Working to level the playing field for Nashville’s children.
L.E.T.S. Play builds language skills and confidence for students through sports, while establishing lasting partnerships with schools and communities.
L.E.T.S. Play incorporates best practices to support student learning. Research shows that play is vital for childhood development and also serves as motivation for learning. We currently serve children ages 6-13 in the greater Nashville area, the majority of whom come from non-English speaking homes. Our refugee and immigrant students come from all over the world and speak many different languages.
You can learn more about us in this video from the Power of Sports:
Our Values
We expect every staff, volunteer, and participant to:
- Respect and support every individual, regardless of age, background, or differences.
- Provide a safe environment for everyone.
- Challenge each other to push harder, stand taller, and take pride in every aspect of life.
- Empower others to take initiative for their own learning and future.
- Play hard.
Our Approach
Incorporating best practices from several different areas, the foundation of L.E.T.S. Play is built around the basis that children learn best when they are having fun. We have found from research that play is vital not only during childhood development, but also serves as motivation for learning.
With soccer as our medium. L.E.T.S. Play then uses standards from the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute for the basis for its lessons.
To further guide practices and train coaches/volunteers, L.E.T.S. Play uses youth development principles.
Our History
Since 2012, L.E.T.S. Play has served over 300 students. The idea for L.ET.S. Play began in Santiago, Chile. During a pilot program, trained English-speaking volunteers worked with 4th grade students in a local public school and community center. A survey administered to students found that they felt the program helped them with their English skills and gave them more confidence in using the language. L.E.T.S. Play was incorporated in Nashville in 2014, where the organization began leading workshops in partnership with existing afterschool programs. Over the years, L.E.T.S. Play has grown to include annual summer camps and weekend workshops.
See our impact in our Annual Report for 2020