11-09-06 Community Partnership Update...

The Virginia Legacy SC Community partnership (formerly the Williamsburg SC Community Partnership) expended from 2 teams to 3 last spring (2006) by the addition of a 3rd and 4th grade team at a second school (D J Montague Elementary). This expansion was made possible by a grant from the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation.

Beginning February 2006, we organized a 1st and 2nd grade team at James River Elementary, our original partner school, and DJ. About 50 children were involved in the two teams at James River and another 20 at DJ Montague. The teams practiced once a week, under the tutelage of a staff supervisor and students from the College of William and Mary. Jon Kamara and Al Albert, along with several other volunteers from the soccer club, helped the college students and school staff run practices and games smoothly.

With the help of additional monies from the Health Foundation, the Williamsburg Community Trust and private sources, the club began to expand its program in the fall of 2006.  Meetings have been held with the principals of two new schools-Matthew Whaley and Stonehouse Elementary. For the spring of 2007, we will field 6 teams – 2 each at the original schools and 1 each at the new schools. This will involve about 100 underserved children. An assembly program is being planned for each school in January and by the middle of February, we will be having practices one afternoon a week at each school site. Afterschool transportation is being coordinated with the regular SHIP afterschool busses.

We have been able to meet with the recreation department to coordinate the placement of these teams in the spring rec league program and also to arrange Saturday van transportation for the two new schools. The process of arranging coaches from the College is underway.  We have also approached a corporate sponsor about an end-of-the-year event at War Hill in mid-May, just for our students and their families. We see this as a chance to involve parents and children, and to celebrate the growth of this program throughout the school system.