On January 16th we kicked off our second session of the Middle School Partnership Program (MSPP). It is our mission to create high-impact opportunities for our young people to grow as students, athletes and positive leaders. We are delighted with the level of participation at each school site, the energy in the school’s gymnasiums and classrooms, the engagement during the off-court, educational modules, and the excitement during gameplay on Saturdays. Seeing the relationships develop between students and their coaches/academic mentors, observing the pride of a young person when he or she is recognized as the “Student-Athlete of the Week,” and witnessing the sidelines filled with families and friends on Saturday game day is clear evidence that we are well on our way in making positive differences in the lives of our student-athletes.
After much anticipation from our Middle Schoolers, we have reloaded MSPP with a few new programming ideas and curriculum that we will look to employ throughout the 10 week period. Utilizing the power of the game of basketball as context, our students learn in an interactive and engaging environment that does not feel like school, but rather a relatable and open atmosphere. Our academic curriculum will continue to utilize the power of the game as context as we provide our students with sport in society articles and learning materials that are intellectually stimulating and liberating, as well as identifiable in their own lives to emphasize and enable them to find their own youth voices. The second semester module includes critical thinking skill building and debate!
We also incorporate a math component into our curriculum called NBA Math Hoops created by Learn Fresh Education Company. NBA Math Hoops is a fast-paced basketball board game that allows students to learn fundamental math skills through direct engagement with the real statistics of their favorite NBA and WNBA players. This immersion has been shown to improve students’ basic math skills and understanding of statistics, as well as their interpersonal skills, driving them to collaborate more effectively with their peers.
MSPP will still engage our Middle Schoolers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The second session is jam packed with leadership building, field trips to the Palestra, Archmere Academy, and many more! Please join us on Saturdays at Central High School to see how our young people are growing as students, athletes, and positive leaders!