What do you get when you combine soccer, poetry and community service? America Scores Bay Area, home of the poet-athlete.
America Scores gives young people a chance to not only thrive as an athlete, but also to give them a voice to express themselves and space to move their communities forward. Telemundo 48's Carlos Yustis introduced us to two young poet athletes making an impact.
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WATCH HERECrissler Tomas first emerged in February at a Bay Area Host Committee event during All-Star week in San Francisco. She received a standing ovation after reciting her poem, "A Beautiful Game," in front of a packed crowd of athletes, tech CEOs and media.
Tomas says, "I always told my mom I wanted to be like someone like them, to be on the TV."
Now, Crissler is on TV, with her younger brother and mom by her side and a community cheering her on.
Her coach, Manny Anaya, says "she's one of my greatest students I've had. My wife makes fun of me because she sees that I have tears in my eyes every time that I see her go out there."
Anaya has worked with America Scores Bay Area for more than two decades, mentoring students like Crissler at E.R. Taylor Elementary School in San Francisco. He is now also coaching Crissler's 9-year-old brother, Leonardo.
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Leonardo says, "I decided to do it because I like soccer." And, even though writing is not one of his favorite subjects, Leonardo recently competed in his first poetry slam competition in March. His poem, "The Best Part of Me".
Founded in 2001, America Scores Bay Area started in five schools. Twenty-five years later, the program is in nearly 150 schools across the Bay Area, with nearly 5,000 students. It is 100% free to families. The program has a weekly poetry workshop where students write about a topic and share what they write. Then, they have soccer practice.
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SIGN UP "This is what we're doing this for, to keep those dreams and those pathways open for kids who don't have it without programs like Scores," says Colin Schmidt, executive director. "We've created stuff that has provided meaning and joy day after day: smiles, high fives, skill building and confidence building."
Learn more about America Scores Bay Area on its official website.
