Angel City kicks off soccer clinic at Wilshire Crest Garden Day
A WATERMELON GROWN and harvested by Wilshire Crest Elementary students.
By Sondi Sepenuk
The idea was simple: reach out to Los Angeles organizations who are actively participating in community, bring them together to collaborate, and benefit the neighborhood at large.
The result was Community Garden Day on Sept. 13, when Angel City Football Club, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Garden School Foundation joined forces at Wilshire Crest Elementary School to encourage community, health, nutrition, and sports.
“I always loved the idea of adding a sports element to our Community Garden Day, and so when Angel City offered to do a soccer clinic, I was pumped up!” said Laura Prangley, whose son attends the school and who has the role of Partnerships Chair on the Wilshire Crest PTA.
For the past 18 years, Wilshire Crest has run a garden program where students learn how to grow and harvest vegetables, fruits, lettuces, and herbs on their vast school campus. Three times per year, the school hosts a Community Garden Day, run by the Garden School Foundation, an organization that teaches kids to grow, cook, and compost at public schools around Los Angeles.
COACHES AND STAFF from Angel City Football Club show up to help with Wilshire Crest Elementary’s Community Garden Day.
The organization addresses food justice and environmental stewardship, encouraging children to be healthy and aware of nutrition, their bodies, and the earth. “This event was exactly what community collaboration looks like— opening up school campuses to create safe spaces for families to be together on the weekend while teaching children how to move their bodies and fuel them,” said GSF Executive Director Rachel Black.
The local Sprouts team, who has given generous grants to the school in the past, showed up to help with weeding and harvesting everything from black eyed-peas to elderberries that morning, while also nourishing 75 people with fresh-made sandwiches and cold drinks.
After gardening, the 27 children in attendance participated in an hour-long soccer clinic run by six of Angel City’s energetic coaching staff, where they ran drills, exercised their hearts out, and learned the art of the beautiful game. “We were so grateful for the opportunity to be on campus and share the joy of soccer with kids and families. It was incredible to see so many young players experiencing the sport for the first time,” said Sulema Felix, senior manager of Community Programs for ACFC.
To top off the day, everyone was invited to share in a big fresh slice of mouthwatering watermelon, harvested directly and lovingly from the campus garden that morning. “It felt like a day of abundance in our community, and I hope this inspires more organizations to keep showing up! It makes a difference,” Prangley shared.
Category: People
