OUR MISSION

To serve up positive youth development in Black and Brown communities through tennis, education, and mentorship while fostering a more just, compassionate, and resilient society.

OUR VISION

We envision every child, regardless of background, having equitable access to transformative programs that advance socioemotional growth and serve as a catalyst for generational change. Through parent engagement and community empowerment, we aim to reframe adverse childhood experiences by enabling active children to excel in all aspects of life.

WE BELIEVE

• Tennis has the ability to empower children, families, and communities.

• All children should have access to equitable resources and opportunities.

• Families are the backbone of individual success.

• Community members inspire solutions.

• The contextualization of evidence-based models will achieve short- and long-term outcomes.

• By creating opportunities for program replication in underserved communities nationwide, we progress social justice.

Did you know...

Underserved communities often lack access to affordable and effective after-school programs for children, creating an achievement gap that sustains the cycle of poverty? This is where our story begins, because Active Children Excel! The ACE Project was established to provide kids with an opportunity to do what they do best: be kids! We started by launching a tennis camp for students attending Washington Elementary School in Riverdale, IL. The kids' enthusiasm was reason enough to expand our program model to include homework assistance, mentorship, academic enrichment, and social-emotional skill building. Now, we offer after-school programs for students attending elementary schools in Chicago, IL, Baltimore, MD, and Detroit, MI as well as opportunities in-class and during the summer. Our goal is to ensure youth have access to programs and resources that help them grow and thrive.

The ACE Project recruits and trains coaches/mentors among a wide range of school personnel, including office staff, lunch monitors, and crossing guards as well as parents and other adults who live in the community. Overall, we believe that by strengthening the relationships between students, their families, and their communities, we will outmatch the current cycles that limit opportunity and success. Your donation makes more smiles and opportunities possible. Each dollar benefits a child by helping them gain access to programs that positively impact their lives. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact us for more information! Let's serve up more ACEs!