A PLUS STUDENT First | Athlete Second

WHAT’S NEW AT A PLUS? !SPORTS PROGRAM !HIGHLIGHTS!Page 6!!STUDENT-ATHLETES !OF THE MONTH!Page 11!!LETTER FROM !THE FOUNDER !Page 3

2014 SPRING ISSUE

2014 Changing the Game Breakfast Page 12 !Community Testimonials Page 15

#DreamsMadeBIGGER

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER

!Dear Friends, Five years ago the A PLUS Youth Program was founded by the notion that sports can be the tool to motivate student-athletes towards academic success and preparation for life. Since then, we’ve seen the power of sports in youth’s lives. Our student-athletes are making reading cool, cultivating other talents, growing their confidence and

contacting each other to ensure their teammates complete assigned homework. Today, our community recognizes A PLUS as an inspiring program model combining passions of Sports, Education, and Youth Development. !I am inspired by our members daily and reaching our fifth year anniversary is a milestone that further affirms the need for A PLUS in our community. We understand that in order to be the best sports-based youth development organization, we need four things: Great Sports, Great Mentors, High Standards and Visible Results. !We offer the finest fully integrated youth development program in the Pacific Northwest. Last year our teams achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. We also received remarkable athletic success with one of our teams rising to the rank of the #1 team in the northwest. We continue to improve and fine-tune our programming to maximize the time we have with our members and break down barriers. Due to the success we have seen amongst our student-athletes, I am pleased to announce that we have now expanded the A PLUS model to include Cross-Country and Track & Field in this 2013-14 program year! !With the support of many community members and partnerships with Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club, Zion Preparatory Academy, and Asian Resource Center A PLUS is changing the game! !We hope you will join the family! !Sincerely, !Tavio Hobson Founder & Executive DirectorA PLUS Youth Program

MEET THE STAFFAaron White - Transportation Director

Asha Dean - Athletic Director/Director of Running

Catherine Wehage - Deputy Director

Chris Endsley - Education Director

Gregg Kalina - Coaching Mentor

Jennifer Rance - Sports As a Vehicle Coalition Director

Jonah McCauley - Assistant Education Director

Joy Hollingsworth - General Manager

Kelan Smith - Finance Director

Lee Adams - Program Director

Melany Willis - Community Outreach Coordinator

Nick Abraham - Mentor Director

Wendy Ogunsemore - Marketing & PR Director

Head Coaches: !Jamaal Williams Kian Flynn (Running) Lou Hobson Marley Spooner (Running) Terrell Baisy !Life Coaches: !Amy Donovan Andrew Greenblatt Gerald Brown Josh Martinez Zac Townsend !Assistant Coaches: !Ashley Knight (Running) Reggie Witherspoon (Running]

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WHAT’S NEW AT A PLUS?

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1. Gerald Damus, A PLUS 7th grader, was announced as the first 2014 Student-Athlete of the Month. (Page 11) 2. Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks Cornerback & Stanford Alum, is the 2014 Changing the Game Keynote Speaker at the largest A PLUS event to date! (Page 12) 3. A PLUS Launches the Running Program! (Page 8) 4. Testimonials from community supporters including an interview with a counselor from St. Joe’s Middle School about standout 8th grader, PJ Fuller. (Page 16)

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#JoinTheFamily !Follow us on Social Media to see what our organization and students are

up to weekly!

/APLUSYOUTHPROGRAM

@APLUSYOUTHPROGRAM

@APLUSSEATTLE

How can you get involved to support A PLUS? We welcome anyone interested in volunteering their time to work with our students, help with our event preparation and/or anyone that would like to be a community ambassador for A PLUS. To get involved email info@aplusyouthprogram.org for more information.

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Academic Development Academic Tutoring & Case Management

for all Student Athletes

Total Participants! 180

Members of Color 88%

Public School Students 70%

Average GPA 3.14

A PLUS is a multilayered support model !The program provides educational resources and character development to student-athletes

through our three pillars of education, mentoring and sports.

We serve students from !50 schools from !

14 school districts !in Seattle and !

surrounding areas.

13 Academic Coaches l ead tutoring sessions twice a week for 1.5 hours per day (Mon. - Fri.) with our 4th - 8th grade student-athletes.

minimum required GPA of a 2.5 in order to play in games or participate in running meets. !The TAC’s at A PLUS are selected to complement the holistic development of the members enrolled in A PLUS. They are far more valuable than the homework support they offer and could be more appropriately labeled as “Dream Facilitators”.

A PLUS By The Numbers:

*Average GPA is from the 2012-2013 academic year. 2013-2014 GPA will be released this summer.

Upon entering the program, each member is assigned an Academic Case Manager (ACM). The ACM conducts bi-weekly school visits and check-ins with their students‘ teachers and counselors. Based on the information collected from the schools, a plan is set in place to assist each member with their academic needs. ACM’s ensure high expectations and standards from our A PLUS students. Their support positively impacts students’ attendance, behavior, grades and test scores. !After members are connected with an AMC they are then paired with Team Academic Coaches (TAC’s) to meet their academic goals and ensure students stay above the

!The basketball program is an 11-month youth development program that started as a pilot program in 2009 for boys in the 5th and 6th grades. Presently we have grown to 72 student-athletes participating in our boys

!basketball program. Our program consists of a variation of eight teams from 5th to 11th grade. The focus of the basketball program is to develop members’ understanding of the game at a higher level, while also developing their techniques, speed and agility. Practice sessions are designed to operate three days a week with each session lasting approx. 90 minutes. !Members participate in year-round basketball leagues, as well as multiple tournaments throughout Washington and the region. In addition to promoting basketball skills, the program is used to teach transferable skills. The boys basketball program emphasizes teamwork, mentorship and good citizenship.

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On The Road !Our basketball teams often travel for weekend tournaments to play

against some of the toughest competition in the region. While on the road A PLUS emphasizes our

“Student First“ motto by taking students on college visits and

excursions. Featured to the right and left are our 6th and 7th grade

boys teams at Gonzaga University.

!Coach Josh Martinez, running plays with the 8th grade boys basketball team.

BOYS BASKETBALL PROGRAM !BOYS TEAMS 5TH -11TH GRADE

Prime-Time Opportunities !

A few of our basketball girls got the opportunity to go interview WNBA Storm Players for Media Day

(left). During the winter we took the girls to a Husky basketball game. They had a blast hanging with Harry the Husky (right)!

#NUBEGREEN !New sustainable jerseys were sponsored by Nube 9 for all

A PLUS Girls Basketball Teams. Made from plastic bottles.

GIRLS BASKETBALL PROGRAM GIRLS TEAMS 6TH -10TH GRADE

In 2011, A PLUS began it’s first year of girls basketball programming with one team. Today we are proud to say that we have four teams consisting of 38 girls grades 6th - 10th participating in our youth development program. !Through our girls basketball program we hope to not only develop our young ladies on the court, but to also prepare them for life to become successful women leaders in our community. Through our Four Points of Change we aim to empower our young ladies to be their best selves and go after their dreams. We emphasize the importance of enhancing self-esteem, discovering identity, nurturing positive friendships and promoting health & fitness. We empower the A PLUS girls by exposing them to an array of positive women role-models/leaders in the community as well as various experiential learning opportunities and excursions.

A PLUS RUNNING

Introducing a New Sport Program for the 2014 academic year! !

#RUNWITHUS

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RUNNING PROGRAM !CROSS COUNTRY & TRACK PROGRAM FOR YOUTH 4TH - 9TH GRADE

A PLUS Running officially launched as of Fall 2013. The program is comprised of a fall cross country program (20 student-athletes), winter conditioning workouts and spring/summer track program (50 student-athletes). Our student athletes compete in the Pacific Northwest USA Track & Field Association with the opportunity for local, regional and national exposure. !Our goal is to take our athletes to next level with the skills and strength to compete at the highest rank. We take an innovative approach to running by working with the whole athlete physically and mentally. Our students gain a sense of passion for running and a love of the sport and life-long physical fitness.

Running Events & Family Fun! !A PLUS hosted the 1st annual Jog-a-thon this past April with 15 teams in participation. The picture above showcases the competitive nature of the event with our A PLUS student-athletes and community supporters. Then at the end of the race all participants, including the young man to the left, celebrated with Mighty-O Doughnuts! !We also hosted our first Track Tailgate in May. Staff, family and friends came out to support the track athletes. Our very own A PLUS Program Director, Lee Adams, grilled all the delicious food for our supporters and the kids that day!

Life Long Love of Fitness! !Running Director, Asha Dean, always emphasizes healthy lifestyles. In February, she brought in a few rock-stars to teach our A PLUS student-athletes about the importance of a balanced diet and fitness

tips. Guest speakers included: Anna Cummins (Rowing Olympic Gold Medalist), Marta DeWulf (Nutrionist) and Duni Disston (Jasyoga Head Coach).

Words of Wisdom from our Mentor Director: !

“Always do what you say,

like you said, the way you said,

because you said.” !Coach Nick has been mentoring for 37 years. He mentors daily our student-athletes at the end of every tutoring session by sharing his words of wisdom focused on Good Nutrition, Good Character & Discipline.

Special Thank You to all the Winter & Spring Guest Mentors: !Bull Steward Columbia City Fitness Owner (World Champion Powerlifter) David Milloy CBRE Managing Director Genesha Lee Nordstrom Spa Massage Therapist Greg Alex Matt Talbot Center Executive Director (UW Football Chaplin) Ilse Craft Kaplan International Teacher/Make-up Artist Ken Bouyer EY Americas Director of Inclusiveness & Recruiting (Basketball Alum) Marcus Rance LinkedIn Campaign Manager/Data Analyst (Stanford Football Alum) Michael Knight International Basketball Player

2013-2014 Quarterly Sessions for 7th/8th Grade Student Athletes ! MONTH - TOPIC ACTIVITIES Nov. - Cultural Competency Cultural Understanding, Breaking Down Biases, Defying Odds & Perceptions of Self and Others ! Jan. - The Business of You Personal Brand, Social Image, Almighty Tie, Professional Dress Codes & Networking 101 ! Mar. - Tech Track Developing an A PLUS App & the Power of Ideas ! May - Civic Engagement Mock Presidential Elections & the Importance of Voting * Students participate in 139 hours of life skills and character development training throughout the year.

! ! MARTELL WEBSTER MENTOR SERIES QUARTERLY SESSIONS DESIGNED TO TEACH STUDENTS

REAL LIFE SKILLS ON AND OFF THE COURT/FIELD

MEET OUR STANDOUT STUDENT-ATHLETES!!JAN. - MAR. STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE MONTH!

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CONNER DASSA-HOLLAND 7th Grader at ORCA Middle School March Student-Athlete of the Month !Conner was able to raise his grade from a 2.73 to a 3.39 as a member of A PLUS this year. On the court, Conner made palpable strides in his rebounding & ball control abilities, working his way into the rotation with competitiveness & focus in practice combined with a malleable approach rarely seen in boys of his age. !"With his willingness to put in the effort and accept guidance along the way, we look forward to seeing the great things he is sure to accomplish.”

LEWIS WELSH 6th Grader at Hamlon Robinson Middle School February Student-Athlete of the Month !Lewis continues to excel in the classroom & on the court. On the court, he did a wonderful job exemplifying our A PLUS word of the month which was “poise". Lewis' poise was on display during our trip to Portland for our President's Day tournament where he was a solid contributor and also knocked down clutch free throws to win a very close game vs. TC Fastbreak (Yakima, WA)! !"In addition to being a consistent contributor to our teams success, Lewis has also shown a genuine care for his teammates. Before our trip to Portland, he purchased a brand new pair of shoes for one of his teammates to ensure that his teammate looked good and didn't feel left out. Way to represent Lewis and congrats on your award!” - Coach Zac

GERALD DAMUS, Jr. 7th Grader at McKnight Middle School January Student-Athlete of the Month !Gerald’s teacher shared the following with us…“What a change!! His first unit assessment this quarter was a 26 and he would not come in for help or a retake, but his last test was a 79/C+ with quizzes in the A range!! He is too cool to smile at my encouragement on his success but I have seen just a slight expression of pride when he sees his scores and that says a lot.” !“There is perhaps no stronger steel than well-founded self-belief: the knowledge that your preparation is complete, that you have done all things possible to ready yourself for the competition, whatever form it comes in.” - John Wooden !It is with this notion that we recognize Gerald Damus, Jr. as the January A PLUS Student-Athlete of the Month.

2014 CHANGING THE GAME BREAKFAST

“In a city like Compton and the

CD (Central District) and a lot of these

inner-city kids, they feel like they’re in a

cement and steel box that you can’t get out

of,” Sherman said. “Of drugs, crime,

violence and despair. In order to get out of the box, you have to find hope. And the A PLUS program

brings hope.”

PAGE 12 The event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle.

Brigetta Barrett !2012 USA Olympic high-jump silver medalist walked up to the podium and expressed a heartfelt spoken word piece called “Home”. Brigetta opened up to the audience and stated, “I felt doomed to repeat the cycle of poverty, fatherlessness and underachievement and I urned for this sense of home. …Track ultimately became my home. It became a place where I felt safe and it gave me all the things I couldn’t find in my home. It gave me support from my track teammates and coaches from the community. …It gave me stability. It gave me inspirations. It gave me a reason to dream.” !She then proclaimed that looking back, “A PLUS provides a sense of home to kids that may not have one. …through A PLUS we can eliminate the cycle of underachievement within kids.” Brigetta touched the hearts of of our guests receiving a standing ovation at the end of her speech.

Chris Hansen !Hansen is the man promising to bring basketball back to Seattle! The hedge fund manager who attempted to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle donated the use of a Sodo warehouse to the A PLUS Youth Program. “We don’t have an NBA team that will play here next season, so we have a little extra space down in Sodo,” Hansen said. “We couldn’t think of a better way to put it to use than to welcome…A PLUS to it’s new location at Occidental and Massachusetts.” !“Being able to be in the space will give us some runway while we come up with a permanent solution,” Tavio Hobson said. “It’s one of the most creative donations we’ve ever received.” A PLUS plans to move into their new home in early July.

2014 Changing the Game Breakfast !

Biggest A PLUS event to date! Over 450 guests in attendance and raised over $617,000!

Richard Sherman !The man that made the game clinching tipped pass to send the Seahawks to Super Bowl XLVIII was in the building! !Joyce Taylor, King 5 News Anchor, said, “He is now a household name nationally and beyond.” She then introduced the “In Compton” coverage her colleague, Jesse Jones, did to tell the story of “the man”, Richard Sherman. !In Jesse’s interview we got a glimpse of Richard’s upbringing and the importance his parents played in his life. Near the stairwell in his parent’s house hung Richard’s greatest achievement, a picture of Richard at his Stanford University Graduation. !Richard spoke to our guests shedding light on how his story correlates with many of the kids A PLUS serves. He then stated, “A PLUS gives them a chance to go out there to get a meal, go out there and play a sport…these kids have good hearts, they are good kids, but a lot of people give up on them and I appreciate the A PLUS program for not giving up on them. Giving them a chance. …So, I implore everybody to do what they can, do that little bit of extra and not give up on a kid. …To not give up on any kid regardless of where they come from.” Richard defined the essence of the A PLUS mission.

• Grant Adolphson, Board Chair Executive Committee • Joe Woods, VP Executive Committee • Tim Jones • Brian McAndrews • Mimi Hunter, Secretary Executive Committee • Laura Clough • Rich Moore

Advisory Council• Rich Padden • Brandon Roy • Brian McManus • Steve Ballmer • Shelly Ballmer • Trish Dziko • Paul Pigott • Eddie Poplawski • Dana Frank

A PLUS Board Members:

HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD & ADVISORY COUNCIL!

2014 CHANGING THE GAME BREAKFAST !THANKS TO ALL OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS & STAFF

MC, Joyce Taylor, King 5 News

Tavio Hobson, A PLUS Executive Director

Joy Hollingsworth, A PLUS General Manager

Chris Endsley A PLUS Education Director

A PLUS 8th grader, Isaiah Jeannott

A PLUS Dream Team aka “Staff”

Healing Lodge Director, Martina Welshula & Guests

Coach Andrew playing a game of hoops with guests

Chris Hansen Sharing Good News!

A PLUS Guest Speakers

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COMMUNITY TESTIMONIALS !WORDS FROM A PLUS COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS, TEACHERS & PARENTS

PHILIP (PJ) FULLER 8th Grader St. Joseph Middle School !Phillip (PJ) Fuller is one of the top 8th grade basketball players in the nation! Although he was one of the youngest athletes invited, PJ was recognized as one of the top 5 athletes at the Pangos Junior All-American Camp .He was also selected to attend Duke’s Basketball Camp this summer. !PJ is a rising All-Star on the court, but he is also excelling academically in the classroom. We caught up with the Learning Resource Specialist at St. Joseph’s Middle School, Meg Wolfe, to learn a bit more about this accomplished young man. !

PJ was new to St. Joseph Middle School this fall, and Meg worked with him twice a week during the school day and after school in study hall to provide PJ with the additional support necessary to succeed. Meg said, “He went from failing 3 classes and barely passing his others to finishing the trimester with all C’s and C+’s. PJ has been very determined with his school work and has yet to be discouraged by the fact that the improvement is slow coming. It’s been a curve to build up PJ’s skills in areas he struggles with.” She then stated that, “These are life skills…developing him for the real world.” !PJ continues to take care of business in the classroom to prepare himself for life beyond the basketball court. PJ’s hard work has resulted in improved grades and has placed him as a standout student amongst the staff and students at St. Joseph’s Middle School. !Meg described PJ as a, “Kind, gregarious (winning smile), fun personality and lots of leadership potential. He is a very respectful student. Polite and well-mannered to me and other teachers.” !PJ is a rising All-Star in the classroom, and the A PLUS family is proud of his progress!

“They are making a major change in this young man’s life. Your program is making a difference.” - McKnight Middle School Teacher !!“Wow! Our daughter really enjoyed Friday night. Thank you for making this program even better than I imagined. I love that she gets in the car and has so much to say which is very rare these days since she has turned 12. I know you are making a great impression on her life.” - A PLUS Parent !!“It is rare that I come across young leaders who know how to "change clothes" and do an amazing job in different environments. What you are doing and how you are doing it has inspired me to advocate for you and A PLUS.” - A PLUS Community Supporter

A PLUS FUTURE EVENTS COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS, PROGRAM FUNDRAISERS & SUMMER CAMPS

GREG GILBERT/SEATTLE TIMES!2012 PRINCIPLES TO LIVE BY GALA

July Events: !1, 14 & 31 - Morgan Stanley Stock Trading Program (10th & 11th grade) 7 - 10 - We Explore Leadership Camp (7th & 8th grade) 14 & 15 - We Explore Leadership Camp (9th grade) 15 - Grand Opening @ New Sodo Location

2013 Gala Keynote Speaker,

NBA Player, Jason Collins

August/September Events: !Aug. 9th - Track & Field Celebration Aug. TBD - All Programming Celebration Early Sept. - Principle’s to Live By Gala *Gala invites will be sent out via email. Keep an eye out for the

Further details about up and coming events will be sent out closer to the date of the event. For more information about future events or volunteer opportunities, please reach out to Jennifer Rance at jennifer.rance@aplusyouthprogram.org.

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June Events: !1 - Showtime for Stars Football Camp 21 - Community Cookout @TBD 7 - Red Wing Awards Banquet @ SU 23 - 26 - We Explore Leadership Camp 10 - A PLUS Achievement Awards (4th - 6th grade) 11- Track Potluck @ Franklin after practice 29 - Running Celebration (K - 2nd grade)

We Explore Summer Leadership Camp !• Overview: Promotes good nutrition, helps members

develop general life and social skills and develops leaders.

• Elementary Camp (4th - 6th grade) includes: Jasyoga workouts, STEAM workshops, professional panels, community service project and a visit to the Pacific Science Center.

• Middle School (7th & 8th grade) includes: workouts with NS Performance, STEAM Workshops, Xbox guest speaker, collegiate-athlete panels, Frye Art Museum Exhibit, Seattle Bouldering Project and more.

• High School (9th grade) includes: Corfit Training workouts, STEAM workshops, Xbox guest speaker, fencing training and more.

Willie Austin Foundation Strength & Conditioning Program !

Moving into the summer A PLUS will carry on the Willie Austin mission through the Willie Austin Youth Initiative. We will continue to transform lives by providing accessible, interactive opportunities for young people to experience the benefits of a fit and healthy lifestyle through the strength and conditioning program.

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Morgan Stanley Stock Picking Program !This year all of our 10th and 11th graders will be learning about the stock market world in a friendly summer program competition. The program will be based around trading and investing with their Morgan Stanley coaches.

High School Basketball Tournaments & College Exposure Tours !

As a part of every travel tournament, our high school teams are also committed to visiting various college campuses across the country. Our Girls Black team traveled to Phoenix, AZ to compete in the Adidas Three Stripes Classic Tournament during the College Recruiting Spring Viewing Period. Finishing 2-2 in the desert against tough competition, the girls were able to visit the beautiful campuses at the University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University.

Our Boys Black team traveled to Atlanta, GA to compete in the Bob Gibbons Tournament finishing 3-1 overall. The boys were able to visit Georgia Tech’s campus and facilities during their trip back east.

Summer Programming !The academic school year is coming to an end

and we are just gearing up for our home stretch of programming.

MISSION FOR MORE INFORMATION

Mailing Address: A PLUS Youth Program

3815 S. Othello Street, Ste. 100, PMB134 Seattle, WA 98118 !206.450.8195 info@aplusyouthprogram.org !www.aplusyouthprogram.org

The mission of A PLUS Youth Program is to use sports as a vehicle to provide the educational resources and character development necessary for student-athletes to succeed in life.

Thank you to our 2014 Changing the Game Sponsors!