RFK Campus: December 2020 Newsletter

Rediscovering Kingman and Heritage Islands

Kingman and Heritage Islands are two man-made islands located in Northeast and Southeast Washington, DC in the Anacostia River.

Kingman Island is bordered by the Anacostia River and Kingman Lake, whereas Heritage Island is surrounded by Heritage Lake. Before the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, few residents were aware of or had visited the islands, but that quickly changed when many began to seek safe outdoor activities.

The Kingman and Heritage Islands have helped ease the isolation many residents face with the daily Zoom meetings and virtual classes by providing a natural outlet to take scenic hikes, walks, and bike rides. To date, the islands have had over 100,000 visitors which surpassed last year’s numbers by over 30,000.

Kingman Island is composed of over forty acres and Heritage Island covers over seven acres providing the space to explore and view wildlife freely, without interruption.

Giving Tuesday Scores Big for DC SCORES

The DC SCORES mission is to create neighborhood teams through after-school programs focusing on poetry, soccer, and service-learning that gives kids in need the confidence and skills to succeed on the field, in the classroom and in life.

Despite not being able to physically gather since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the spring, DC SCORES developed SCORES at Home, an online bilingual (English and Spanish) portal filled with soccer and writing activities for kids to do at home. This successful program continued in the summer with free virtual summer camps complete with equipment kits shipped to every camper including all they needed to participate (soccer ball, pump, t-shirt, hand sanitizer, journal, and writing supplies).

The fall season was also filled with player and coach at-home kits, celebrity guest speakers, and more incentives to ensure that their poet-athletes remain engaged during these challenging times.

On December 1, 2020, DC SCORES, in partnership with Events DC and DC2026, created a Giving Tuesday campaign to raise funds for the more than 2,700 poet-athletes. This year’s Giving Tuesday was a great success, exceeding all expectations by raising over $20,000 - matched by Amazon and raising the grand total close to $60,000.

This funding will support DC SCORES in continuing to develop incentives that keep kids motivated to play and write.

Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. 

As a result of precautions related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Anacostia Community Museum has quickly and creatively reimagined their upcoming exhibition, Men of Change. Formerly slated for display inside the museum, the exhibition has been redesigned for an outdoor installation in Ward 7's Deanwood neighborhood.

The Men of Change exhibition will be on display from February 1 to May 31, 2021, featuring the vibrant stories of more than two dozen African American male leaders creating a stunning visual presence of Black male positivity at a time when optimism and inspiration are in short supply.

In addition to the Deanwood installation, photographs and quotes from Men of Change will live on the windows of several retail storefronts in Ward 8. The final element of this exhibition's redesign is a series of larger-than-life projections that will illuminate local building façades after dark.

Thanksgiving Giveaway at RFK Stadium

On Saturday, November 21, 2020, Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray hosted his 2020 Thanksgiving giveaway in RFK Stadium Lots 1, 2, and 3. This year’s giveaway had a different look and feel as COVID-19 restrictions forced residents to remain in their vehicles while waiting to obtain their gift cards.

Many residents were observed greeting fellow residents with a beep of the horn, wave and smile while waiting to receive their gift. In all Councilmember Gray, provided five hundred gift cards to Ward 7 residents in need at this year’s event.

Even though this wasn’t your traditional Thanksgiving giveaway, Councilmember Gray and his team delivered the perfect holiday treat. Thank you!

Capital Long Drive Classic 

See the National Mall like never before! We are excited to announce the dates for the inaugural Capital Long Drive Classic airing nationally on Golf Channel.

Broadcast Date: Thursday, December 17 at 11 AM EST

Rebroadcast Date: Sunday, December 20 at 5 PM EST

Community Grant Program

The Events DC Community Grant Program provides financial support to qualifying non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting youth sports, cultural or performing arts in the District of Columbia.