Education, soccer, and now technology have always been my main passions in life. I did Girls Who Code a program that wasn't given to minority girls like me in high school when my dad and I first had the talk about the problem. There was no representation of minority men/women in these tech places. We wanted to close this gap? But how.
InnerCity Soccer Tech.
Started in June 2017, InnerCity SoccerTech was started with a mission to increase the number of students interested in technology through playing soccer, and also helping them with their education.
Through practices every Saturday, extra tutoring help during the week, and visiting technology companies, InnerCity Soccer Tech encompasses the variety of opportunities available to young minority students through these activities.
However, as such a new non profit we struggle a lot with funding, getting resources, finding places to start our technology lab for the students in such low socioeconomic area. Although we do not have the funds to provide for our players as much as we would like, we do still make sure we provide for our players. By telling their parents the resources for homework, writing multiplication tables with them, providing the equipment to play soccer, taking them to technology companies throughout the NYC area, providing studying textbooks for them to work in. We also do all this through fundraising on our own, giving back to our community and believing in good karma. This goes towards all these resources and especially our shirts.
Our players take pride in their shirts, which is why they are red to represent boldness and strength in knowing who they are, despite the age group. Thus, this charity pitch would go towards a specific need for the players for the next year to be able to budget to contribute to getting them shirts.
I really love this organization and what it has done so far for the youth in my community and being able to know I am already giving back to the neighborhood that I came from and that got me here is why I believe in InnerCity SoccerTech and why you guys should too.
InnerCity Soccer Tech.
Started in June 2017, InnerCity SoccerTech was started with a mission to increase the number of students interested in technology through playing soccer, and also helping them with their education.
Through practices every Saturday, extra tutoring help during the week, and visiting technology companies, InnerCity Soccer Tech encompasses the variety of opportunities available to young minority students through these activities.
However, as such a new non profit we struggle a lot with funding, getting resources, finding places to start our technology lab for the students in such low socioeconomic area. Although we do not have the funds to provide for our players as much as we would like, we do still make sure we provide for our players. By telling their parents the resources for homework, writing multiplication tables with them, providing the equipment to play soccer, taking them to technology companies throughout the NYC area, providing studying textbooks for them to work in. We also do all this through fundraising on our own, giving back to our community and believing in good karma. This goes towards all these resources and especially our shirts.
Our players take pride in their shirts, which is why they are red to represent boldness and strength in knowing who they are, despite the age group. Thus, this charity pitch would go towards a specific need for the players for the next year to be able to budget to contribute to getting them shirts.
I really love this organization and what it has done so far for the youth in my community and being able to know I am already giving back to the neighborhood that I came from and that got me here is why I believe in InnerCity SoccerTech and why you guys should too.
I’m glad you chose your own, personal charity to highlight. It sounds like this organization really helps boost confidence, knowledge, and enthusiasm within the members in the community. I enjoy how holistic your organization is; helping the youth with both their soccer and technological skills. When I was abroad, I volunteered for an organization called the Play and Learn Foundation. Low income students would spend half of the week practicing soccer and playing in scrimmage games. The other half of the week was spent learning and improving their English and mathematic skills. The soccer aspect is what got these students interested in the program and motivated them to continually attend and be involved. Once the students were engaged in the organization, they were exposed to the more academic aspects of it, and began to really enjoy that portion too. They now correlated learning English with playing soccer, and as the weeks progressed, I saw the abilities of the students really grow.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to bring together both a recreational and education aspect in order to interest the students and get the best result. I really appreciate how your organization does that. Kids have a lot of energy and it is helpful to have them channel that into a productive skill like soccer. Through the sport, kids are exposed to lessons regarding teamwork and dedication. It is also important to show them they have potential off the field, and introduces them to new careers and opportunities they may not have been aware of beforehand, which InnerCity Soccer Tech does. I think the creation of this organization was really thoughtful and smart, and you should be very proud of your innovation and motivation.
Hi Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I think it is so amazing that you founded your own non-profit organization with your dad. I think the idea of bringing together sports and education allows kids to learn while having fun. One thing I've learned in the education minor classes here at Binghamton University is that students tend to learn the best when they might not even be realizing they're learning. To them, this could just be remembering some multiplication problems and scoring goals, but it's much deeper than that. The work that you and your dad do should not go unappreciated, and I'm sure everyone in the community values what you two do very much.
Kids who don't feel represented, especially those in the minority, often struggle in school due to lack of confidence and resources. Being able to do this for them on your own time can not only bring that same community together, but encourage these kids to stay active, both on the field and in the classroom. I personally believe that being a kid is the most critical stage of a person's life, because so much can be influenced then for the future. Kids who value education can go on to be motivated in life and pursue college. Some kids might not be able to value their education as much as other students, and you and your dad's work could push kids to value their education. In addition, being able to provide experiences to visit places that have technology can give the kids a first-hand experience they might never forget that can also spark their interest in technology.
Lastly, I think it is not only sweet, but clever that you and your dad have shirts made up for everyone involved. I always find that when a group/club- especially on campus- has customized shirts made for their group, there is a lot more pride in the group and more desire to be there, as well as promoting inclusivity. I feel like that is what's happening here with the kids who come to play soccer and get help with their homework every Saturday.
I really enjoyed your charity pitch on Thursday in class and loved hearing about your organization. I hope you and your dad continue to do the great work you're doing for your community.
- Matthew Sturm
Your organization seems like its doing some great well needed work and I'm so excited to hear that it has grown. Often my parents say to me "why don't you go out there and invent/create something?", and realistically I have no reason not to and no answer to why I have not. However, it is insanely inspiring to hear about you and your father actually having the courage and good intentions to start an organization to help your community. On top of that I'm actually familiar with the Girls Who Code program in the city because my close friend participated in that years prior. Their program is wonderful for encouraging women into the STEM fields however from what I remember there were limited amounts of spots within the program. So it's great to see how positively that program influenced you into creating InnerCity Soccer Tech. This program answers a plethora of issues from the lack of diversity within the stem field to the racism imbedded within technology. This is often not a widely regarded issue however the lack of diversity within tech has led to cameras that cannot detect black faces, discrimination in healthcare, and various other issues. Your program also gets kids active and engaged in sports, encouraging more active lifestyles. The combination of these two initiatives works to holistically better the lives of not just children within the community but the community itself.
ReplyDeleteYour presentation on Thursday really exemplified your passion for this program and the kids that you work with. Regardless of whether it receives funding from the class, I hope for the continued success of the program and your work within your community.
I applaud you and your family for seeing the need in your community and taking action. I believe that one of the most important aspects of philanthropy, and the idea of giving back, is to give directly back to the community you were a part of. We are all a product of how we are raised, and our childhood neighborhoods have all had a significant impact on us, whether we like it or not. In the concept of philanthropy of ‘giving back’ to a cause that carries significant importance to you, I think founding InnerCity SoccerTech was a great demonstration of returning the favor to a community that had a special place in your heart. I have noticed in class that the charity pitches that included a personal connection such as the Ronald McDonald House charity pitch with Isabel have often won the class vote for allocation of the raised funds. I believe that this is because when people can relate to a connection someone has made with an organization, or can make a connection themselves, they feel a greater need to donate. Philanthropists often focus the distribution of their time and funds on causes where they feel a personal bond in, such as Michael Bloomberg donating a record 1.8 billion to low income scholarships at Johns Hopkins University, the place he feels gave him the opportunities he needed to get where he is today. Demonstrating the connection to your community was definitely one of the most conveying points of your charity pitch to me, and I think it was convincing to the class as well for this reason.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I feel that Inner City Soccer Tech is an amazing charity is that it highlights another important aspect of philanthropy: the ability to identify the needs of society. It is not a secret that children raised in geographically lower socioeconomic areas often carry the long-term consequences of being raised in poverty and impoverished areas. I remember reading a PBS article that cited statistics stating how for children who spent at least half of their childhood, only 62% achieved a high school diploma, compared the 90% rate for those who had never lived in poverty. Inner City Soccer Tech saw this problem and took action, and I think by continuing to provide academic and extracurricular activities for these inner city and minority children, this organization is making a meaningful difference by acting upon a significant and present issue.
I also personally connect with Inner City Soccer Tech’s mission statement. When I was in middle school I remember struggling with my academics and often feeling stressed because I felt lost in my schoolwork and had little resources to help myself. However, when I joined a sports team, my field hockey team, I found not only a support network, but a group of people who could also study with me for my classes and that could answer my homework classes. My field hockey team had weekly study sessions after practice, and having a set schedule of practice times motivated me to also create a schedule for completing schoolwork and studying. I understand the impact of playing on a sports team, and I think Inner City Soccer Tech goes above and beyond this impact in ensuring the welfare of all players and their families.
- Sydney Silverman
Hi Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your presentation and I am so happy that our class voted to contribute our funds this week to your organization. Growing up, I was a competitive swimmer and this took up the majority of my free time and sometimes really killed my social life. However, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Being so heavily involved in a sport and a team from a young age shaped me into the person that I am today. The skills that I learned through swimming went so far beyond the pool. Swimming has given me leadership skills, patience, time management skills, and taught me how to work effectively as a team with many different personalities. Furthermore, it has given me an amazing group of friends that I know I will have throughout my life. I believe that all children should experience youth sports and what it means to be part of a team.
For people who didn't grow up playing competitive team sports, it may be difficult to see how this can have such a profound effect on youth beyond the obvious physical impact.
However, children who take part in team sports develop real world skills. When time must be devoted to practice each week, children in sports have improved time management skills compared to their peers. Having to interact with a coach and teammates improves communication skills, interpersonal skills, and conflict resolution. The challenges they face as athletes prepare them for conflicts in school and in the working world as well. As our world grows more interconnected, it is essential to have the skillset required to work as a member of a team.
The children that you and your father are helping will gain so much more than soccer skills from this experience. Sports can serve as an outlet for emotional distress as well as a safe and constructive place to go after school. The t-shirts you buy will give the children a sense of unity and pride. By giving these children technology resources and academic assistance, they will grow as students as well. This truly seems like a program that meets a variety of needs that children in the community face. Although at first soccer and STEM seemed technology seemed like an odd pairing, the way your organization put them together will do so much good for your community.
-Mary Kate