Chelsea Public Schools, in partnership with Soccer Without Borders, has launched a special World Cup–inspired curriculum and programming series for elementary school students across the district, reaching more than 1,700 students.
The initiative kicked off Friday afternoon with a complex-wide World Cup Draw, a celebratory event in which selected students from the Berkowitz, Hooks, Kelly and Sokolowski Schools randomly drew countries that each classroom in the complex will represent for the remainder of the school year. The draw was broadcast live to classrooms throughout the complex, allowing students to watch in real time as they learned which country their class would be exploring.
“This partnership brings learning to life for our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Almudena G. Abeyta. “By connecting the excitement of the World Cup to culture and teamwork, we are helping our students build global awareness in engaging and meaningful ways.”
With countries now selected, students will dive into learning about the cultures they represent. Classroom activities will focus on topics such as traditional foods, languages, geography, and national soccer teams, helping students build global awareness while connecting learning to a sport many are passionate about. Soccer Without Borders will support educators throughout the process with resources and programming aligned to the curriculum.
“The World Cup gives kids a fun and exciting way to learn about the world,” said Soccer Without Borders Massachusetts Hub Director Bruno Contreras. “We build peace through celebration, soccer, and learning about different cultures. Students begin to see how much they share with one another. By the end of this series, we’re confident they won’t just know more about other countries—they’ll feel part of a stronger community that celebrates differences and takes joy in one another.”
Additional activities planned as part of the series include a poster design contest, where students will create individual posters highlighting their assigned country; a classroom door decorating contest celebrating elements of each room’s country; and soccer-based activities incorporated into physical education classes. One of the culminating events is a planned complex-wide 4-on-4 soccer tournament where each classroom will be represented.
This curriculum and programming are designed to take students’ excitement around the World Cup and transform it into engaging, meaningful learning experiences that celebrate culture, teamwork, and global connection across Chelsea’s elementary schools.