By Jonathan Blasher | Executive Director
It must be Spring because it’s just about time for Playworks Portland’s Third Annual Corporate Kickball Tournament.Last year we had a number of great corporations and organizations join and support us including Nike, Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Pilots, Symantec, Columbia Sportswear, Interworks, Kaiser Permanente, Kohl's, the Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and PPS Principals. Corporate Kickball is a great opportunity for you to get your staff out of the office, participate in some team-building and sneak in a little networking, all in support for nearly 6,000 kids in Portland!
Another Successful and Fun Junior Coach Conference
The Junior Coach Conference is the time when we get to celebrate the hard work of our amazing junior coaches, those 4th and 5th grade students best known for wearing bright purple shirts on the playground. Last month more than 120 junior coaches from all over Portland gathered at Rigler Elementary to play games and participate in exciting workshops to increase their leadership skills. This is a valuable time for kids to learn from each other, and for us to honor and appreciate the hard work of the students and the positive improvement they have made on their schools.
The morning began with kids from each school performing cheers and songs to introduce themselves. They then spent a fun-filled day playing team building games and practicing positive communication. After a wonderful lunch prepared by volunteers, they met professional lacrosse player, Ryan Powell who gave a talk about dedication and teamwork, then was visited by teacher and socially conscious hip hop artist Chris Riser and DJ Common Denominator for a dance party! We wrapped up with an awesome scavenger hunt.
We would especially like to give a HUGE whoosh clap to our coaches for mentoring and training their junior coaches throughout the year!
Great Recesses Reduce Bullying and Helps Learning
In one of the most rigorous scientific trials to find an effect on bullying, researchers from Mathematica Policy Research and Stanford University have found that a Playworks recess can transform school climate, paving the way for less bullying and more focus on learning.
The study, one of the first that evaluates a recess- and play-based program, found that investing in recess and organized play can reduce bullying, improve student behavior at recess and readiness for class, and provide more time for teaching and learning. The study specifically looked at what happened when schools partnered with Playworks.
This new research finds evidence that Playworks offers a promising approach to reduce bullying, and represents the first in a series of findings.
Corporate Recess a Hit! We are thrilled that three lucky businesses were able to win a Corporate Recess for their employees this spring. Corporate Recess is a fun and active opportunity for your employees through two platforms: onsite team-building; and school based community engagement. Developed by Playworks, the national leader in play, Corporate Recess is customized for you by our local experts to transform your work space to a playground or bring your team to help transform a school playground. It engages your staff in lively playground games that promote key conflict resolution skills, teamwork and collaboration. Contact us today and schedule your Corporate Recess!
Thank you for your support!
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