most proud when I see students recognize their own hard work and I love seeing them confident and take pride in what they have accomplished. Seeing self love in our kids always puts the biggest smile on my face.
What advice would you give to poet-athletes?
Never stop learning. Give yourself the opportunity to grow and don’t be afraid to take chances. Find whatever makes you uncomfortable and take it on because you’re going to grow from the challenge.
ELI WHITNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
For this month’s School Spotlight, we head to the Little Village neighborhood to highlight the Wildcats of Eli Whitney Elementary School (2815 S. Komensky Avenue). If America SCORES Chicago had a metaphorical “old guard” of partner schools, Eli Whitney would sit on a well-worn seat at the table - operating SCORES programming since 2005. Situated within a community that takes a great deal of pride in the poet-athletes it produces, Eli Whitney boasts a robust SCORES alumni base and is yet another example of how Literacy In Action can soar within a space comprised of passionate leaders and coaches who advocate for students and champion the program. Today, Eli Whitney Elementary operates LIA at the middle school level and is a part of Enlace Chicago’s cohort of Community Schools, providing wrap-around family programming that promotes academic achievement, skill building, socio-emotional learning and leadership development. The Wildcats will also be represented by three poet-athletes at this year’s Red Carpet Poetry SLAM, coached by Merary Flores, a SCORES/Eli Whitney alumna.
Eli Whitney Elementary School
FOR THE LOVE OF WINTER SNOW
If I could plan the best day ever
I would wake up in the morning
But I would lay there for a minute
And play on my phone
It burns my eyes to stare at the sun
It burns my heart to glare like the moon
Clear as snow
Just like the stars
It burns so easy as it burns so hard
Forever is then forever is here
I’m always somewhere
Never nowhere
Clear as snow pebbles
As tears down my cheek
While wind blows and whispers
Underneath my feet
Once I touch the snow one more time
All I feel is coldness inside chilling up and down my spine
Just like the stars shine above the moon
While waiting full days and nights
For the moon to shine fully bright
Once I stare forward
I can never look behind
My heart glows when I smile
With family and friends
A place called joy
Is where I can stay for awhile
Feeling warm and cozy like someone’s hugging me tight (inside)
Every time I stare at the snow
I feel like I’m in a snow globe
I’m never left behind
In a snowy place that’s mine
Delancey P.
5th Grade, Eli Whitney
