America SCORES Names Holly O'Donnell New National Executive Director

NEW YORK, April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of America SCORES, a national youth development organization that integrates soccer, poetry and service-learning to empower urban youth, is pleased to announce the appointment of Holly O'Donnell as its National Executive Director effective immediately.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/NY88706)

From 2001-2006, O'Donnell held the position of Executive Director of DC SCORES, the organization's founding program, and most recently served as the first leader of the After School Department for Pittsburgh Public Schools, overseeing all after school and mentoring programs and partnerships. Prior to that she was Director of Career Learning at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA, and also served as the Department of Education's White House Appointee to the America Reads Challenge. She returns to America SCORES to lead the national organization, bringing a wealth of experience in nonprofit management, government and foundation relations, fundraising and afterschool programming.

America SCORES offers innovative afterschool programs that combine soccer, poetry, and service-learning to fight obesity, improve literacy and academic achievement and increase self-confidence. Engaging in 6 - 8 hours of vigorous physical exercise each week, 7 out of 10 student participants who were overweight or at risk for obesity achieved a healthy weight in just one year. America SCORES students consistently demonstrate improvement in creativity and expository writing, and parents and coaches overwhelmingly agree that they see students develop self-confidence, build leadership skills, become more independent and more involved in their communities through participation in America SCORES. Among its many supporters, America SCORES has long standing partnerships with adidas, Eurosport, Thomson Reuters and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

"I am very excited that Holly will be the national leader of America SCORES," said Benjamin Chrnelich, Chairman of the America SCORES National Board of Directors. "She is an accomplished professional with tremendous experience leading effective organizations. I am confident that she will continue to build America SCORES into a national model for after school programs."

"I am excited to re-join the America SCORES organization after seven years away," stated O'Donnell. "I have spent my entire career in the field of after school and youth development - on the national and local levels, in government, nonprofits and foundations - and I am certain that America SCORES is one of the best programs in the country. I look forward to leading America SCORES in its next phase of growth and development so that more children have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from this unique and high quality program." As she assumes her new national leadership role, O'Donnell's priorities are to strengthen the organization's national partnerships and visibility working closely with key agencies and stakeholders, lead strategic planning, as well as continue to improve its award-winning program and position the organization for further growth.

O'Donnell will be formally introduced at the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM!, the organization's annual live program showcase, featuring 27 of the nation's selected "poet-athletes," hosted at the New York Stock Exchange on April 8, 2013.

About America SCORES

A national nonprofit organization offering programming in 150 public schools in 14 cities around the country, America SCORES partners with public schools in low-income communities to provide a high quality, award-winning afterschool program to over 8,000 elementary and middle school youth. Integrating soccer, poetry and service-learning, America SCORES' innovative approach improves at-risk students' health, academic achievement and civic engagement by focusing on teamwork, creativity, literacy, school engagement and leadership. Since its founding in 1994, over 50,000 girls and boys have benefitted from this unique program. In 2010 America SCORES was cited in 'what works' in the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity's report to the President, and America SCORES students were invited to the White House in 2012 and 2013 as part of the First Lady's Let's Move initiative. Two recent Harvard Family Research Projects also cite America SCORES as a model for youth engagement. America SCORES currently offers programming in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington, DC.  The organization's mission is to inspire urban youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world. Learn more at www.americascores.org.

SOURCE America SCORES