2010
December Updates
12-2010
SquashSmarts Annual Holiday Party -- Join Us!We invite you to celebrate the Holiday Season with our staff and students at our Annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 22 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the Lenfest Center. We will eat lots of holiday treats, share gifts with students, and of course play squash! Please RSVP to [email protected].
Pierce Junior Bronze a Success!
While we will have a more detailed story about the Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament in our next newsletter, we were so pleased with the event and the performance of all of the kids, which included over 100 players from the Philadelphia area, that we had to at least say a little something. Registration exceeded expectation, the matches ran smoothly and everyone had a great time! Parents and students alike were supportive and showed their best sportsmanship. Next newsletter we will feature the Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament.
Urban Team Championships MLK Weekend!
On the weekend of January 15-17, 2011, SquashSmarts will be hosting the National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA) Urban Team Championships at the Lenfest Center for the second time since opening the facility.
The NUSEA Urban Team Championships afford their programs a chance to meet and interact annually in a competitive setting. The matches provide valuable squash experience for the players, encourage the students' pride in their teams, and foster a greater awareness of the Urban Squash community. By rotating the location each year, students have the opportunity to travel beyond their hometowns, often for the first time. In addition to the SquashSmarts teams, students will travel from NUSEA programs in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Haven, Harlem, The Bronx and San Diego to compete in Philadelphia at SquashSmarts.
Leading up to this competition, students from the nine programs have been writing essays about the three items that most represent them. The winners will be revealed over the weekend!
SquashSmarts is a proud member of NUSEA, whose mission is to promote squash and education among urban youth. The greater mission of NUSEA is to further develop the students' sportsmanship, teamwork and ability to socially interact in order to further prepare them for a life beyond their local neighborhoods.
If you're new to urban squash or have been involved for years, this is an event you will want to attend!
For more information on how you can contribute, volunteer or get involved, please contact Brett Camarda at [email protected].
8th Grade Field Trip a Chance for Culture and FunOn Election Day, a day when school might be closed but SquashSmarts is in full session, our 8th grade class gathered for their annual class field trip. The day started at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was a first time experience for many of our native Philadelphians. With a perfect ratio of 2 students per adult, our students were excited to learn firsthand from our staff and volunteers. They especially enjoyed the new modern art exhibit by Michelangelo Pistoletto and the arms and armor collection. After a morning of culture, the whole group drove to Katie’s house in Havertown where they enjoyed a homemade meal (a few of the students even helped cook!) with their SquashSmarts Family.
Philabundance Community Service Project
On November 13th, five SquashSmarts high school students served at Philabundance in South Philadelphia. Philabundance is the largest hunger relief organization in the region; receiving millions of pounds of food yearly and distributing it across the Delaware Valley region and food banks in other areas. Students provided necessary tasks such as weighing, packing, and redistributing hams and organizing boxes of food for the community in preparation for the holiday season. Students learned about the hunger epidemic facing our country and felt great to lend a hand.
Students Participate in First Ever Turkey Tourney
On November 20th, SquashSmarts held the first of what it hopes will become an annual tradition: the Turkey Tourney. SquashSmarts hosted a handicap tournament for the top 30 students, based on program attendance and behavior, at Drexel University's new squash courts. For many of our new students, the tournament served as an introduction to competitive squash and the Drexel location. Students were rewarded for a job well done and got into the Thanksgiving spirit!
Veterans Day - A Day to Reflect and Say Thanks
On Veterans Day, 22 new SquashSmarts students from both North and West Philadelphia sites participated in an annual service project at the Lenfest Center. The day began with Captain Rick, a long time SquashSmarts volunteer and veteran himself, speaking to the kids on what it means to be a veteran and to have fought for our country. Afterwards, students wrote letters to soldiers overseas about who they are and why they’re thankful for what these soldiers do for our country.
Student Updates
11-2010
Squash ACES Visits SquashSmarts
On October 13th, Squash ACES, a developing squash program for urban youth in Lancaster, visited the Lenfest Center to play squash and be mentored by the SquashSmarts High School Team. The students from both programs had a great afternoon getting to know each other through a series of matches, free play, and relay races! We feel that one of the best ways to learn is to teach someone else, and the SquashSmarts kids did exactly that as they shared their passion for the game with Squash ACES.
A Weekend to Give Back
While most of their age group was probably hanging by the TV the weekend of October 16-17, the SquashSmarts kids were busy giving back to their community! Our community service weekend kicked off at the Charles Drew School (a 10 year SquashSmarts partner) Saturday morning for Greater Philadelphia Cares Day in which over 50 youth and adults revitalized the school through several projects including painting walls, doors and murals! On Sunday, for the second year, a team of seven high school students and staff showed their support by walking in the Philadelphia 12K AIDS Walk which began on the front steps of the Art Museum and circled around Fairmount Park taking nearly four hours to complete. Students learned the shocking facts that every 9 1/2 minutes, someone in the U.S. becomes infected with HIV and, hitting even nearer to home, over 30,000 people in the Delaware Valley are living with HIV/AIDS today. Our weekend of community service was a huge success and the kids had tired feet and painted clothing to prove it!
Family Night Made Students Proud
During the last week of October, SquashSmarts hosted three Family Nights in which parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles and more got a chance to see firsthand what their children have accomplished at SquashSmarts this fall. Our Academic Staff were delighted to show off each student’s academic portfolio which highlights completed enrichment units ranging from Parts of Speech to Essay Writing and Order of Operations. Our Squash Staff boasted about excellent sportsmanship and improvement from students and even managed to challenge a few of the adults to a game! Our students went home those nights feeling proud not only of their individual hard work, but of their team as well.
Halloween Bash a Treat for the Kids!Once a month, SquashSmarts runs an all-team squash practice for the entire program grades 6-8. Last month featured our 1st ever Halloween Bash! Students were thrilled for a chance to mingle with open squash and a lounge full of goodies including 100 homemade cupcakes. The highlight of the party was of course Halloween costumes!
Register for the Pierce Junior Bronze TournamentThe Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament is being hosted by SquashSmarts at the Lenfest Center December 3 -5, 2010.
The tournament is open to any player that is ranked 64 or below in the nation for age groups ranging from U13 to U19 in both the boys and girls divisions.
Click on the link for more information and to sign up today! http://www.squashsmarts.org/PierceJuniorOpen.html
Just as volunteers make the program meaningful for the kids, we welcome all volunteers for this event.
If you are interested in helping with tournament logistics or cheering on the kids, please contact
Britt Hebden at 215.221.6860.
SquashSmarts Welcomes 31 New Students!
10-2010
Throughout the month of September, SquashSmarts welcomed over 60 eager students through the doors of The Lenfest Center and Daskalakis Athletic Center. With the support of 7 staff and 15 volunteers, students got a taste of the game of squash, showed their teamwork in a "spaghetti and marshmallow building contest," and were contestants on an academic game show, among other things. After reading each student's essay about why he/she should be chosen for the team, we were thrilled to select 31 new students ranging from 5th to 9th grade! We encourage friends to stop in any Tuesday or Thursday after school to meet the new kids!
New Staff Forming Bonds With The Kids
Over the past month, it's been exciting to see our two newest staff members, Jessica Kaszycki and Britt Hebden, bonding with our students. Jessica, our North Philadelphia Academic Director, has been gearing our high school students up for college and beyond by putting a strong emphasis on SAT preparation and the new "Career Speaker Series." Britt, our North Philadelphia Squash Director and recent alumna of the University of Pennsylvania Varsity Squash Team, has been getting the kids excited about the opportunities that squash can give them. Jessica and Britt are both doing a fantastic job getting to know and teach the kids and are an essential part of the SquashSmarts Family!
Student Captains Elected
SquashSmarts students learned the power of democracy as they voted on their Student Captains for the 2010-2011 season. We are pleased to announce our three High School Captains, Dewon Flythe, Justin Roebuck, and Joe Johnson, who will provide student leadership for the High School and North Philadelphia Middle School Teams. In West Philadelphia, we elected our first Middle School Captain, Koffi Yetoh, who will continue to be a positive leader for our younger students. All of our Student Captains have been doing a great job getting their teams motivated and we're excited to see them grow even more as leaders.
Students Help With Blood Drive
Being too young to donate blood doesn't stop our West Philadelphia middle school students from supporting the cause. Several of our students came in extra days to encourage the Drexel community to give blood for the Colonial Athletic Association Blood Challenge on October 21st. Our young students prove that at any age, you can help your community!
To give blood and help beat our rivals, University of Delaware, please visit http://www.drexel.edu/giveblood/.
Summer 2010 Highlights
09-2010
Every summer, the SquashSmarts kids who achieved the best attendance, preparation, conduct, and behavior during the school year are rewarded with an array of summer opportunities. This year, we were excited to send 9 kids to overnight squash camps including an elite camp for advanced squash players at the United States Naval Academy. Eight of our rising 7th grade students spent two weeks at the College Settlement Camp in Horsham, PA where many of them learned to swim among other adventures. Eighteen current students and three of our high school participated in 1 and 5 day Outward Bound courses that teach the values of teamwork using the wilderness as a tool. In addition, SquashSmarts was thrilled to host the Embrace Camp, a week long intensive squash camp for 26 students from 7 of the urban squash programs throughout the country. Finally, 11 enthusiastic kids enjoyed a trip to Ocean City, NJ by our Board Advisor, Chase Lenfest!
The Start of a New YearWhile we say goodbye to summer and trade beach trips for backpacks, our students and staff are thrilled to start a new year of school and SquashSmarts! Weekly practices (running September 13th through June 9th) will be held Monday through Thursday from 3:45pm-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-1pm. Students will continue to learn and compete in the sport of squash and be coached through an intense academic curriculum focusing on literacy and math. We are always looking for new volunteers to work one-on-one with our students during these sessions. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Program and Academic Director, Katie Bicknese at 215.895.4963 or [email protected].
2010 Urban Individual Championships Results
07-2010
Nominations
Sakora Miller
Urban Squash Award
Koffi Yetoh
Future Star Award
Phech Kong Loa
NUSEA Scholar Athlete
(90 average or above)
Junaid Mukhtar
NUSEA Scholar Athlete
(90 average or above)
GRADUATION 2010
Congratulations to our 7-year Graduates!
Without question, the 2010 Urban Individual Championships was by far most the most enjoyable. The atmosphere was awesome and the SquashSmarts team embraced every second of the weekend - from competing on court, to cooling down in the pool after a match - it was an experience that will always be remembered. Every student, from the 6th grade rookies to the seven-year veterans, conducted themselves with the highest degree of sportsmanship. When a SquashSmarts player was competing on court, there was never an empty seat in the gallery. All SquashSmarts students rallied together to cheer on their teammates. As always on this magical weekend, SquashSmarts has shown what it really means to be a family.
Competitors
6th Grade
Tyzja Faison (BU13)
Tyron Rivers (BU13)
Ameerah Alexander (GU13)
Alleisha Outlaw (GU13)
7th Grade
Chris Neal (BU13)
Myles Yong (BU15)
Fahim Ali (BU15)
Koffi Yetoh (BU15)
Kimora Wilson (GU15)
8th Grade
Justin Garland (BU15)
Jon Garland (BU15)
Oscar Merino (BU15)
Gopal Mondol (BU15)
Abu Syed (BU15)
Hanief Henderson-Gaskins (BU15)
Marcus Major (BU17)
Robert Rivers (BU17)
Kassandra Gonzalez (GU17)
9th Grade
Joe Johnson (BU15)
10th Grade
Dewon Flythe (BU17)
Justin Roebuck (BU17)
12th Grade
Devonte Harris (BU19)
Mithun Das (BU19)
Lamin Conteh (BU19)
Junaid Mukhtar (BU19)
Jireh Adjesson (BU19)
Accomplishments at SquashSmarts...
06-2010
This month, our students wrote essays for NUSEA's Urban Individuals Essay Conteston the topic: "My Favorite Place". We received heartfelt and well written essays about Henderson, North Carolina, which is the site of one student's annual family reunion, favorite imaginary places, favorite Philadelphia neighborhoods, and favorite rooms in the students' homes. With no prompting from the Squash Smarts staff (honest!), several of our students wrote that Squash Smarts is their favorite place. They learned that the secret to good writing is to get started early and to write and rewrite. And then rewrite again. They wrote outlines, rough drafts, first drafts, second drafts, and then typed their essays in the font of their choice. The best essays will be submitted to NUSEA to be judged with submissions from other urban squash programs.
On Saturday, May 15th, students from the West Philadelphia program embarked on an amazingday of service with City Year's Serve-a-Thon at the Tustin Recreation Center at 60th and Columbia Streets. Katie Bicknese, SquashSmarts Academic Director and a City Year alumna, was proud to introduce her hardworking kids to fellow alumni of this service program and to point out Overbrook High School across the street where she did her service year. Two staff, one amazing volunteer, and eleven 6-8th grade students together completed 63 hours of service painting a fence along the perimeter of the park. Our kids really enjoyed the experience and are still talking about what a great time they had!
On June 18th, SquashSmarts will travel to Williams College, Williamstown, Massachussets, for the third consecutive year to compete in the 2010 Urban Squash Individual Championships. Over 300 junior players representing nine urban squash programs will compete in six divisions for national titles. Students will also be judged on their creativity in the annual Academic Contest. Students over the past month have been creating works of visual art or creative writing that showcases their favorite place in the world and why it’s so special. This weekend is a culmination of the dedication and hard work that our students have put into the classroom and the squash court over the past year.Good luck team!
The summer is almost upon us and we just want to remind you before you enjoy those warm lazy days, that our 7-year seniors are about to graduate and the SquashSmarts Staff and Board of Directors are inviting you to celebrate the graduation and outstanding achievement of our Student Athletes at the
2010 SquashSmarts Year-End Celebration
05-2010
Join us on Saturday, June 12, 2010, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
at the Lenfest Center 3890 N. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140
We are thrilled to name our Players of the Year, Volunteers of the Year, and Board Member of the Year in addition to many other student recognitions. We are also excited to recognize our8th graders who are graduating to the high school program and our graduating class of high school seniors who will be moving on to college.
The keynote speaker will be State Representative Tony J. Payton, Jr.
Space is limited, so please RSVP by June 4 to:
Jeanie Shanahan at 215.221.6860 or email her at [email protected]
If you are unable to attend, but would like to participate in the celebration, please send words of encouragement, quotes, or short poems to us that we can share with the students. As students all over the country, and especially in Philadelphia, are dropping out of school in record numbers, your words can help our students stay focused on the pursuit of their education.
GET INVOLVED...
Thank you for your continued support of our kids. Whether as a volunteer or a donor, your support has been, and remains, invaluable to changing their lives. Take a moment to donate to SquashSmarts today in the honor of our students’ achievements throughout this year!
SquashSmarts is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible in accordance with the laws governing gifts to non-profits.
To Become a Donor
http://www.squashsmarts.org/donations.html
To Become a Volunteer
http://www.squashsmarts.org/donate_volunteer.html
Student Updates
05-2010
College Acceptances continue to come in! In addition to the college acceptances we shared last month, our 12th grade students have also been accepted into Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (2), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2 additional), Howard University, Widener University (1 additional), Harcum College, Penn State University Abington. This brings our College Acceptance count to 24! Congratulations to our senior class!
SquashSmarts Middle School students spent three weeks of academic sessions learning an enrichment curriculum focused on geography. Activities included creating a "graffiti map" showing places they've been or would like to go, playing interactive state familiarization games and "geography jeopardy," reading about recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, and learning about the nine NUSEA programs, we're thrilled to say that every student made commendable progress in their geography skills!
Our West and North Philly students met up for a SquashSmarts Club Championship. This provided our students with the opportunity to play each other in squash in a competitive, but fun setting. Mithun Das was our Boys Club Champion and Brittany Kennedy was our Girls Club Champion.
SquashSmarts would like to congratulate and welcome its six new team members. From Roberto Clemente Middle School: Justin Zau (6th grade), Dominique Waiters, (6th grade) andBassim Palmer (7th grade) and from Morton McMichael Elementary School: Anthony Smith (6th grade), Devon Flythe (6th grade), and Andrew Holliman (7th grade)
Recruitmentof SquashSmarts’ class of 2017 has begun!
SquashSmarts’ 7th Annual Embrace Summer Camp is coming and we are looking for high school juniors and seniors to volunteer! The Embrace Summer Camp will be hosting 14 players from NUSEA’s nine sister programs and will run July 12th – 16th, 2010. Contact Guillermo at 215.895.4964 or [email protected].
Several of our SquashSmarts students joined thousands of Philadelphians in the Major Nutter City-Wide Clean Up of Hunting Park, and several of our middle school students will be walking along side our high school students in the Walk Against Hunger.
High school students volunteered with PHILABUNDANCE, a local food bank distributing food to locals in need. Also, 6 additional middle school students volunteered to make stuffed animals for children in Haiti with Artists Making Hope, a local University of Pennsylvania student group.
Not to be outdone by our 12th graders, SquashSmarts’ 8th graders are getting into high school. Boys' Latin Charter School, Academy at Palumbo (2), George Washington Carver High School (2), High School of the Future (2), Bok Technical High School, Dobbins Murrell High School (3), Mastbaum Jules Voc Tech (2), Nueva Esperanza Academy Charter School. Congratulations!
ONGOING EVENTS…
Dine at the Trolley Car Diner & Deli anytime during the entire TWO weeks of Monday, May 3, 2010 through Sunday, May 16, 2010 (Monday - Friday 7AM -9 PM; Saturday and Sunday 3PM-9PM). Trolley Car Diner & Deli will generously donate 15% of the cost of your meal to SquashSmarts.(For May, The Diner is donating an extra 5% to SquashSmarts in celebration of The Diner’s 10th Anniversary for a total of 20% to SquashSmarts!) All you need to do is eat and drink at the Diner and present the special coupon when paying the cashier (CLICK HERE FOR COUPON). Please mark your calendar and bring family and friends. Enjoy entrées, appetizers, milkshakes, ice cream!! The more you spend on your meal, the more money will go to SquashSmarts.
Don’t forget! You must print the attached coupon and present it to the cashier or SquashSmarts won’t get the 15%!
Also, forward this message to everyone you know, PLEASE! The more the merrier!
The Trolley Car Diner is located at 7619 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119
www.trolleycardiner.com
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SQUASHSMARTS…
03-2010
College Acceptances are coming in fast! Our 12th grade students have received letters of acceptance to: Benedict College, Cabrini College (2), Central Pennsylvania College, Elizabeth City State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, Penn State-Erie, Penn State-Greater Alleghany, Penn State-Harrisburg, Penn State-Berks, Rosemont College, Virginia Union University (2) and Widener University.
Middle school students spent Saturday creating hand-made stuffed animals for their peers in Haiti as part of a project coordinated by “Artists Making Hope”, a Penn nonprofit specializing in hand-made gifts for children in need.
6th graders got a crash course in U.S. History at the National Constitution Center. Several young girls were shocked to discover that women didn’t always have the right to vote. Now they know that women received that privilege through the 19th Amendment in 1920. The opening multimedia presentation “Freedom Rising” captivated the crowd, with one young student exclaiming while the lights came up, “That was awesome!”
Oscar Merino was accepted to the prestigious Boys’ Latin Charter School of Philadelphia. Oscar is the first student in our 8th grade class to be accepted to high school.
Our 6th & 7th graders finished the unit on “paragraphing” this week, working through critical skills on structure and flow to make each a better writer and thinker.
Finally, despite all the snow, SquashSmarts stayed open! Our staff organized fun practice sessions for the kids in an effort to help them maintain solid study and exercise habits.
UPCOMING EVENTS…
The Rally
Thursday, April 22, 2010 A Benefit for SquashSmarts Youth
- Honoring Molly Pierce, Eric Zillmer & Chase Lenfest
- Recognizing SquashSmarts Student Academic Achievement
- Celebrating Drexel Squash & The New Recreation Center
5:30-7:30pm at Drexel University
SAVE THE DATE!
GET INVOLVED…
Thank you for your continued support of our kids. Whether as a volunteer or a donor, your support has been, and remains, invaluable to changing their lives . A friendly reminder that if you’ve not had a chance to make a gift to our Annual Fund, take a moment to donate today! We’ve raised $47,500 of our $50,000 goal. Your donation can help put us over the top! And if you make a donation of $175 or more, SquashSmarts will send you a dri-fit team jersey. Don't forget to provide your size!
12-2010
SquashSmarts Annual Holiday Party -- Join Us!We invite you to celebrate the Holiday Season with our staff and students at our Annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 22 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the Lenfest Center. We will eat lots of holiday treats, share gifts with students, and of course play squash! Please RSVP to [email protected].
Pierce Junior Bronze a Success!
While we will have a more detailed story about the Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament in our next newsletter, we were so pleased with the event and the performance of all of the kids, which included over 100 players from the Philadelphia area, that we had to at least say a little something. Registration exceeded expectation, the matches ran smoothly and everyone had a great time! Parents and students alike were supportive and showed their best sportsmanship. Next newsletter we will feature the Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament.
Urban Team Championships MLK Weekend!
On the weekend of January 15-17, 2011, SquashSmarts will be hosting the National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA) Urban Team Championships at the Lenfest Center for the second time since opening the facility.
The NUSEA Urban Team Championships afford their programs a chance to meet and interact annually in a competitive setting. The matches provide valuable squash experience for the players, encourage the students' pride in their teams, and foster a greater awareness of the Urban Squash community. By rotating the location each year, students have the opportunity to travel beyond their hometowns, often for the first time. In addition to the SquashSmarts teams, students will travel from NUSEA programs in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Haven, Harlem, The Bronx and San Diego to compete in Philadelphia at SquashSmarts.
Leading up to this competition, students from the nine programs have been writing essays about the three items that most represent them. The winners will be revealed over the weekend!
SquashSmarts is a proud member of NUSEA, whose mission is to promote squash and education among urban youth. The greater mission of NUSEA is to further develop the students' sportsmanship, teamwork and ability to socially interact in order to further prepare them for a life beyond their local neighborhoods.
If you're new to urban squash or have been involved for years, this is an event you will want to attend!
For more information on how you can contribute, volunteer or get involved, please contact Brett Camarda at [email protected].
8th Grade Field Trip a Chance for Culture and FunOn Election Day, a day when school might be closed but SquashSmarts is in full session, our 8th grade class gathered for their annual class field trip. The day started at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was a first time experience for many of our native Philadelphians. With a perfect ratio of 2 students per adult, our students were excited to learn firsthand from our staff and volunteers. They especially enjoyed the new modern art exhibit by Michelangelo Pistoletto and the arms and armor collection. After a morning of culture, the whole group drove to Katie’s house in Havertown where they enjoyed a homemade meal (a few of the students even helped cook!) with their SquashSmarts Family.
Philabundance Community Service Project
On November 13th, five SquashSmarts high school students served at Philabundance in South Philadelphia. Philabundance is the largest hunger relief organization in the region; receiving millions of pounds of food yearly and distributing it across the Delaware Valley region and food banks in other areas. Students provided necessary tasks such as weighing, packing, and redistributing hams and organizing boxes of food for the community in preparation for the holiday season. Students learned about the hunger epidemic facing our country and felt great to lend a hand.
Students Participate in First Ever Turkey Tourney
On November 20th, SquashSmarts held the first of what it hopes will become an annual tradition: the Turkey Tourney. SquashSmarts hosted a handicap tournament for the top 30 students, based on program attendance and behavior, at Drexel University's new squash courts. For many of our new students, the tournament served as an introduction to competitive squash and the Drexel location. Students were rewarded for a job well done and got into the Thanksgiving spirit!
Veterans Day - A Day to Reflect and Say Thanks
On Veterans Day, 22 new SquashSmarts students from both North and West Philadelphia sites participated in an annual service project at the Lenfest Center. The day began with Captain Rick, a long time SquashSmarts volunteer and veteran himself, speaking to the kids on what it means to be a veteran and to have fought for our country. Afterwards, students wrote letters to soldiers overseas about who they are and why they’re thankful for what these soldiers do for our country.
Student Updates
11-2010
Squash ACES Visits SquashSmarts
On October 13th, Squash ACES, a developing squash program for urban youth in Lancaster, visited the Lenfest Center to play squash and be mentored by the SquashSmarts High School Team. The students from both programs had a great afternoon getting to know each other through a series of matches, free play, and relay races! We feel that one of the best ways to learn is to teach someone else, and the SquashSmarts kids did exactly that as they shared their passion for the game with Squash ACES.
A Weekend to Give Back
While most of their age group was probably hanging by the TV the weekend of October 16-17, the SquashSmarts kids were busy giving back to their community! Our community service weekend kicked off at the Charles Drew School (a 10 year SquashSmarts partner) Saturday morning for Greater Philadelphia Cares Day in which over 50 youth and adults revitalized the school through several projects including painting walls, doors and murals! On Sunday, for the second year, a team of seven high school students and staff showed their support by walking in the Philadelphia 12K AIDS Walk which began on the front steps of the Art Museum and circled around Fairmount Park taking nearly four hours to complete. Students learned the shocking facts that every 9 1/2 minutes, someone in the U.S. becomes infected with HIV and, hitting even nearer to home, over 30,000 people in the Delaware Valley are living with HIV/AIDS today. Our weekend of community service was a huge success and the kids had tired feet and painted clothing to prove it!
Family Night Made Students Proud
During the last week of October, SquashSmarts hosted three Family Nights in which parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles and more got a chance to see firsthand what their children have accomplished at SquashSmarts this fall. Our Academic Staff were delighted to show off each student’s academic portfolio which highlights completed enrichment units ranging from Parts of Speech to Essay Writing and Order of Operations. Our Squash Staff boasted about excellent sportsmanship and improvement from students and even managed to challenge a few of the adults to a game! Our students went home those nights feeling proud not only of their individual hard work, but of their team as well.
Halloween Bash a Treat for the Kids!Once a month, SquashSmarts runs an all-team squash practice for the entire program grades 6-8. Last month featured our 1st ever Halloween Bash! Students were thrilled for a chance to mingle with open squash and a lounge full of goodies including 100 homemade cupcakes. The highlight of the party was of course Halloween costumes!
Register for the Pierce Junior Bronze TournamentThe Pierce Junior Bronze Tournament is being hosted by SquashSmarts at the Lenfest Center December 3 -5, 2010.
The tournament is open to any player that is ranked 64 or below in the nation for age groups ranging from U13 to U19 in both the boys and girls divisions.
Click on the link for more information and to sign up today! http://www.squashsmarts.org/PierceJuniorOpen.html
Just as volunteers make the program meaningful for the kids, we welcome all volunteers for this event.
If you are interested in helping with tournament logistics or cheering on the kids, please contact
Britt Hebden at 215.221.6860.
SquashSmarts Welcomes 31 New Students!
10-2010
Throughout the month of September, SquashSmarts welcomed over 60 eager students through the doors of The Lenfest Center and Daskalakis Athletic Center. With the support of 7 staff and 15 volunteers, students got a taste of the game of squash, showed their teamwork in a "spaghetti and marshmallow building contest," and were contestants on an academic game show, among other things. After reading each student's essay about why he/she should be chosen for the team, we were thrilled to select 31 new students ranging from 5th to 9th grade! We encourage friends to stop in any Tuesday or Thursday after school to meet the new kids!
New Staff Forming Bonds With The Kids
Over the past month, it's been exciting to see our two newest staff members, Jessica Kaszycki and Britt Hebden, bonding with our students. Jessica, our North Philadelphia Academic Director, has been gearing our high school students up for college and beyond by putting a strong emphasis on SAT preparation and the new "Career Speaker Series." Britt, our North Philadelphia Squash Director and recent alumna of the University of Pennsylvania Varsity Squash Team, has been getting the kids excited about the opportunities that squash can give them. Jessica and Britt are both doing a fantastic job getting to know and teach the kids and are an essential part of the SquashSmarts Family!
Student Captains Elected
SquashSmarts students learned the power of democracy as they voted on their Student Captains for the 2010-2011 season. We are pleased to announce our three High School Captains, Dewon Flythe, Justin Roebuck, and Joe Johnson, who will provide student leadership for the High School and North Philadelphia Middle School Teams. In West Philadelphia, we elected our first Middle School Captain, Koffi Yetoh, who will continue to be a positive leader for our younger students. All of our Student Captains have been doing a great job getting their teams motivated and we're excited to see them grow even more as leaders.
Students Help With Blood Drive
Being too young to donate blood doesn't stop our West Philadelphia middle school students from supporting the cause. Several of our students came in extra days to encourage the Drexel community to give blood for the Colonial Athletic Association Blood Challenge on October 21st. Our young students prove that at any age, you can help your community!
To give blood and help beat our rivals, University of Delaware, please visit http://www.drexel.edu/giveblood/.
Summer 2010 Highlights
09-2010
Every summer, the SquashSmarts kids who achieved the best attendance, preparation, conduct, and behavior during the school year are rewarded with an array of summer opportunities. This year, we were excited to send 9 kids to overnight squash camps including an elite camp for advanced squash players at the United States Naval Academy. Eight of our rising 7th grade students spent two weeks at the College Settlement Camp in Horsham, PA where many of them learned to swim among other adventures. Eighteen current students and three of our high school participated in 1 and 5 day Outward Bound courses that teach the values of teamwork using the wilderness as a tool. In addition, SquashSmarts was thrilled to host the Embrace Camp, a week long intensive squash camp for 26 students from 7 of the urban squash programs throughout the country. Finally, 11 enthusiastic kids enjoyed a trip to Ocean City, NJ by our Board Advisor, Chase Lenfest!
The Start of a New YearWhile we say goodbye to summer and trade beach trips for backpacks, our students and staff are thrilled to start a new year of school and SquashSmarts! Weekly practices (running September 13th through June 9th) will be held Monday through Thursday from 3:45pm-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-1pm. Students will continue to learn and compete in the sport of squash and be coached through an intense academic curriculum focusing on literacy and math. We are always looking for new volunteers to work one-on-one with our students during these sessions. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Program and Academic Director, Katie Bicknese at 215.895.4963 or [email protected].
2010 Urban Individual Championships Results
07-2010
Nominations
Sakora Miller
Urban Squash Award
Koffi Yetoh
Future Star Award
Phech Kong Loa
NUSEA Scholar Athlete
(90 average or above)
Junaid Mukhtar
NUSEA Scholar Athlete
(90 average or above)
GRADUATION 2010
Congratulations to our 7-year Graduates!
Without question, the 2010 Urban Individual Championships was by far most the most enjoyable. The atmosphere was awesome and the SquashSmarts team embraced every second of the weekend - from competing on court, to cooling down in the pool after a match - it was an experience that will always be remembered. Every student, from the 6th grade rookies to the seven-year veterans, conducted themselves with the highest degree of sportsmanship. When a SquashSmarts player was competing on court, there was never an empty seat in the gallery. All SquashSmarts students rallied together to cheer on their teammates. As always on this magical weekend, SquashSmarts has shown what it really means to be a family.
Competitors
6th Grade
Tyzja Faison (BU13)
Tyron Rivers (BU13)
Ameerah Alexander (GU13)
Alleisha Outlaw (GU13)
7th Grade
Chris Neal (BU13)
Myles Yong (BU15)
Fahim Ali (BU15)
Koffi Yetoh (BU15)
Kimora Wilson (GU15)
8th Grade
Justin Garland (BU15)
Jon Garland (BU15)
Oscar Merino (BU15)
Gopal Mondol (BU15)
Abu Syed (BU15)
Hanief Henderson-Gaskins (BU15)
Marcus Major (BU17)
Robert Rivers (BU17)
Kassandra Gonzalez (GU17)
9th Grade
Joe Johnson (BU15)
10th Grade
Dewon Flythe (BU17)
Justin Roebuck (BU17)
12th Grade
Devonte Harris (BU19)
Mithun Das (BU19)
Lamin Conteh (BU19)
Junaid Mukhtar (BU19)
Jireh Adjesson (BU19)
Accomplishments at SquashSmarts...
06-2010
This month, our students wrote essays for NUSEA's Urban Individuals Essay Conteston the topic: "My Favorite Place". We received heartfelt and well written essays about Henderson, North Carolina, which is the site of one student's annual family reunion, favorite imaginary places, favorite Philadelphia neighborhoods, and favorite rooms in the students' homes. With no prompting from the Squash Smarts staff (honest!), several of our students wrote that Squash Smarts is their favorite place. They learned that the secret to good writing is to get started early and to write and rewrite. And then rewrite again. They wrote outlines, rough drafts, first drafts, second drafts, and then typed their essays in the font of their choice. The best essays will be submitted to NUSEA to be judged with submissions from other urban squash programs.
On Saturday, May 15th, students from the West Philadelphia program embarked on an amazingday of service with City Year's Serve-a-Thon at the Tustin Recreation Center at 60th and Columbia Streets. Katie Bicknese, SquashSmarts Academic Director and a City Year alumna, was proud to introduce her hardworking kids to fellow alumni of this service program and to point out Overbrook High School across the street where she did her service year. Two staff, one amazing volunteer, and eleven 6-8th grade students together completed 63 hours of service painting a fence along the perimeter of the park. Our kids really enjoyed the experience and are still talking about what a great time they had!
On June 18th, SquashSmarts will travel to Williams College, Williamstown, Massachussets, for the third consecutive year to compete in the 2010 Urban Squash Individual Championships. Over 300 junior players representing nine urban squash programs will compete in six divisions for national titles. Students will also be judged on their creativity in the annual Academic Contest. Students over the past month have been creating works of visual art or creative writing that showcases their favorite place in the world and why it’s so special. This weekend is a culmination of the dedication and hard work that our students have put into the classroom and the squash court over the past year.Good luck team!
The summer is almost upon us and we just want to remind you before you enjoy those warm lazy days, that our 7-year seniors are about to graduate and the SquashSmarts Staff and Board of Directors are inviting you to celebrate the graduation and outstanding achievement of our Student Athletes at the
2010 SquashSmarts Year-End Celebration
05-2010
Join us on Saturday, June 12, 2010, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
at the Lenfest Center 3890 N. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140
We are thrilled to name our Players of the Year, Volunteers of the Year, and Board Member of the Year in addition to many other student recognitions. We are also excited to recognize our8th graders who are graduating to the high school program and our graduating class of high school seniors who will be moving on to college.
The keynote speaker will be State Representative Tony J. Payton, Jr.
Space is limited, so please RSVP by June 4 to:
Jeanie Shanahan at 215.221.6860 or email her at [email protected]
If you are unable to attend, but would like to participate in the celebration, please send words of encouragement, quotes, or short poems to us that we can share with the students. As students all over the country, and especially in Philadelphia, are dropping out of school in record numbers, your words can help our students stay focused on the pursuit of their education.
GET INVOLVED...
Thank you for your continued support of our kids. Whether as a volunteer or a donor, your support has been, and remains, invaluable to changing their lives. Take a moment to donate to SquashSmarts today in the honor of our students’ achievements throughout this year!
SquashSmarts is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible in accordance with the laws governing gifts to non-profits.
To Become a Donor
http://www.squashsmarts.org/donations.html
To Become a Volunteer
http://www.squashsmarts.org/donate_volunteer.html
Student Updates
05-2010
College Acceptances continue to come in! In addition to the college acceptances we shared last month, our 12th grade students have also been accepted into Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (2), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2 additional), Howard University, Widener University (1 additional), Harcum College, Penn State University Abington. This brings our College Acceptance count to 24! Congratulations to our senior class!
SquashSmarts Middle School students spent three weeks of academic sessions learning an enrichment curriculum focused on geography. Activities included creating a "graffiti map" showing places they've been or would like to go, playing interactive state familiarization games and "geography jeopardy," reading about recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, and learning about the nine NUSEA programs, we're thrilled to say that every student made commendable progress in their geography skills!
Our West and North Philly students met up for a SquashSmarts Club Championship. This provided our students with the opportunity to play each other in squash in a competitive, but fun setting. Mithun Das was our Boys Club Champion and Brittany Kennedy was our Girls Club Champion.
SquashSmarts would like to congratulate and welcome its six new team members. From Roberto Clemente Middle School: Justin Zau (6th grade), Dominique Waiters, (6th grade) andBassim Palmer (7th grade) and from Morton McMichael Elementary School: Anthony Smith (6th grade), Devon Flythe (6th grade), and Andrew Holliman (7th grade)
Recruitmentof SquashSmarts’ class of 2017 has begun!
SquashSmarts’ 7th Annual Embrace Summer Camp is coming and we are looking for high school juniors and seniors to volunteer! The Embrace Summer Camp will be hosting 14 players from NUSEA’s nine sister programs and will run July 12th – 16th, 2010. Contact Guillermo at 215.895.4964 or [email protected].
Several of our SquashSmarts students joined thousands of Philadelphians in the Major Nutter City-Wide Clean Up of Hunting Park, and several of our middle school students will be walking along side our high school students in the Walk Against Hunger.
High school students volunteered with PHILABUNDANCE, a local food bank distributing food to locals in need. Also, 6 additional middle school students volunteered to make stuffed animals for children in Haiti with Artists Making Hope, a local University of Pennsylvania student group.
Not to be outdone by our 12th graders, SquashSmarts’ 8th graders are getting into high school. Boys' Latin Charter School, Academy at Palumbo (2), George Washington Carver High School (2), High School of the Future (2), Bok Technical High School, Dobbins Murrell High School (3), Mastbaum Jules Voc Tech (2), Nueva Esperanza Academy Charter School. Congratulations!
ONGOING EVENTS…
Dine at the Trolley Car Diner & Deli anytime during the entire TWO weeks of Monday, May 3, 2010 through Sunday, May 16, 2010 (Monday - Friday 7AM -9 PM; Saturday and Sunday 3PM-9PM). Trolley Car Diner & Deli will generously donate 15% of the cost of your meal to SquashSmarts.(For May, The Diner is donating an extra 5% to SquashSmarts in celebration of The Diner’s 10th Anniversary for a total of 20% to SquashSmarts!) All you need to do is eat and drink at the Diner and present the special coupon when paying the cashier (CLICK HERE FOR COUPON). Please mark your calendar and bring family and friends. Enjoy entrées, appetizers, milkshakes, ice cream!! The more you spend on your meal, the more money will go to SquashSmarts.
Don’t forget! You must print the attached coupon and present it to the cashier or SquashSmarts won’t get the 15%!
Also, forward this message to everyone you know, PLEASE! The more the merrier!
The Trolley Car Diner is located at 7619 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119
www.trolleycardiner.com
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SQUASHSMARTS…
03-2010
College Acceptances are coming in fast! Our 12th grade students have received letters of acceptance to: Benedict College, Cabrini College (2), Central Pennsylvania College, Elizabeth City State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, Penn State-Erie, Penn State-Greater Alleghany, Penn State-Harrisburg, Penn State-Berks, Rosemont College, Virginia Union University (2) and Widener University.
Middle school students spent Saturday creating hand-made stuffed animals for their peers in Haiti as part of a project coordinated by “Artists Making Hope”, a Penn nonprofit specializing in hand-made gifts for children in need.
6th graders got a crash course in U.S. History at the National Constitution Center. Several young girls were shocked to discover that women didn’t always have the right to vote. Now they know that women received that privilege through the 19th Amendment in 1920. The opening multimedia presentation “Freedom Rising” captivated the crowd, with one young student exclaiming while the lights came up, “That was awesome!”
Oscar Merino was accepted to the prestigious Boys’ Latin Charter School of Philadelphia. Oscar is the first student in our 8th grade class to be accepted to high school.
Our 6th & 7th graders finished the unit on “paragraphing” this week, working through critical skills on structure and flow to make each a better writer and thinker.
Finally, despite all the snow, SquashSmarts stayed open! Our staff organized fun practice sessions for the kids in an effort to help them maintain solid study and exercise habits.
UPCOMING EVENTS…
The Rally
Thursday, April 22, 2010 A Benefit for SquashSmarts Youth
- Honoring Molly Pierce, Eric Zillmer & Chase Lenfest
- Recognizing SquashSmarts Student Academic Achievement
- Celebrating Drexel Squash & The New Recreation Center
5:30-7:30pm at Drexel University
SAVE THE DATE!
GET INVOLVED…
Thank you for your continued support of our kids. Whether as a volunteer or a donor, your support has been, and remains, invaluable to changing their lives . A friendly reminder that if you’ve not had a chance to make a gift to our Annual Fund, take a moment to donate today! We’ve raised $47,500 of our $50,000 goal. Your donation can help put us over the top! And if you make a donation of $175 or more, SquashSmarts will send you a dri-fit team jersey. Don't forget to provide your size!