DC SCORES Staff Advocate for Young People at D.C. Council Hearings
Staff testified in front of Council members to stress the importance of investing in the District's young people.
Transforming communities through the power of poet-athletes.
DC SCORES
Washington, D.C.
DC SCORES empowers youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world.
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Our goal is to reach every Title 1 elementary and middle school in the District by 2030. Build Poet-Athlete City with us!
What We Do
- Soccer
- Poetry
- Service Learning
Soccer
DC SCORES creates neighborhood soccer teams that become lifelong communities. By coming together for practices, gamedays, and tournaments across the school year, poet-athletes forge meaningful relationships with friends and coaches and build a support network that stays with them long after they graduate from the program.
Poetry
During our fall season, poet-athletes learn how to write creatively and perform their poetry as a team. By raising their voices on the issues they care about most, poet-athletes improve their social and emotional health, learn to express themselves creatively, and become champions for their neighborhoods and wider communities.
Service Learning
In the spring, poet-athletes take on an issue they explored in their poetry and apply their soccer teamwork skills to a community service project. By working together on something that matters to them, poet-athletes form deep connections to their neighborhoods and become young leaders for positive change in their city.
Who We Are
We envision a D.C. where every child experiences the joys of childhood and is empowered to grow into a physically and emotionally healthy adult — on and off the playing field.
3500
+
Poet-Athletes
Served Each Year
68
+
Schools
30
Years of Impact
Student Voices
“DC SCORES and poetry makes me feel happy, it makes me feel powerful, it makes me feel me."
- Uel, DC SCORES Poet-Athlete
“[DC SCORES' Our Words Our City] was my ‘I made it’ moment. All artists have that, so it made me feel like an artist.”
- Kayla, DC SCORES Poet-Athlete
"I love DC SCORES and I love my dad. I like DC SCORES because you can meet new friends."
- Aspen Jr., DC SCORES Poet-Athlete
Latest Stories & Events
USWNT Players Kick Off DC SCORES Summer Camp
Thanks to the Soccer Forward Foundation, members of the USWNT joined poet-athletes for the first day of camp.
30 Years Strong: DC SCORES’ Legacy at Anne Beers Elementary School
Members of the DC SCORES community at Beers reflect on the program's three decades of impact.
“It’s A Family”: DC SCORES at Ward 8’s Leckie Education Campus
For over a decade, the Leckie poet-athlete "family" has been defying stereotypes, speaking truth to power, and serving their community.
“They Deserve It”: How DC SCORES is Empowering the Community at Stanton Elementary
Community members share how Stanton's partnership with DC SCORES has brought school-wide benefits.
Becoming Lemonade Dream: Alumna Alex On Discovering a Passion for Poetry at DC SCORES
Since performing for the first time with DC SCORES, Alex has become a rising star of D.C.'s poetry scene.
“The New Guy”: Poet-Athlete Uel On Making His Our Words Our City Debut
Uel, who caught the poetry bug last year, wil perform at DC SCORES' premier poetry showcase on May 20.
Leckie Lions Begin Design FC Service Learning Project
Poet-athletes will design a jersey that celebrates their school and neighborhood culture.
DC SCORES Honored at Washington Spirit Home Opener
DC SCORES poet-athletes, coaches, and staff helped kick off the Spirit's season at home!
“Get Right Back Up”: Celebrating Strong Girls at DC SCORES
A poet-athlete and coach reflect on how DC SCORES is helping girls process grief, find new passions, and celebrate the[...]
“Collective Action Works”: Tori Huster on Union Power, DC SCORES, and Why the Future Is Bright for the Next Generation
The 2025 Poet-Athlete Award winner discusses her work with the NWSLPA, her time at the Washington Spirit, and why she[...]
How The USWNT Helped Build the Poet-Athlete Movement
Members of the team have served as SCORES spokespeople, organization ambassadors, and board members.
In the News
Focused On The Goal: 30 Years of DC SCORES History
Magic Johnson Joins Washington Spirit Investor Group, Attends DC SCORES Practice
Magic Johnson Introduced to Washington Spirit Community at DC SCORES Training Session