April 17, 2014
Marr-lin Swim Team at National Championship Meet - This past weekend, 15 members represented their fellow swimmers at the Boys and Girls Clubs National Championship Meet in St. Petersburg, FL. Congratulations to the following swimmers: Shannon Hickey, Caroline O’Brien, Lauren Donovan, Clare McCarthy, Olivia McGrath, Juan Rodriguez, Emily Carvalho, Julieanne Stones, Kate McGrath, Anthony Alves, Jesus Rodriguez, Emily Mischler, Elizabeth Knight, Sarah O’Donovan and Joseph Woods. For information on the upcoming 6-team Intramural Swim League contact Aquiles Gomes (agomes@bgcdorchester.org).
Intramural Soccer League - This past Saturday the Co-ed Intramural Soccer league held two regular season games. In the opener F.C. Barcelona defeated Celtic F.C. by a score of 2-1. F.C. Barcelona was led by Thomas Smalls (1 goal) and Jessie Pontes (1 goal) while Celtic F.C. was led by Justin DePina (1 goal). In the second game Inter Milan, behind the offense of Nathan Cabral (2 goals), Elijah Langley (2 goals) and John Pierre (1 goal) defeated Manchester United by a score of 5-2. Manchester United was led by Ronald Huynh (1 goal) and Ebson DaSilva (1 goal). The league will continue regular season play on Saturdays through June. For more information, or to inquire about player openings, please contact Evandro Miranda (emiranda@bgcdorchester.org).
I Can Rhyme, I Can Read! - Young children in Dorchester celebrated TALK, READ, and PLAY Day on April 9th through Literacy “Flash Mobs.” Talk, Read & play is a citywide informational campaign to support families with children ages birth to five. The campaign is a product of Countdown to Kindergarten, in collaboration with city partners. All along Dorchester Avenue, and in other locations throughout the city children stood on milk crates shouting out nursery rhymes and their rhyming talent. Why is rhyming important? A multitude of research has shown a correlation between rhyming mastery and eventual reading preparedness. Rhyming helps kids improve their oral language skills overall. It helps them to playfully manipulate their language, which gives them a kind of “permission” to manipulate language in other ways. Children have more ownership over their language when they are encouraged to change it, and play with how they speak. In addition to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, College Bound, Field’s Corner Children Thrive, the Field’s Corner Library, Boston Children’s Museum, Dorchester Family Engagement Network, E.E.C., Thrive in Five, ReadBoston, Jumpstart, Headstart, and WGBH partnered with Countdown to Kindergarten to engage families, educators and the community in a citywide effort to enhance early learning opportunities and to support a successful transition into Kindergarten.