Components
Issue IdentificationIn 2021, there was one youth tennis program offered in all of Northeast Minneapolis, an area of the city with nearly 40,000 residents. This singular tennis program capped their registration at 20 people and cost $50 per week, presenting a financial barrier for a community where 75% of students receive free or reduced lunch. The lack of tennis participation was not an issue of interest, it was one of opportunity. This sparked my creation of a free tennis event for local youth.
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PartnershipI partnered with Minneapolis Parks and Recreation to promote the event to local families in both English and Spanish. Additionally, I partnered with the local public high school's boy's and girl's tennis team to serve as coaches for the event. In this way, the Community Tennisfest promoted public school pathways while providing students with leadership and mentorship development.
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ImplementationThe Community Tennisfest, made possible by a Passport Fund grant from the University if Denver, attracted over 60 K-8 participants from the community. Most participants had never played tennis before. To encourage youth to continue playing tennis beyond the event and to break cost barriers for entry, free racquets and balls were provided to nearly half of the youth to keep.
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Partners and Mentors
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation
Edison High School Tennis
University of Denver Passport Fund
Edison High School Tennis
University of Denver Passport Fund