As & Aces

1) Increase academic attainments
2) Increase behavioral outcomes
3) Increase physical fitness and tennis skills
4) Provide equitable access to non-traditional sport

1) Academic activities: focus on literacy (reading and writing)
2) Teaching life skills: focus on character development, good citizenship, and sportsmanship
3) Using tennis to promote physical fitness and retain children in this education initiative

Our programs are designed to address several crises that particularly affect the City: illiteracy, violence/values, and obesity. The name “A’s & Aces” was chosen to represent our student-athlete model and our emphasis on good grades and good tennis. Our area ranks among the highest in violent crime. One in five offenses is committed by minors. Prevention is the solution. We prepare children to be successful in school through a high-quality, sport-based youth development program. Mentoring and character-building programs help keep kids in class and off the streets; after-school, weekend programs, and our Literacy & Tennis Summer Camps provide the academic and life skills tools necessary that address “summer loss,” and help kids to graduate, to get and keep jobs, and to have future careers. Moreover, children develop healthy habits that become healthy choices.

Research-based curricula that address critical community concerns about children’s reading and writing, character development, and health are implemented by full and part-time staff assisted by over 100 volunteers.

1) A's & Aces is demand-driven and bases its programming on the community inputs
2) Using evidence-based curricula: A's & Aces partners with the United States Tennis Association, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and Alliance for a Healthier Generation to implement curricula in addition to its own curricula
3) Professional, caring staff: in partnership with Tulane AmeriCorps programs
4) Large volunteer base to provide low teacher-pupil ratio
5) All key staff trained and certified by United Stated Professional Tennis Registry/USPTA or participate in professional development offered via the New Orleans Youth Alliance

1) 90% retention
2) Eight (8) years in a row A's & Aces participants won the NJTL Essay Contest (Southern Winners for best essay in Louisiana); about 100 essay submissions each year in
3) Increase in academic attainments measured by graduation to the next grade (99%)
4) Increase in number of minority, underserved children playing tennis across the New Orleans area (have the largest cohorts of children playing tennis in Louisiana)
5) Four (4) academic awards awarded
6) over 50 USTA tournament participants; 40 ranked in the State of Louisiana
7) One Posse Scholarship winner
8) Six (6) children finished top 10 on the USTA National Student-Athlete Competition in 2013/2014 academic year; ten (10) ranked top ten in 2014-2015 academic year.
9) Finished 8th at the Excellence Teams Cup in College Park (out of 12 teams, national level competition)
10) Counselor in Training Program - employment opportunities for older participants (2 in 2018 summer camp)


Next:

- increase number of players in Louisiana coming from under-represented groups
- athletic/need-based/academic scholarships to colleges