Legendary
Author Exposes
Funk and Soul
Hate Online
Delves into
anonymous,
bigoted speech
‘City
of
Roses’
See story, page 12
An upcoming
date with the
Ohio Players
See Metro, page 11
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • April 5, 2017
Volume XLVI • Number 14
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
The Plaza Park Boys’ basketball team, comprised of youth from the Plaza Townhomes apartment community in north Portland, was funded entirely by scholarships from
the non-profit group “Off the Sideline.” Their Plaza Townhomes apartments community has rallied behind them, and the team lost just one game this season.
Off
the
The rising costs of participating in
school-based sports and after-school ac-
tivities is causing more families to opt out,
but a Portland non-profit has found a way
to get more kids into the game.
“Off the Sideline” issued its first sports
scholarship one year ago. Today, with the
help of organizations like the Volunteers
of America, Hacienda, Home Forward and
the Boys and Girls Club, more than 80
scholarships to low-income families have
Sideline
been awarded for kids in grades 5 through
9.
The result is that more at-risk youth in
Portland can take part in team sports and
have access to sports programs to help
them become healthy, happy and success-
ful in life, activities that can improve their
health and fitness levels, help them devel-
op positive role models, hone social skills
and broaden their community network.
The scholarships allow children to par-
ticipate in a variety of sports ranging from
golf to volleyball.
The organization helped Rosa Parks
Elementary in north Portland put togeth-
er two basketball teams. Across town, the
Plaza Park Boy’s basketball team was
funded entirely by the scholarships. Their
Plaza Townhomes apartment community
has rallied behind them, and the team lost
just one game this season.
Another example comes from Stanley,
One year of
getting kids
into the game
a young boy who struggled academical-
ly over the past few years, but started to
improve on his failing grades when he
jumped at the chance to finally play foot-
ball. He was required he maintain a C av-
erage while on the team and he is now re-
ceiving As and Bs, group leaders said.
“While other programs support individ-
uals or teams with the most athletic prom-
C ontinued on P age 5