IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine soccer teamed up with Team Kids, Inc. recently for a little soccer at Rancho Middle School in Irvine as part of the organization's pilot middle school program, TK Impact.

TK Impact empowers middle-schoolers to take on an issue about which they are passionate and raise funds, resources and/or awareness for that issue. The kids are focusing on reducing pressure and depression while raising awareness on mental health, and hosted a lunch event celebrating what kids wish they had more time to enjoy. The majority of kids polled chose sports, with soccer specifically being their top choice of favorite activities.

"Anytime that our players get a chance to give back to the community through soccer, they jump at it," beamed women's soccer head coach Scott Juniper. "Team Kids is a wonderful organization, and we are pleased to be associated with the work they do."

The 'Eaters also teamed up with Canine Companions as part of the Capture Your Spark campaign where the students put on an event for over 1,000 middle schoolers.

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