Over the last 18 months, 8 young leaders in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago have engaged more than 320 young boys and girls through specially adapted football games to light an interest in science, engineering, technology and mathematics.
Following last season’s spotlights on young leaders Jafaar and Rocky, we caught up with José from DC Scores in Washington DC to find out about the work he’s been doing and its impact on young people in his community.
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The youngest of seven siblings, José’s passion for football started from a young age, attending local games with his dad and brother.
José was first involved with DC Scores as a participant on their football programmes before stepping up to become a coach and young leader.
Reflecting on his journey, José said: “Being a role model for the kids means a lot to me. At one point I was in their shoes, so I just want to make sure that whatever we do is as fun as possible for them.”
Talking about the recent project, he added: “The Soccer & STEM project gave me an opportunity to think about the game and its different applications in a way I never had before, and I was able to use put my learning into practice through our DC SCORES summer camps which had a ‘STEAM’ theme - STEM + Arts. I was well prepared to take a leadership role throughout the camp.”
Alongside weekly programming, the Soccer & STEAM summer camp saw José lead 100 participants who took part in daily football sessions and several engaging activities, including daily nature walks with a scientist to study local flora and fauna, and a visit to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Gareth Hughes, International Programmes Manager at City Football Group’s global foundation said: “Football is a global language to engage young people and educate on a whole range of topics, including science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. Verizon’s support has enabled a group of inspiring young leaders like José to blend their passion for football and education, and engage hundreds of young people across the US with STEM topics.”
For more information on Verizon’s partnership with Manchester City, click here.
