This spring, Penn's athletic department helped West Philadelphia youth "Score with Education" by introducing them to a wide variety of sports. The "Score with Education" program, which was funded by CoreStates Bank, was designed to show city youth that football and basketball are not the only ways teens can use athletic skills to further their education.

The program consisted of Saturday clinics in five sports: two in gymnastics and one each in baseball, fencing, rowing and soccer. At the rowing clinic on May 11, about 15 West Philadelphia children, including members of the Boy Scout troop at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, learned how shells are maintained, watched rowing videos, handled the oars, and raced each other on the ergo-meters that rowers use to stay in shape. As a final treat, the children "launched" a shell with the help of crew-team members Justin Angle (at front), Tom Rymes (with white hat), Sean Elward (wearing wristwatch) and Hardy Viener (standing at rear).

Crew Coach Stan Bergman said, "The kids had a lot of fun, and the clinic was really good for our men, too. I think that the day opened some eyes for the kids. Many of them told us that they had often seen boats rowing on the river, but they never thought they would actually be in one." Bergman expects that the crew team will participate in another such event next year.

Return to Compass Features for June 18, 1996