FC Cincinnati Foundation celebrated the start of a new school year with a visit to Cincinnati Public School’s Academy of World Languages! Students participated in soccer activities, enjoyed a visit from Gary the Mascot and were able to take home their Learning Is Cool school year kickoff gift.
The Learning Is Cool program has entered its fifteenth year and its fourth year under FC Cincinnati Foundation’s oversight. Originally developed through the Marvin Lewis Community Fund, Learning Is Cool reaches over 26,000 students across 68 schools with Cincinnati Public Schools, Covington Independent and North College Hill. The program recognizes achievement in the classroom with quarterly rewards for students reaching the “A” Honor Roll (3.51+ GPA). Students reaching this milestone at least twice per year are invited to an Academic Achievement Celebration held inside of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Soccer Unites, presented by Old Spice, was created in 2017 to increase exposure to the sport of soccer, a typically pay-to-play sport. Through the program, FC Cincinnati Foundation visits schools and recreation centers with gym class takeovers led by former player and current Club Ambassador Omar Cummings. Students participate in soccer drills and games and staff emphasize the soft skills so many of us learn through sport. The program has logged over 500 hours of programming in 2022. In 2019, an after-school arm of the program launched to increase opportunities kids to play soccer, this arm of the program participants. The after-school arm of the program now reaches over 35 locations through Activities Beyond the Classroom, Boys & Girls Club, Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and YMCA.
About FC Cincinnati Foundation
The FCCF was launched in December 2018 to support transformational change for Cincinnati-area children and impact positive differences in children in underserved communities. The FCCF offers programming to support character development and physical well-being through soccer, the importance of education, and an additional focus on community service. FC Cincinnati Foundation will reach over 30,000 children this year.
