Kids N' Tennis PSA Communications Backgrounder

KNT 2002

Media Info

PSA 3/22/02
Kids N' Tennis Gains
National Recognition

Communications
Backgrounder

Communications Backgrounder
Kids N' Tennis serves the Portland metropolitan community and has been in operation since 1987. Founded by Don Johnson and Andre St. James, Kids N' Tennis operates out of St. Johns Racquet Center located at 7519 North Burlington in the downtown St. John's area of north Portland.

The mission of Kids N' Tennis is to increase the number of inner-city junior tennis players by establishing a comprehensive Junior Tennis Program that is culturally and ethnically diversified and affordable for every participant. Our outreach targets children who are minorities, at-risk and/or from lower income households. Our goal is to provide reduced and free lessons to children who have been historically underrepresented in tennis and to train coaches who are interested in working in our Junior Development and Tennis Academy Programs. Kids N' Tennis' objective is teach and reinforce educational, social, and life skills through tennis, which offers boys and girls similar opportunities for success. Kids N' Tennis works in partnership with many community, regional, and national organizations including the USTA, local schools, businesses, and other agencies to promote the sport of tennis.

Our mission as a Community Tennis Association is to introduce tennis to children through tennis assemblies at local elementary and middle schools; work with the United States Tennis Association /Pacific Northwest Section (USTA/PNW) to train and establish a cadre of coaches to serve as volunteers and teaching assistants at summer tennis camps, and various Junior Tennis Programs throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area. Kids N' Tennis provides reduced rate and free tennis lessons at the St. Johns Racquet Center and at our summer campsites.

Kids N' Tennis serves kids first grade through high school age. Adult programs complement the kids tennis programs and provide access to ready volunteers and assistance for a variety of activities associated with facilitating Kids N' Tennis programs.

Kids N' Tennis offers boys and girls more than just the opportunity to learn a challenging and fun sport. This non-profit organization reaches out to minority, at-risk, or lower-income youths to equip them with educational, social, athletic, and job skills. The Education and Media Center is outfitted with computers and a printer. Kids N' Tennis offers high school credit internship programs. There is an athletic center, and, year-round tennis instruction at reduced or no cost to inner-city children and teenagers. Kids N' Tennis also provides a web site to enhance community outreach and provides operation and training opportunities for students to learn about computers and to complete school assignments while waiting for court time.

Kids N' Tennis meets many criteria for neighborhood partnerships and provides an important educational and recreational community resource for the community. The program is affordable and culturally diverse. The program has rallied tennis enthusiasts of all ages to assist in promoting tennis, in helping mentor kids to improve their educational endeavors, to provide a quality community center, to encourage health and fitness and to provide a safe and positive environment for kids to build confidence and self-esteem.

History and Evaluation of Community Need
Kids N' Tennis, Inc. was founded in 1987 by Don Johnson and Andre St. James. Both men noticed that few children of color were playing tennis, though many were watching. They agreed to start a summer tennis camp in Northeast Portland to address the community need. Irving Park was selected for the first camp because of its location to Portland's predominately African American community. The Camp was successful and at its conclusion quite a few children wanted to continue their lessons. Rather than direct these children to existing facilities for lessons that their families couldn't afford, Johnson and St. James began purchasing court time at local tennis centers. After a couple of years and learning more about the USTA, its mission, and programs, Don and Andre with the help of the USTA/PNW and other community leaders decided to form a Community Tennis Association in 1989.

Within two years it became apparent that in order for Kids N' Tennis to continue its work, a non-profit status was needed. In 1992, Kids N' Tennis received its temporary 501(c)(3) determination and permanent status was recognized in 1993. Kids N' Tennis has managed the St. Johns Racquet Center through a concessionaires agreement with the City of Portland's Park and Recreation Department for six years.

After successfully achieving the goal of teaching tennis to ethnic populations who were often unable to play tennis because of a lack of money, Kids N' Tennis broadened its outreach and evolved into a multicultural/ethnically diverse tennis program. Over the past fifteen years Kids N' Tennis has produced three current Portland area teaching professionals, several fitness instructors, and numerous college graduates. Kids N' Tennis makes a positive community impact.

The program has rallied tennis enthusiasts of all ages to assist in promoting tennis, in helping mentor kids to improve their educational endeavors, to provide a first-class community center, to encourage health and fitness and to provide a safe and positive environment for kids to build confidence and self-esteem.

Contact Information

Michael Roth, Board Vice-President - 503-493-8316
Don Johnson, Treasurer/CEO - 503-880-0582

General Office
Gordon Provinsal, Staff
Kids N' Tennis, Inc.
P.O. Box 11128
Portland, Oregon 97211
Phone: (503) 823-3629 Fax: (503) 823-3630 (call first)

Number of Children to Benefit From Programs
Approximately 50-85 kids are active in the Junior Development Program with an additional 100-125 kids enrolled in After-school programs. Three tennis pros, 12 mentors, and nearly 20 volunteers assist with other activities of the organization.

Kids N' Tennis makes a positive community impact.
Program Successes
After successfully achieving the goal of teaching tennis to ethnic populations who were often unable to play tennis because of a lack of money, Kids N' Tennis broadened its outreach and evolved into a multicultural/ethnically diverse tennis program. Over the past 15 years Kids N' Tennis has taught tennis to more than 1,500 children. Graduates from Kids N' Tennis include tennis teaching professionals, fitness instructors, and numerous college graduates. Kids N' Tennis makes a positive community impact. In 2000 Kids N' Tennis was honored with several of its younger participants who won state and regional competitions in the National Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. Kids N' Tennis was recently recognized as number nine out of the top 25 Community Tennis Associations in the United States.

Programs Provided to Enhance the NE Portland Community

The programs that Kids N' Tennis sponsors are divided into four areas: education and literacy; student athletes and mentoring; at-risk youth and inner city tennis; health and fitness.

Our Education and Literacy programs provide students with a study area located in our Education and Media Center. This center has computers and printers for students to use. A Certified Teacher and volunteers are available to tutor and assist students with their studies before and after tennis lessons. High School students can earn elective credits through their participation in our Student Internship Program. Credits in Journalism, Business, and Vocational Education are available and provide youth the opportunity to enroll in our Student Internship Program where they learn about employment opportunities in the tennis industry. High School students can earn elective credits in Vocational and Business Education through their participation in the Internship Program. Our Education and Media Study Center was completed on Jan. 19, 1998.
The Student Athlete and Mentoring program allows youth the opportunity to begin their training as tennis teachers. Students are paired with a Teaching Professional who serves as their mentor and instructor. Upon completion of this nine-month program students are eligible for employment as summer camp assistants. A racquet stringing mentorship program is also available for students interested in learning how to string racquet and become certified racquet stringers. "Athletes in Training" provides professional instruction for speed, agility, and quickness. Several local tennis professionals provide training to teach athletes how to reach their athletic goals with smart, safe exercises. All children in our Junior Development Program train twice a month for one hour with one of these pros.
The At-risk and Inner-city Tennis program is where Kids N' Tennis has made its greatest impact on the youth of Portland. Since our inception we have taught tennis to over 1,500 children in the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Health and Fitness is promoted by Kids N' Tennis through its Fitness Space. Juniors, Adults, and seniors use our center, complete with treadmill, lifecycle, stairmaster, and four-station weight equipment. Juniors use this center for free and all Academy Students must use this center three times a week.

Kids N' Tennis addresses community needs.
Connections with the Community
Kids N' Tennis is connected with many organizations in the local community and at the regional and national levels. Kids N' Tennis has on-going partnerships with many schools including elementary and middle schools. Other nonprofit organizations such as Portland After School Tennis (P.A.S.T.) are regular partners when reserving court time and facilitating after-school activities. Kids N' Tennis is a member of Pacific Northwest Tennis Association and the United State States Tennis Association. Kids N' Tennis maintains regional contacts with other local schools and tennis organizations throughout the State of Oregon and the Northwest to promote tennis, present tournaments and create opportunities for all kids regardless of ethnic, cultural or income diversity.

Through contacts at regional and national tournaments Kids N' Tennis has connected with the world. Kids N' Tennis representatives have collected used tennis racquets, shoes, and other equipment and sent these donations to youth tennis programs in Ethiopia, Madagascar, Jamaica, Mexico, and California. Don Johnson and Andre St. James have also presented workshops for the USTA at a number of locations in the United States and Canada.

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