Elementary school students from across Metro Vancouver will get the opportunity of a lifetime during the seven FIFA World Cup matches in Vancouver. Through the FIFA player escort program, students involved in the Canada Scores program will walk onto the field with each team’s starting 11 players. Canada Scores offers free after-school programs in underserved communities, combining soccer, poetry and community projects. “Canada Scores empowers children to live healthy, engaged lives and have the confidence to make a difference in the world,” said Charlotte Ring, Canada Scores’ national manager of development and marketing. The students were surprised with the news last month. “When I found out from Canada Scores, I first just freaked out. I asked my friend to punch me, like, am I dreaming?” said Sahib Pandher, a Grade 5 student in Surrey. “But then I realized I wasn’t dreaming,” he said. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity that I get to go with all my friends, and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Marita Batoo, another fifth-grade student. Ring said the opportunity, made possible through a partnership with Quaker and Common Goal, provides an amazing experience for children who likely would not otherwise have access to an event like this. “This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these children really is a celebration. They deserve to be heard and to be on the world stage to represent their communities.” Once their player escort duties are complete, the students will take in the matches from the stands.
