As a veteran Scrabble player of almost 20 years, ASAP Scrabble coach Mark was excited to start co-leading lead AS Jenks School’s ASAP Scrabble club last year.
“I’m involved in Scrabble competitions—I have been since I was a kid—and I know how important Scrabble was to me growing up. And when I heard that Philadelphia has a robust afterschool program involving Scrabble, I jumped at the chance to contribute in any way that I could.”
Though he’s only co-led the Jenks team for one full season, Mark has already seen significant growth in his students.
“I did actually have one student—I was really happy!—this is just [club session] number two and he told me that he likes how Scrabble makes him feel smarter.”
And although Scrabble can be “an incredibly complex, strategic, cerebral kind of game,” sometimes it’s the social awareness honed during Scrabble matches that has the most impact on a child.
Even children who—like 18% of the student body at AS Jenks—are English learners benefit from the classic game: “I can see the boost in their confidence when they’re playing because successfully making any word on the board is an accomplishment,” says Mark. “And they can feel that they are participating and engaging with the language even if their skills aren’t the most proficient when they’re speaking.”
Above all, Scrabble provides a safe space for students to meaningfully connect and find joy in the love of words. Says Mark:
P.S. Your donation makes a difference for Philly youth!
Only 10% of PA children who want to be in afterschool are enrolled in a program, according to the America After 3PM 2025 report. A top barrier? Affordability—over 50% of PA parents cite cost as a key reason their child isn’t involved in afterschool activities. ASAP is proud that our clubs and competitions are free for all youth, including transportation to weekday tournaments.
$500: Support an ASAP student for an entire year of programming!
$250: Provide free transportation for a club to participate in citywide competitions
$100: Train a caring adult to start a new club at their school or community center
$50: Equip a club of 12+ kids with supplies for one year