WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Adams Morgan Community celebrated the dedication of a new state of the art soccer field and surrounding amphitheater area today at the Marie Reed Elementary School. The new field, located at the Marie Reed Elementary School in the heart of Adams Morgan, is a gift from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and DC Department of General Services (DGS) in partnership with DC Public Schools (DCPS). The new, all-weather artificial turf field is open to students at the school and the community at large for year-round play and programs. As part of the UAE Embassy gift, complimentary youth soccer coaching will also be provided for members of the community.
DGS in partnership with DCPS also enhanced and refurbished the area surrounding the field, greatly improving the aesthetics and safety of the park.
The event was attended by diplomatic and local officials including UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, Vincent Gray, Mayor of Washington DC, Kaya Henderson, Chancellor of DCPS, Brian Hanlon, Director of DGS, and representatives from the US and local soccer communities including DC United, the varsity soccer programs of Georgetown University, American University, the University of the District of Columbia and local youth programs DC SCORES, Bethesda Olney Soccer Club, District Sports, and Takoma Park Soccer Club.
“I am extremely proud to dedicate this beautiful new field right here in the heart of Washington, DC,” said UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba at today’s dedication ceremony. “Kids in Adams Morgan deserve to have a first-rate, safe place to play soccer. This field will provide enjoyment for years to come.”
“The District of Columbia is honored to have worked with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to build this wonderful field for Marie Reed Elementary and the community at large,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray.
The field will be a community asset that can be used by the students of Marie Reed as well as the community at-large. Local community soccer clubs and organizations plan to provide coaching, instruction, clinics and scheduled play on the field.
“This will be a game-changer for our students and our school community,” said Principal Eugene Pinkard. “The soccer field will transform our curriculum and make a valuable space into a world-class facility.”
Washington, DC is the fifth US city that has received the gift of a soccer field and coaching from the UAE Embassy. Fields have also been built in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, Hass Park neighborhood of Chicago, East Los Angeles and Miami. An ongoing youth coaching program at the new field will be provided by City Soccer in the Community, an initiative of English Premier League team, Manchester City Football Club.
This program is the latest in a series of Washington, DC area partnerships and philanthropic community programs led by the UAE Embassy including the Sheikh Zayed Institute of Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Medical Center, the Joe’s Champs program to provide DC public school teacher training, and contributions and participation in Everybody Wins! DC – the leading organization that promotes children's literacy by pairing students with local reading mentors.
About The United Arab Emirates
The UAE is a source of stability, tolerance, innovation, and growth in the Arabian Gulf and around the globe. The United States and the UAE are reliable allies, with historical and present-day shared security and economic interests. In fact, the UAE is the largest export market for US goods in the Middle East and more US naval vessels visit UAE ports than any other port outside the United States. The United States and the UAE also enjoy growing social and cultural ties, and many US institutions in education, healthcare and the arts have formed collaborative partnerships with UAE entities. For more information: www.uae-embassy.org.
About Marie Reed Elementary School
Marie Reed Elementary School is a community-based school located in historic Adams Morgan. The school serves students from preschool through 5th grade with a rigorous curriculum and school-based programs designed to give students a well-rounded education and a positive view of their place in the community. Marie Reed is proud of the diversity and multiculturalism of the student body; and cultural expression is encouraged and celebrated throughout the school year.
About The Department of General Services
The mission of the Department of General Services (DGS) is to elevate the quality of life for the District with superior construction, first-rate maintenance and expert real estate management. By building and maintaining safe and green state-of-the-art facilities which foster economic growth and elevate educational environments, our trusted and skillful employees create modern and vibrant communities across all of the District of Columbia.