BALTIMORE, Md. – The Coppin State volleyball team enjoyed spending time with kids from Playworks earlier this month.
The Eagles had fun mingling with the kids, who ranged from ages 5-9, signing posters and posing for photos with the wide-eyed youngsters. Earlier in the day, Playworks used Coppin State’s athletic facilities for its annual soccer showcase event. Following that, the kids had an opportunity to meet and greet members of the Coppin State volleyball team.
Some of them stayed and cheered the Eagles on during their match against Hampton.
The soccer tournament is an annual event run by Playworks. It is meant to build community with students from participating Playworks schools in the Baltimore area and to encourage students to continue playing at the next level. This Playworks event had 19 schools participating in the Jamboree.
Coppin State’s Christina Epps, former track and field runner and 2014 MEAC Woman of the Year also was a part of the event. Epps now works for Playworks and was happy to be back on campus for the event.
“Working for Playworks has been great,” Epps said. “Being able to positively impact the lives of young children means a lot to me. I know growing up; I felt like I needed role models and a program like this is tremendous. I am indeed Coppin proud to be able to work with Playworks. We have a partnership with Coppin State and I am glad we were able to spend time on their campus. Being there made me feel proud of my school.”
Coppin State volleyball coach Ashley Preston helped lay the groundwork for the Playworks Jamboree. The kids enjoyed themselves and the Playworks staff was appreciative of the opportunity to spend time on a college campus.
“Our kids feel so special when they can be a part of a team on such great facilities, and we often hear ‘wow's’, ‘this is so cool’ and ‘I'm going to Coppin,” Playworks Development Manager Mary Urban said. “We also appreciate the opportunity for the players to meet the volleyball team and that they took the time to sign photos and posters.”
This is not the first time Playworks has done an event on Coppin State’s campus. Last year Playworks held a junior coach leadership conference during the MEAC volleyball tournament.
The purpose of the Junior Coach Leadership Program was to establish student leadership within the school day. Playworks creates places where students are in charge. The Junior Coach Leadership Program is geared toward students in fourth through eighth grades. The Junior Coach Leadership Program is a great opportunity to help children root the skills they are learning with a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of the world they inhabit.
Junior Coaches are required to participate in leadership training and professional development opportunities throughout the year. The trainings include fun activities that support student growth in multiple aspects of leadership and problem solving.
Junior Coaches participate in team building activities and games that give them an opportunity to learn about conflict resolution, being a role model, and recess game facilitation. Junior Coaches are also responsible for leading safe and meaningful activities at recesses for peers and younger students. Junior Coaches have opportunities to experience service learning activities, attend field trips, including the Junior Coach Leadership Conference in the fall and spring.
Playworks also held its first annual Volleyball Jamboree in Coppin State’s auxiliary gym. During the Playworks Volleyball Jamboree, there were two to four volleyball games happening at one time. Each school was paired with another school and each game was a traditional 6-on-6 match.
ABOUT PLAYWORKS
Playworks is a national nonprofit organization, with local presence in Baltimore and across Maryland, that transforms schools by providing play and physical activity at recess and throughout the school day. Through on-site direct service and trainer-led professional development workshops, Playworks increases physical activity, restores valuable teaching time, reduces bullying and improves the school and learning environment.
Playworks is the only organization in the country to send enthusiastic, trained adult program coordinators into low-income schools, where they enhance and transform recess and play into a positive experience that helps kids and teachers get the most out of every learning opportunity throughout the school day.
In the 2013-2014 academic year; Playworks reached 10,000 students in 20 area schools that’s invested in recess as part of their educational vision.