The New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL) nonprofit is bringing its free 'ACES' afterschool program to 11 schools throughout Brooklyn for the latest school year.
“As one of the largest providers of afterschool programming in the city, NYJTL is thrilled to kick-off another year of ACES, and provide tennis instruction and enrichment opportunities after the school day is done,” said DJ Rouzeau, Chief Program Officer at NYJTL in a press release. “Rooted in character development and social learning, our services strive to provide future generations with tools they need to succeed.”
The ACES Afterschool Program provides free tennis as well as academic and wellness support to more than 3,000 students in under-resourced neighborhoods throughout New York City. ACES also offers students access to participate in city-wide tournaments.
In Brooklyn, ACES will be offered at P.S. 009 Teunis G. Bergen, P.S. 012 Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis, P.S. 093 William H. Prescott, P.S. 191 Paul Robeson, P.S. 197 The Kings Highway Academy, P.S. 215 Morris H. Weiss, P.S. 289 George V. Brower, P.S. 325 The Fresh Creek School, I.S. 211 John Wilson, I.S. 364 Gateway, and J.H.S. 383 Philippa Schuyler.
Last year, following a nationwide increase in youth experiencing mental health concerns, NYJTL expanded its mental health counseling by hiring a full-time social worker to oversee its ACES sites. Aside from tennis, ACES’ curriculum also focuses on emotional learning, so participants can foster skills such as social awareness and responsible decision making.
“Following the stark decline in students’ mental health as a result of the pandemic, we examined the ways in which we could best meet our children’s needs. Providing mental health support allows us to recognize the needs of our students so we can be a better resource for them,” said Udai Tambar, President & CEO of NYJTL. “We want to ensure our scholars feel comfortable coming forward about their struggles, so we can then provide potentially life-saving resources, such as counseling.”
For more information about the program, visit NYJTL’s website at https://www.nyjtl.org/aces-afterschool/.
