ASAP After School Activities Partnerships

	ASAP hosts Scrabble® Winter Classic at the School District!! On January 26th ASAP hosted the Scrabble Winter Classic at the School District Atrium. Over 150 students from 15 different schools competed in two rounds of Scrabble. After the rounds, students received prizes for high scoring plays and exemplary education-related words. Students from Martha Washington Elementary, Howe Elementary, Prince Hall Elementary, Girls High and Vaux Promise Academy took home prizes. The best education word was 'Learn' played by a middle school team from Duckrey School. CBS3 reported on the event, check out the article here. For more information on Scrabble contact Marshall Bright at 215-545-2727 ext. 12.
	ASAP Spring Training Schedule ASAP is currently recruiting and training Scrabble, Chess and Drama club leaders. Volunteers interested in starting new clubs and after school staffers interested in bringing new activities to their existing programming should attend one of our upcoming trainings. Scrabble Trainings: Feb. 2nd and 16th, 11:00am - 12:00pm Chess Training: Feb.16th, 9:00am-10:45am Drama Training: Feb. 9th, 4:00pm-6:00pm For more information on ASAP programs or to RSVP for a training, contact Marshall Bright at 215-545-2727 ext. 12.
	ASAP Directory Update ASAP's online directory is currently undergoing technical difficulties. If you have trouble accessing the directory online, click here to access a PDF copy. You can also request a hard-copy of the directory by contacting Marshall Bright at 215-545-2727 ext. 12.
	Philadelphia Chess League Hosts Second Tournament On Saturday, December 17th Mastery Charter School, Shoemaker Campus hosted the second ASAP Chess Tournament of the year. 200 students in grades K-12 competed in 5 rounds of competitive chess matches in the non-rated sections and four rounds in the rated sections. This event was only possible because of the hard work of parents and coaches. Thank you for ensuring that our young people are having the best experience possible. Assistant Tournament Directors Caitlin and David were also integral to the success of this event. They managed registration, made pairings, supervised rounds, and made sure everything ran smoothly. A special thank you goes to Mastery Charter, Shoemaker Campus for volunteering their space and acting as a valued ASAP partner by hosting their third ASAP Chess Tournament in two years. Thank You! The next ASAP chess event will be the Family Chess Day on January 14th. For more information on ASAP chess, contact Frank White at 215-545-2727 ext. 18.
	Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League Completes Season with Finals Round. On Wednesday, December 14th the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League hosted its finals competition at the University of Pennsylvania. 64 students from 13 schools were invited to compete with many more students observing. After an inspiring speech from District Attorney Seth Williams, students split up to begin competition. In the team competition, George Washington High School's A team came in 1st place, with Masterman A and Constitution A close behind. The top individual speakers (in order) were Desislava Gergishanova (George Washington), Raisa Masud (George Washington), Maia Reumann-Moore (Masterman) and Jeff Kessler (Science Leadership Academy). Masterman was awarded the school sweepstakes trophy, barely edging out Central High School. For more detailed results, check out ASAP's debate page, here. Debate rounds will continue in January when students will argue the whether the costs of a college education outweigh the benefits. For more information on debate, contact Meg Hess-Homeier at 215-545-2727 ext. 10.
	Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League Starts Strong! On October 12th the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League began its 10 week competition season. Students from schools all over Philadelphia came to Central High School to debate the merits of public v. private funding for space exploration. After only three weeks of competition, over 100 students have debated with many more observing and preparing. The competition season will continue until the finals round on December 14th. For more information, contact Meg Hess-Homeier at 215-545-2727 ext. 10.
	Scrabble ® Players Catch Phillies Phever at Fall Kick-Off Philly Plays Scrabble® kicked off on Thurday, October 6 at the Greenfield Elementary School library at 2200 Chestnut Street when PICA Chairman Sam Katz (pictured) challenged Greenfield principal Dan Lazar to a game of Scrabble. They were joined by members of Greenfield’s Scrabble club, who engaged in friendly competition to celebrate another year of Scrabble. In honor of the Phillies post-season, students were awarded prizes for playing their best Phillies-related words. Top prizes went to two Greenfield students who played “stadiums” and “baseball.” The highest-scoring players also received prizes. Philly Plays Scrabble® is a citywide campaign aimed at creating volunteer-led youth Scrabble clubs in libraries, schools, and community and recreation centers that has organized over 100 Scrabble clubs with 1,200 kids playing weekly. For more information, check out the ASAP blog here.
	ASAP launches the after school directory with a press conference! At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 14 Mayor Michael Nutter announced the release of the Directory of After School Enrichment Activities published by ASAP. The annual Directory release contains over 1,000 after school programs that keep kids active and engaged after school. These programs are vital in combating “flash mobs” and other unsafe, negative activities in which unsupervised and unengaged youth may become involved. Published as a supplement to the Philadelphia Daily News, the Directory includes information on more than 1,000 after school programs in Philadelphia organized by zip code and is updated monthly on ASAP's website. Copies may be requested at mbright@phillyasap.org. ASAP is grateful to the sponsors, Deloitte and Independence Blue Cross, and the Philadelphia Daily News for understanding the crucial role this information plays in keeping Philadelphia youth safe. To watch the press release, click here.
	It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of ASAP-hero, Stan Williams. For the past 5 years, Stan has been our Scrabble® champion, instructor and volunteer par excellence. In this time, ASAP's Philly Plays Scrabble initiative has expanded to 100 clubs with more than 1,200 students playing weekly in schools, recreation centers and libraries across the city. Simply put, this would not have been possible without Stan's guidance, tireless support and reassuring presence. In his capacity as club leader at Rudolph Blankenburg Elementary, Stan was a mentor to dozens of students, spending his afternoons developing their vocabulary and strategic thinking skills, and freely sacrificing his weekends to chaperone students to events and competitions. Stan also led trainings for new Scrabble club leaders, sharing his love for the game and his thoughtful and patient style with the next generation of mentors. Needless to say, his warmth and grace endeared him to the entire staff of ASAP as well. As we head into the new school year, we will certainly miss our friend and advocate, Stan. However, his legacy of compassionate dedication to the enrichment of Philadelphia youth will live on in our mission and our programs. As testimony to Stan’s impact on the lives of others, friends and colleagues from across the country have already begun to show their support for ASAP. All donations received will go directly to supporting ASAP’s Scrabble clubs. To our generous donors, we thank you for helping us serve the youth of Philadelphia.
	Chess Challenge Student Wins College Scholarship! Vanita Young, one of ASAP’s top female chess stars, has returned from Texas with a $40,000 scholarship to Texas Tech University! Vanita had been invited to the exclusive all-girls Susan Polgar Tournament but was unable to attend due to lack of funding! She was the only girl to represent the state of Pennsylvania! Through ASAP’s efforts, including a feature by Daily News Columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, ASAP raised the necessary funds with donations from $5 to $500, from as far away as Washington State and Chicago. One donation came from Graterford Prison! Congressman Bob Brady facilitated a significant contribution from Students First Corp. Vanita is a living example of ASAP’s motto: “What happens after graduation starts with what happens after school!”
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Congressman Bob Brady reviews ASAP's After School Programs Directory, which includes more than 1,000 sites and provides resource information for parents, caregivers and youth workers. ASAP is grateful to the Congressman for recently facilitating a large donation from Students First Corp., to assist Chess Challenge All-Star Vanita Young cover expenses to an exclusive chess tournament in Texas! To to access the online version, click here.
	Chess Challenge Checkmates Violence in Center City More than 50 students gathered at the Atrium at the Shops at Liberty Place to show off their chess prowess to Center City office workers passing through on their way to lunch. The event marked the fifth annual Checkmate Violence in the Summer, hosted by the Shops at Liberty Place. The event gave students a chance to improve their chess skills while on summer vacation.
	Next Move, College: Scholarships for Chess Prowess At a wonderful ceremony in the Mayor's Reception room in City Hall, five graduating Chess Challenge seniors received chess scholarship awards to attend local universities. Both Mayor Michael Nutter and Philadelphia School District Superintendant Arlene Ackerman praised the recipients for their achievements. This year's award winners proved the positive power of chess as after school enrichment. Awardees included: Darius Vrubliauskas (Northeast HS - Temple University), Chandra Raharja (Prep Charter HS - Temple University), Brett Chapman (Science Leadership Academy - Drexel University), Leon Kowlesar (High School of Science and Engineering - Drexel University), and Trung Nguyen (Fels HS - Community College of Philadelphia). Through the generosity of Vivian and Oskar Lasko, each Temple-bound student will receive $2,500 . Drexel representatives Lynn Yeakel and Melissa Englund presented the $2,500 awards and Community College of Philadelphia president Stephen Curtis along with CCP’s Marsha Ray presented a $1,000 award. Read the Philadelphia Inquirer Article that covered the Chess Scholarship Ceremony.
	Spring into Scrabble 2011! More than 150 students from 15 ASAP Scrabble clubs convened at the Franklin Institute for Spring into Scrabble, the culminating school year event in ASAP's “Philly Plays Scrabble" program. Scrabble play promotes improved vocabulary, spelling and dictionary usage as well as math skills. The afternoon consisted of a friendly competition, awards for the top scoring teams of the day, and a free tour of the museum! A special thank you to program sponsors, Comcast and Verizon, and to the Franklin Institute for hosting the event.
	Chess Clubs Set Sail at Museum Some 200 chess-playing students from 19 Chess Challenge clubs gathered at the Independence Seaport Museum in June for an afternoon of chess and maritime history. Matched by skill level, students played informal games under the museum’s second floor outdoor pavilion while a cool breeze came in off the Delaware River. After they tested their mettle against new friends from other clubs, the groups toured the museum and its historic ships!
	Philly Dance 2011 Showcase! More than 100 students, ranging in age from elementary to high school, came from schools all over the city to participate in ASAP’s Philly Dance year-end performance on May 25th. With help from dance instructors providing free lessons to the crowd, no one in the audience could resist getting up to join in the fun and cheered as the students got up to demonstrate their skills and love of dancing. Students from North, South and West Philly wowed the crowd with incredible hip hop routines, several classes of elementary students competed for most impressive ballroom number, and three young girls from Ferguson Elementary stole the show when they improvised with unrehearsed music after their prepared music didn’t show up. Thanks to Tower Investments for hosting this event.
	8th Annual Eagles Chess Tournament, 2011 More than 213 students from 3rd-12th grades, representing elite players from the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge, competed at Lincoln Financial Field on May 18th for the 2011 Eagles Chess Tournament sponsored by the Eagles Youth Partnership. Only the best performers in ASAP’s Saturday Chess Tournament series and city-wide Scholastic Chess League earn a place in what is the most prestigious tournament of the school year. Fifth-grade teacher Felicia Whitney from J.B. Kelly School is delighted with the effect chess has had on her students. “The game of chess has helped them focus, work together as a team, and take pride in representing John B. Kelly Elementary School,” she said. “Watching them compete is an awesome experience!” The day-long tournament included a chess simul with professional chess player Chris Miller, a visit from Eagles mascot Swoop, and ended with a special awards ceremony in the Eagles Locker Room.This year’s tournament got the attention of the United States Chess Federation, the organizing-body for chess in the country. Read the USCF online magazine article about the thrilling day and view a special video of the tournement produced by the Eagles Youth Partnership.
	Voices of Philadelphia Debate Tournament Penn For Youth Debate (PFYD), a student group at Univeristy of Pennsylvania that partners with ASAP, held its annual Voices of Philadelphia debate tournament with students from ASAP debate teams taking part. City League champs Andre Serrano and Chris Cassise from Science Leadership Academy were finalists in the tournament, but Sam Shanazarov and Raisa Masud of George Washington High School were the tournament's champions!
	Philly Plays Scrabble Nearly 150 elementary and middle school students from 14 ASAP Scrabble clubs gathered at the School District of Philadelphia’s atrium to take part in “Philly Plays Scrabble”—a fun day of competition that tested students’ Scrabble prowess. Participants showed off the skills they’ve been developing throughout the school year and prizes were awarded for best overall score, highest scoring play, and best school-themed word! “It’s fun and educational,” said Sagina Toussaint, a third grader at Prince Hall School.
	Queens and Cadavers More than 65 young female chess players competed in ASAP’s annual Philly Girls Play Chess tournament at the Drexel University College of Medicine. Sponsored by Drexel’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership, this all-day, all-girls event is unique to the region, attracting more than eighteen chess clubs from ASAP’s Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge and including six rounds of formal scholastic chess play. Current Drexel undergrad and chess scholarship recipient Samantha Ruffin shared how chess took her from Engineering and Science High School to Drexel. Amanda Robinson of Franklin Learning Center won the 2011 Female Player of the Year award. After a presentation from a current medical student, several high school participants from the all-girls tournament – appropriately held in the former Women’s Medical College – accepted an invitation to tour the morgue. No special awards were given for this brave feat!
	ASAP Staff are Afterschool Champs! ASAP was recognized by the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) as an Afterschool Champion for outstanding work in implementing meaningful high-quality out-of-school time programs to benefit children across Pennsylvania. The award ceremony took place in Harrisburg. In nominating ASAP, Stacy MacMurray Leonard, Program Manager of Lutheran Children and Family Services, stated that “ASAP has done a remarkable job of bringing a wide variety of programming into our afterschool programs and has allowed our children to be exposed to many new academic, cultural and recreational opportunities.”
	Phillies Host 2011 Chess League Finals! After a 10-week season of regional chess matches sponsored involving 69 public school teams, the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League Finals took place in the Diamond Club at Citizens Bank Ballpark to determine the most skilled youth players in the city. The Chess League is the competitive arm of ASAP’s Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge, in which 4,000 students play weekly in more than 295 clubs in schools, community and recreation centers, and libraries citywide. Click the image to the left for league results or to view more photos click here.
	Philly Girls Chess Player Invited To Prestigious Polgar Tournament Vanita Young began her ascension in the chess world at Shaw Middle School, where she competed in the Chess League and in ASAP's Saturday Chess Challenge Tournaments, and participated in ongoing Philly Girls Play Chess 9Queens Academy trainings and MasterMinds Tournaments. Now a junior at Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learners Academy, she returned from this year's 2011 PA State Scholastic Chess Championship with a medal in the extremely competitive K-12 Open section, which garnered her an invitation to the prestigious 8th Annual Susan Polgar Girl's Invitational at Texas Tech University, July 24-29. Only one female chess player per state is selected! The Invitational includes intense chess workshops with the first female Grandmaster Susan Polgar and a competitive 6 rounds tournament with college scholarship funds on the line. Vanita is a living example of ASAP's motto: "What happens after graduation starts with what happens after school!"
	2011 State Scholastic Chess Tournament! 65 Awards and Counting! Every year, ASAP sponsors the best and most competitive chess players in the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge to attend the PA State Scholastic Chess Championships held in Carlisle, PA. Last year’s group of nearly 50 sponsored students returned with 40 trophies and medals, twice the haul of the previous year! This year’s group of 57 students representing 18 Philadelphia public and charter schools brought home nearly 70 trophies and honors! Included among them: High School and Elementary State Chess Champions Masterman School, Under 1300 State High School Chess Champions High School of Engineering and Science, and 3rd Place Middle School Champions Blankenburg School.
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	Top Debaters Shadow Assistant District Attorneys Top debaters from the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League recently spent time shadowing Assistant District Attorneys, visiting two courtrooms and witnessing several prima facie cases, at the personal invitation of District Attorney Seth Williams. Students from Science Leadership Academy (SLA), Central, Masterman, and George Washington high schools met with Mr. Williams in his office where they discussed the challenges of his typical work day. Students also visited Judge Roxanne Covington in her private chambers to discuss the court system and two Assistant DAs provided different perspectives on attending law school and their own educational and career paths. SLA student Chris Cassise was impressed, “It was really interesting to see the court cases live, and hear the lawyers in action.” Special thanks to Vernon Price, the DA’s Community and Public Relations Director for organizing the visit!
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	Chess Challenge Kids Checkmate Violence at 24-Hour Chess Marathon More than 200 students from the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge participated in the Fourth Annual PECO-ASAP Checkmate Violence 24-Hour Chess Marathon from Saturday, Feb. 5 to Sunday, Feb. 6, to bring awareness to the importance of chess as a positive, anti-violence activity. Mayor Michael Nutter stopped by Temple University’s Gittis Student Center to support the crowd of students, parents and chess coaches, and to encourage students to continue with chess as it assists with staying in school, graduating from high school and attending college. The Marathon included a simultaneous chess match by two-time US Women’s Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade, who played against 20 challengers, and a display of Sun Tzu, a team human chess martial arts competition, featuring players from Zhang Sah Martial Arts. ASAP is grateful for PECO’s continuing involvement in Checkmate Violence.
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Congressman Chaka Fattah is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	MLK Family Chess Day 2011 More than 280 student chess players from ASAP’s Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge along with their family members participated in the MLK Family Chess Day at the African American Museum on Saturday, January 15. For the fourth time in a row, Cong. Chaka Fattah played 6 students simultaneously. Fathers and mothers gathered with sons and daughters in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King to highlight the benefits of after school enrichment activities on MLK day weekend. Families were treated to an historical re-enactment by Dr. Daisy Century as Harriet Tubman. Thanks to the African American Museum for hosting the event for the fourth time and to the Lomax Family Foundation for sponsoring this important annual family event.
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Historical Re-enactor Dr. Daisy Century, who portrays Harriet Tubman, is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	District Attorney Seth Williams attends 2010 Debate League Finals! The 2010 PSDL season culminated in a final debate round held on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, during which students from the League’s 20 public schools debated whether “Cyber-bullying should be a criminal offense.” Science Leadership Academy’s Chris Cassise and Andre Serrano finished as this year’s first place team and went undefeated for the entire season! Science Leadership Academy, led by their coach Diana Laufenerg, was also recognized for having the most wins as an entire school. All student debaters attended an awards ceremony which included Keynote speaker DA Seth Williams, who offered the top debaters an opportunity to shadow an Assistant DA for a day! Congratulations to all student debaters who took part in this year’s league, and special thanks to all PSDL coaches, Penn for Youth Debate and the Save a Mind Foundation for sponsoring the event. For more pictures from the event, click the image or to view a full list of this year’s final results, click here.
	Saturday Chess Challenge Tournaments Begin! More than 150 students participated in ASAP’s first Saturday Chess Challenge Tournament of the school year on Oct. 30 in the Great Hall, Winnet Center at Community College of Philadelphia. Students from 2nd-12th grades came out to compete for medals and trophies, representing more than 40 chess clubs, 20 of which were from Philadelphia public schools. Students from Camden’s Promise Charter High School competed in their first chess tournament, and Chess Masters of Delaware club made their usual strong showing, making this Saturday tournament a tri-state event. Each Saturday tournament features US Chess Federation rated and non-rated sections and are overseen by official tournament directors. Chess Challenge Tournaments are great for beginner players attending their first tournament and for advanced players looking for a challenge.
	Philly Plays Scrabble 2010 Kick-Off! Philadelphia Flyers Alumnus, Bob "The Hound" Kelly and Free Library of Philadelphia President, Siobhan Reardon teamed up with ASAP on October 6th to kick-off another year of Philly Plays Scrabble progamming, in which ASAP coordinates over 80 youth Scrabble clubs led by volunteers in schools, libraries, recreation and community centers throughout Philadelphia. Students from Blankenburg, Waring, Lingelbach, and Mitchell schools also joined in the celebration at the Free Library.
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! Mayor Michael Nutter is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	Phillies Honor ASAP President The Philadelphia Phillies presented ASAP’s President Marciene Mattleman with the 2010 State Farm Good Neighbor Award for her commitment to education. Dr. Mattleman is shown here receiving the award on the field at an August 18 game from Phillies’ Senior Vice President Michael Stiles.
	Look Who’s Reading the After School Directory! School District Superintendent, Arlene Ackerman is reading the latest edition of ASAP’s Annual Directory of After School Enrichment Activities. Published as a supplement in the Philadelphia Daily News and sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Deloitte, the Directory is an important resource for parents, caregivers and youth workers in keeping city youth safe and stimulated in the dangerous after school hours. The Directory includes more than 1,000 site entries organized by zip code. To to access the online version, click here.
	Chess Challenge Kids Checkmate Violence in the Summer 2010 More than 50 Chess Challenge students and chaperones gathered in the Atrium of The Shops at Liberty Place on July 29 for some friendly competition between their peers and the Center City lunch time crowd. The students were eager to compete against the unsuspecting public, who often walked away from the board with a loss. Not before shaking hands and offering congratulations to their young opponents! Special thanks to Shops at Liberty Place and The Westin Hotel for making ASAP’s fourth annual Chess in the Summer a success!
	Lenfest Offers Generous Challenge Grant ASAP is pleased to announce a $250,000 challenge grant from The Lenfest Foundation. The Foundation will match dollar for dollar any contribution received until December 31, 2011, to be used to provide ongoing support for ASAP's after school enrichment programs. ASAP is grateful for the Lenfest Foundation's confidence in our work and commitment to Philadelphia's youth.
	Chess Players Receive Scholarship Awards! Five students from the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge received the first Chess Scholarship Awards for their prowess and participation in chess during high school. Mayor Michael Nutter announced the inaugural scholarship awards at a City Hall press conference on June 7, praising the students as “mentors” for other School District youth. Joining in the congratulations were Dr. Arlene Ackerman, School District Superintendent, and Congressman Chaka Fattah. The awards were made possible by Community College and Drexel Universities, and through the generosity of Vivian and Oscar Lasko at Temple University. These colleges are joining 20 other institutions of higher learning nationally recognizing the link between the strategic thinking skills that chess teaches and the importance of higher education. Click here to view the recipients of the awards as well as the ceremony's honored guests. Click the image to the left for coverage of the event from the Philadelphis Inquirer.
	"Spring into Scrabble" at the Franklin Institute Two-hundred students from ASAP's Philly Plays Scrabble program participated in this 2010 year-end event at the Franklin Institute, sponsored by Citizens Bank. Participants ranged from 2nd to 12th grade and represented twenty ASAP school Scrabble clubs! Prizes were awarded in each division for the highest scoring game, highest scoring play, and in honor of the Franklin Institute: the best science-related words! Students and coaches alike celebrated their improved skills as a result of this year's program and also had the opportunity to tour the museum! Special thanks to our year long Philly Plays Scrabble supporters: Comcast, Verizon, PNC Bank, Hasbro and the National Scrabble Association.
	ASAP's Philly Dance 2010 at the Piazza! More than 100 students from ASAP’s Philly Dance program came from every region in the city to the Piazza at Schmidt’s June 3rd to perform for friends and family, and to celebrate what they had learned throughout the year. The evening included performances by students ranging across all grade levels and in several styles of dance, and the audience got on their feet and joined in the fun with lessons from some of ASAP’s hip hop and ballroom instructors. Highlights included a tap dance routine by K and 1st graders, elementary school students performing intricate ballroom numbers, and middle and high-schoolers wowing the crowd with several hip hop performances. Thanks to The Annenberg Foundation and Tower Investments for supporting this event.
	Philly Girls Play Chess 2010 Tournament More than 100 girls from ASAP’s Chess Challenge clubs competed in the Third Annual Philly Girls Play Chess Tournament at Drexel University. The tournament featured three formal rounds with students competing for trophies and medals, and IPods donated by PECO. Lynn Yeakel, Exec. Dir. of Drexel’s Institute for Women’s Leadership and Health addressed the girls in attendance as well as Women’s International Chess Master and Drexel student Alisa Melekhina. The Philly Girls Play Chess Tournament – sponsored by the Institute – is the culminating event of the year in ASAP’s on going effort to support and encourage young female chess players to continue playing.
	2010 Annual Chess Day at New Venue: Please Touch Museum ASAP’s Chess Challenge students got to show off their new chess skills at ASAP’s annual Chess Day held on May 19th at the Please Touch Museum, sponsored by Wachovia. About 190 students from 18 Chess Challenge clubs attended the event, where they were organized by skill level and given one directive: “play as many games against students from other schools as you can!” The students dove in with gusto, making new friends, and sharing new chess strategies and tricks. For many students, the Chess Day was their first opportunity to play against youth from other clubs and experience an informal tournament setting. Sheppard School Chess Coach Jamie Roberts was grateful for the unique opportunity afforded her students: “Many of my students come from high poverty backgrounds and don’t have a chance to attend events,” she said. “Chess has taught them critical thinking skills and consequences, which are so important in their lives.” The students also had a chance to tour the Please Touch Museum.
	ASAP's 2010 Community Yoga Night: An Antidote to Violence ASAP introduced more than 30 students and adults at the Honichman Learning Center in North Philadelphia to the benefits of yoga on Wed., May 12. In the teen class, a group from Dobbins High School paused from their busy day to learn about different poses. “I like yoga because it’s relaxing and everything goes my way,” said Melissa Jeter, a freshman. When asked to sit quietly and visualize a peaceful place, another freshman, Tyreek Elam, said he was in a garden with a waterfall. “I want to go back to my garden,” he said, and added that through yoga he has learned that he can listen to his body. Elementary and middle school students also participated, and some students brought their parents. Raffle prizes, including yoga mats and gift certificates for yoga classes, were made available through contributions from Delaware Investments, Lululemon Athletica, Yoga Child and Dhyana Yoga Studios.
	7th Annual Eagles Chess Tournament, 2010 More than 215 students from 3rd-12th grades, representing elite players from the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge, competed at Lincoln Financial Field in the 2010 Eagles Chess Tournament sponsored by the Eagles Youth Partnership on May 5. Between rounds students faced off against Eagles players Safety Quintin Mikell, Offensive Lineman Winston Justice, and Safety Quintin Demps. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only play at the Linc but compete against actual Eagles players, not on the field but over a chess board. Clymer School sixth-grader Isaiah Harris reported after beating Winston Justice, “I feel happy playing chess because it’s like a whole other world. It helps me do better in school…it’s the smartest game in the world.” The day-long tournament included a chess simul with two-time Women’s Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade and ended with a special awards ceremony in the Eagles Locker Room.
	Third Annual PECO-ASAP Checkmate Violence Chess Marathon, 2010 Mayor Michael Nutter kicked off the 2010 Checkmate Violence Chess Marathon with a 45 minute game against Janiya Ashlock, a fourth-grader at Bache Martin School. More than 200 students participated over the 24-hour period with 50 students and chaperones staying overnight at Temple University's Gittis Student Center. "It's hard trying to keep your eyes open," said Eighth-Grader Zachary Santiago of the marathon. "But I didn't lose my concentration. I'm really surprised I made it through the whole night!" Zachary took home a First-Place trophy! Two-time Women's Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade played 20 high school students simultaneously, and students also participated in Speed Chess, Bug House and other chess games throughout the night. Special thanks to PECO Energy for their ongoing support and commitment to Philly's youth!
	PSDL Student Qualifies for 2010 State Debate Championships! Last week Jalon Alexander, an 11th grader from Bodine High School, competed in the State Championships for the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL), advancing to the quarter finals! Jalon, who excels in Lincoln Douglas Debate and competes regularly in the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League, qualified for the State Championships after placing second in his division at the regional district tournament. This year ASAP sponsored 9 Philadelphia high schools to join PHSSL, including Bodine, allowing Jalon and others like him the opportunity to compete with seasoned debaters from schools that have strong legacies within the debate community. Jalon's victory at districts, which advanced him to States, was a victory for Philadelphia's debate program.
	Chess Challenge Brings Home Trophies from 2010 State Championship! The Chess Challenge offers an excellent example of the power of teamwork: each year for the past three years, ASAP has sponsored a group of Chess Challenge students from different clubs to compete at the PA State Scholastic Chess Championships in Carlisle, PA. The first year, the Philadelphia teams took home 16 trophies; this year the number more than doubled to 40! For many of these youth, it was their first time outside of Philadelphia or staying in a hotel, and their competition consisted mainly of students from private and suburban schools. Through a generous contribution from local chess enthusiast Phil Lindy, 50 of the best chess players in the Chess Challenge competed. Click here for the results; click the image for more photos.
	2010 Chess League Finals Determine City Champs Congratulations to all the teams who competed in the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League Finals amongst the pharaohs at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology! 69 teams began the season with their eye on the city Championship, but in the end only three teams could emerge victorious! A special thank you to ASAP's guest Andrea Malone of Volpe and Koenig whose support has made the Chess League possible, and to local philanthropist, Phil Lindy, whose support will send 50 Chess Challenge students to this year’s PA State Chess Championships in Carlisle, PA.
	2010 Scholastic Chess League Semi-Finals are held at Citizen's Bank Park! After a 12-week season of regional chess matches sponsored by ASAP and involving 69 public school teams, the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League held its semi-finals at Citizens Bank Park. Special thanks to the Philadelphia Phillies and chess league sponsor Volpe & Koenig, P.C. Congratulations to the winning teams from the semi-finals, who will compete for the Championship at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology! Click here to view the match-ups for the Finals.
	Philly Plays Scrabble 2010 Mid-Winter Tournament The School District Atrium was filled with the sound of thinking on February 4th, as 150 elementary and middle school students participated in Philly Plays Scrabble's Mid-Winter Tournament, sponsored by Comcast, PNC Bank, and Verizon. "Ponder! Ponder!" coached Cidney Alexander to her team of 6th grade students from Hackett School. "It's a thinking person's game. It's not a race." Ms. Alexander is a literacy teacher who uses Scrabble to help her students identify the prefix, suffix and root of words. She said the students delight in seeing their own growth each week as they improve in the game and in their reading skills.
	MLK Family Chess Day, 2010 More than 200 Philadelphia school students, their parents and chess coaches gathered to play chess in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the African American Museum of Philadelphia. Congressman Chaka Fattah played seven students simultaneously! Mr. Kenneth Salaame, Philadelphia Freedom Fighter, spoke about his experience working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Philadelphia and in the South. This is the third annual MLK Jr. Family Chess Day to honor the memory of Dr. King and his philosophy of non-violence.
	Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League 2010 Finals The Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League ended its 10-week season of Public Forum style debate with Central High School's Lucas Koerner and Sophia Mayne-Deluca taking first place. At the Debate Finals held in December, special guest speaker The Honorable Pamela P. Dembe, President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, encouraged students to stay in school and stay involved in debate. Special thanks to PSDL sponsor, the Save A Mind Foundation, and congratualtions to all of the PSDL student debaters on an exciting season!
	2009 Philly Plays Scrabble Kick-Off: Battle of the Commissioners! Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers faced off in a friendly competition against Deputy Police Commissioner Charlotte Council during the Philly Plays Scrabble Kick-off event at the Central Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on Oct. 1. Assisting the commissioners are Briana Douglas, a sophomore from Carver HS Scrabble Club, and Khaleef Burns, a sophomore from Carver HS Scrabble Club. Also in attendance were representatives from longtime Philly Plays Scrabble sponsors, Verizon, including Verizon President Gale Given and Director of Public Relations Jim Reed. ASAP also wants to thank additional sponsors Comcast Foundation and PNC Bank.
	2009 Spring into SCRABBLE! At the National Constitution Center One hundred and fifty youth (2nd-12th grades) from ASAP's 'Philly Plays SCRABBLE' program participated in the third annual "Spring into Scrabble" event, hosted this year, by the National Constitution Center. This year's event provided youth from ASAP Scrabble clubs with the opportunity to meet and challenge peers from across the city who share their love of Scrabble. Students were also paid a surprise visit by Mayor Michael Nutter who praised them for their involvement in the city-wide school Scrabble program. Philly Plays Scrabble is sponsored by Comcast, Hasbro, The National Scrabble Association, Parkway Corporation, PNC, and Verizon.
	2009 Eagles Chess Tournament More than 200 of Philadelphia’s top youth chess players competed where the Eagles usually battle on the gridiron during the Eagles Chess Tournament sponsored by the Eagles Youth Partnership on Thursday, April 23, with Samuel Fels High School taking top honors. Students from 40 Chess Challenge clubs participated in the formal tournament and played scrimmage games between rounds with several Philadelphia Eagles players, including Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles tight end; Akeem Jordan, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker; and Sav Rocca, Philadelphia Eagles punter. In addition, this year’s tournament featured a chess simul with local chess expert Chris Miller, who played 15 students at one time. The students finished the day with a special awards ceremony in the Eagles Locker Room, thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Eagles Youth Partnership!
	2009 Checkmate Violence Marathon Mayor Nutter helped kick-off the Second Annual PECO-ASAP Checkmate Violence 24-Hour Chess Marathon with a half-hour long chess match against Marqel Styles, Cleveland School. More than 250 Chess Challenge students and chaperones participated with 100 spending the night at Temple University’s Gittis Student Center playing a variety of chess games, including speed chess, bug house, a coaches tournament, and an exciting chess “simul” with 20 Chess Challenge kids competing at one time against two-time US Women’s Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade!
	Scholastic Chess League Finalists Celebrate with Don Tollefson & The Phillie Phanatic! The 2008-09 season of the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League culminated in a final championship tournament at Citizens' Bank Park, where both Don Tollefson and the Phillie Phanatic recognized individuals with outstanding performances during the regular season. Fels High School and Blankenburg Elementary were crowned first time champions, while Masterman Middle School retained its title from the previous year.
	Congressman Fattah attends the MLK Family Chess Day 2009 ASAP and the African American Museum of Philadelphia hosted the 2nd annual Family Chess Day. The event was the brainchild of Chess Challenge coach Mr. Gil Motley. In the spirit of Dr. King's philosophy of non-violence, ASAP's Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge kids honored his memory by showing that playing chess after school is a safe, enriching positive alternative to violence. Chess Challenge kids invited family, friends, guardians or caregivers to play chess for peace on MLK weekend. People new to the game had an opportunity to learn as well. Congressman Chaka Fattah competed against 6 Chess Challenge kids simultaneously.
	Mayor Nutter and Dr. Arlene Ackerman Help Celebrate Philly Plays SCRABBLE® Month! City Coucil recognized October 2008 as Philly Plays SCRABBLE® month, highlighting ASAP's partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia. Mayor Nutter and School District Superintendent Arlene Ackerman helped kick-off the month long literacy celebration, which features a city-wide tournament for wordsmiths of all ages.

	Chess Challenge Kids Checkmate Violence Mayor Michael Nutter congratulates Nyeem Alston, 5th grader at Cleveland Elementary School, after Alston beat the mayor in four moves at the 2008 PECO-ASAP Checkmate Violence 24-Hour Chess Marathon held at Temple University and sponsored by PECO.



	Marciene Mattleman ASAP's President & Founder ASAP's president, Marciene Mattleman, Ed.D., has been the founder and executive director of five non-profit initiatives, one of which - Philadelphia Futures - was honored at the White House by President Clinton. She is a board member of several non-profit organizations, and in May 2008, she received the Philadelphia Award, the city's highest civic honor, recognizing her lifelong tireless work to improve the quality of life and education for Philadelphia's youth.
A little time makes a big difference!