| PlaySmart Boys Summer Academy PlaySmart is pleased to announce it has just completed one of its most important new initiatives. From July 12th to July 30th, PlaySmart initiated, co-programmed and sponsored the PlaySmart Boys Summer Academy. Twenty 5th and 6th grade boys participated in a structured, summer academic and athletic camp. Starting at 8:15am every morning, the campers participated in sports-themed academic activities that included Mathematics Baseball and PlaySmart Scorecard Writing. Stressed during all of the academic activities were critical academic fundamentals such as basic writing structure and math division and multiplication. After lunch, the kids played a variety of sports including soccer, football and kickball. Every Wednesday the kids left Newark, New Jersey for the fun confines of Chelsea Piers Sports Complex for an exciting day of activities. Throughout the entire camp, campers were exposed to local role models and well-trained instructors. Various speakers came to the LINK School campus and stressed the importance of education, a balanced lifestyle and keys to success. The campers interacted with the speakers and were encouraged to ask questions. One such speaker was Metrostars soccer player, Joseph Addo. Joe has played soccer throughout the world in places such as Greece, Portugal, Holland, Italy, Germany, and the United States. He came to the U.S’ Major League Soccer in 1999 and signed with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In 2000, he became the ninth player in Mutiny history to play over 5,000 minutes. Addo has also had a great career representing the Ghana National Team. He was part of the Ghana Olympic team in 1992 and in 1996. With his help, Ghana won the bronze metal in 1992, and reached the quarter-finals in 1996. He was also captain for the Ghana National Teams at following levels: National Youth Team, U-21, Olympic Team, and the Senior National Team. Joe is also a graduate of George Mason University where he helped lead his team to the NCAA Soccer Final Four. Role models such as Joe helped make the program a complete success. Other speakers included, local Newark resident and Stanford, Oxford and Yale University graduate Corey Booker; and former Pittsburgh Steelers and Newark resident Elnardo Webster, who earned a B.A., M.B.A. and J.D. from Rutgers University. PlaySmart would like to thank all of the people responsible for making this program a complete success. Principal Marnie McKoy and program director Rosa Mary Dumenigo from the LINK School, George McGovern from Athletes in Action and the New York Giants, Mollie Marcoux from Chelsea Piers Scholarship Fund and Rick Kahn, PlaySmart Director. It is PlaySmart's hope that the success of this program will continue to build into the future. It is because of you, PlaySmart's generous donors, which allow this program to be financed by PlaySmart. We thank you! |