April 2024 Newsletter
Sipping and shopping for HTA NJTL
Shopping is especially fun when the money goes to a good cause. J. McLaughlin’s in the River Oaks Shopping Center donated 15% of the sales to the HTA NJTL at the kickoff for the Game Set Match & Tennis Fashion Show.
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March 2024 Newsletter
Left: Lee LeClear homeschool students working together to create various geometric shapes; Right: Lee LeClear homeschool students enjoying a game of multiplication Tic-Tac-Toe. Photos by Madonna Medina
HTA NJTL ACE students have been attending winter classes at Lee LeClear Tennis Center, Memorial Park Tennis Center, Highland Park and Homer Ford Tennis Center. In January students established personal, academic and athletic goals for the coming year. In February students focused on the lifetime achievements of NJTL co-founder Arthur Ashe by creating a timeline of his accomplishments on and off the tennis court.
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February 2024 Newsletter
HTA NJTL students learn a lot more in their classes than how to improve their tennis skills. Their lessons include financial literacy, reading and making book reports and learning how to make their community a better place. Last year the students participated in such community activities as picking up trash in their local park, working in the community garden and helping in the food bank.
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January 2024 Newsletter
HTA NJTL hosted ACE students from the Homeschool, After School and Tennis Dreamer Youth tennis programs at its December Holiday Celebration at Memorial Park Tennis Center. ACE Coordinator and Instructor Madonna Medina reports that it was an opportunity for ACE students from around the city to meet each other and engage in holiday fun. Student activities included cutting out snowflakes, playing tennis games and matches, painting ornaments, eating pizza, decorating cookies, drinking hot cocoa, exchanging gifts and receiving a take-home goodie bag.
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December 2023 Newsletter
First Row: Homer Ford Tennis Dreamers, Homer Ford Tennis Dreamers, Highland Park; Second Row: Highland Park, Lee LeClear Tennis Center, Lee LeClear Tennis Center; Third Row: Memorial Park Home School, Memorial Park Home School, a Star of Hope Mission — Women & Family Development Center representative and Madonna Medina
Penny Fund Drive sets bountiful Thanksgiving table
ACE students helped set a bountiful Thanksgiving table for 125 people at the Star of Hope Mission-Women and Children Center this November.
Their Fall Team Challenge-Penny Fund Drive raised $272. exceeding last year’s donation of $240. Each student set a personal goal to earn, give from savings or fundraise from friends and family members. They decorated recycled tennis ball cans to hold the pennies and other coins and bills. An anonymous donor added funds to boost the total donation to $350.
The children crafted 40 or so colorful hand turkeys to decorate a very large Happy Thanksgiving card to bring cheer to the women and children at the mission.
Ace Coordinator and Instructor Medina Madonna noted “It was encouraging to see the team effort and individual sacrifices made to reach their goal.”
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November 2023 Newsletter
ACE (Academic Creative Engagement) classes continue through November.
Several members of the HTA team attended the NJTL Impact Conference in Orlando, Fla., October 21-24. It was the first time for HTA Accountant Daryl Hall to attend, and she shared her impressions with us. “The conference was very informative and included a meeting on leadership, board development, grants, safety and healing-centered sport. I especially enjoyed the leadership and the healing-centered sport. In the leadership meeting, each person completed a DISC Assessment (a personality assessment). It was interesting to find out your own assessment and discuss how you would work with people with different personalities and strengths. The healing-centered sport meeting discussed how many adults and children have mental health issues and to be aware that it cannot be seen from the outside. We discussed different ways of approaching people and children to make them feel comfortable and included.”
October 2023 Newsletter
Fall session ACE (Academic, Creative, Engagement) education classes for homeschool students began at Lee LeClear and Memorial Park tennis centers and the Highland Community Park in September. After-school students from Memorial Park and the Homer Ford Tennis Dreamers also participated in the ACE classes, which are scheduled through November 16.
ACE students will participate in team building activities, conflict resolution and role play as they learn to problem solve, manage finances and make healthy choices.
After a hot summer of outdoor classes at Memorial Park, Instructor Madonna Medina and the students welcomed meeting in their new air-conditioned classroom (in photos above).
September 2023 Newsletter
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department is a free, year-round program that offers basic tennis instruction to registered participants ages 4-19 during the summer and 6 to 18 for after-school at various parks throughout Houston. The HPARD Youth Tennis Program is co-sponsored by the Houston Tennis Association, Fayez Sarofim & Co., U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, Tennis Express, USTA Foundation, Harris County Department of Education CASE for Kids and the Houston Ladies Tennis Association.
August 2023 Newsletter
HTA NJTL completed its Summer Youth Tennis Program with a Reading Rally at Memorial Park Tennis Center July 21 and Kids Day celebrations at individual park sites July 27. Kids Day activities included snacks, fruit, games and a lot of tennis fun.
About 34 students attended the Reading Rally. Students arrived with a book to exchange with friends. They spent time listening to a story in small groups while others read alone or with a friend. The kids were treated to a reading from the book “One” by Kathryn Otoshi, and student teams acted out the various parts using decorated colorful props.
HTA Executive Director Emily Schaefer recognized the children’s summer reading achievements and their participation in this summer’s ACE classes by handing out certificates and gift cards to Barnes & Noble. Children who had read more than 2,500 pages received Platinum certificates; more than 1,000 pages, Gold certificates; more than 400 pages, Silver; and 50 to 400 pages, Bronze.
The 2023 HTA NJTL Art & Writing Contest entries were received, judged and photographed. See the video here.
Thank you to NJTL program sponsors USTA Foundation, Chase, Fayez Sarofim U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship and Brothers Produce for their contributions.
July 2023 Newsletter
Above, students conducted interviews with one another using a Venn Diagram to show ways they are alike and different,
then constructed a colorful chain of facts about themselves which connects them together. Photo by Madonna Medina
ACE, which stands for “Academic, Creative, Engagement,” is a program that takes basic academic concepts – math, reasoning, goal setting (sometimes combined with tennis themes) – and sets up a fun group learning environment for students ages six and up. At the start of the summer tennis program, ACE instructors invited students to participate in ACE classes once per week for seven weeks (June 5 – July 20), at no cost. Currently 122 students are attending ACE before or after their tennis classes at eight sites around Houston with morning, mid afternoon and evening classes.
ACE instructors are also encouraging students to participate in the following educational opportunities this summer – the Art & Writing Contest, Reading Rally and the NJTL Essay Contest.
June 2023 Newsletter
Summer NJTL is here
May 2023 Newsletter
ACE Students get the job done with Teamwork
ACE students started the 2023 Spring Session with a lesson and activity that focused on teamwork. Students were presented with the challenge of building the tallest possible tower using masking type, uncooked spaghetti, string and a marshmallow, which was to be placed on the top of their structure. Teams were given 20 minutes to plan, design and construct their project. Each team worked together while practicing skills in communication, time management, problem-solving, listening, critical thinking, collaboration and leadership.
April 2023 Newsletter
March 2023 Newsletter
HTA NJTL Instructor Charles Boyd was honored recently at the dedication of the Highland Park Tennis Courts when his
constituents at the park surprised him with a resolution from Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and a proclamation from State Representative Jarvis Johnson.
The documents recognized Boyd for his devotion to sharing his love for tennis with youth of all ages.
Boyd began the tennis program for homeschoolers at Highland Park in north Houston about seven years ago and has been coaching NJTL classes after school and in the summer for much longer than that.
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February 2023 Newsletter
ACE (Academic, Creative Engagement), HTA NJTL’s education program, has begun its Winter Sessions at Memorial Park, Highland Park and Homer Ford Tennis Center. Madonna Medina is the Ace Coordinator. At left is a class at Memorial Park and on the right is a class at Highland Park.
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January 2023 Newsletter
The USTA Foundation has partnered with Winward Academy, a college and career readiness program, to provide free academic services to NJTL students in grades eight through twelve. This is the second year of the program for NJTL families.
Students who enroll in this program are provided with an online account and a study plan prioritized by grade level. The student will work independently from their home and receive support as needed. The due date for phase one has passed, and about nine HTA NJTL students are enrolled. The program will be available to students for all of 2023.
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December 2022 Newsletter
Last month we wrote about nine-year-old Tiensan Brandt winning the national essay contest sponsored by Deloitte for the USTA Foundation and earning a trip to New York City along with nine other youngsters from around the nation.
His mother Vivian Chen, who accompanied him on the trip, responded to our story with photos and more details about the trip.
Tiensan, a fourth grader at Memorial Drive Elementary, used first-hand experiences from his tennis lessons to support his essay, telling his essay peers in his speech at the luncheon, “Tennis can help me achieve my dreams because it has taught me to keep trying and not give up, to communicate with other people, to be kind and honest, and to work hard to accomplish my goal.”
Their four-day, three-night trip was packed with activities, Vivian reports.
“It included a walk through Times Square, a boat tour of the Hudson River on the Circle Line passing by the Statue of Liberty, a tour of the USS Intrepid and Concorde, a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, the Summit Experience (New York City’s newest observation deck), and a visit to Grand Central Station.
“We also spent a day at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, and the kids were able to play on the practice courts, change in the same locker rooms as the professional tennis players and hang out in the players’ lounge. What a treat!,” she exclaimed.
Tiensan and his three brothers (Taisan, 15; Lewsan, 13; and Huangsan, 11) all participate in the Houston Youth Tennis program at Memorial Park Tennis Center.
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November 2022 Newsletter
Houston NJTL student writes his “ticket” to Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Tiensan Brandt and essay group recipients at the US Open. Tiesan is seventh from the left in the front row.
HTA NJTL participant Tiensan Brandt won the National USTA Foundation’s 2022 NJTL Essay Contest in the Boys 10 and Under category and won a trip for two to New York City where they visited the site of the US Open. Four other boys and five girls from across the country in age groups from 10-18 were also chosen as winners.
The students’ winning essays were selected from more than 1,200 entries, and the questions posed to contestants in the 2022 NJTL Essay Contest were nods to former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, one of tennis’ most ardent supporters. Dinkins believed that tennis instills confidence, character, sportsmanship and teamwork, and that the sport presents an opportunity for youth to achieve their dreams. In 350 words or less, participants wrote an essay that addressed the following questions: “Do you agree that tennis develops these positive qualities?; Are there other skills or positive aspects gained from playing tennis?; What are your dreams? How can tennis help you achieve those dreams and develop meaningful relationships?”
The October weekend of activities included visits to iconic attractions including the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; a New York Yankees game; and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the winners were honored at an awards luncheon and played tennis on the NTC’s practice courts. Former USTA President Katrina Adams, a close friend of Mayor Dinkins, was the keynote speaker.
The weekend closed out with a trip to one of the world’s most unique observation decks and immersive art experiences: Summit One Vanderbilt, which is located atop the fourth-largest skyscraper in New York City. Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services organization, is the presenting sponsor of the NJTL essay contest and weekend celebration in New York City.
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October 2022 Newsletter
The Fall NJTL Session is in full swing. These youngsters participate in the ACE (Academic, Creative Engagement) program.
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September 2022 Newsletter
Summer 2022 NJTL Reading Rally
Reading Rally entrants were awarded certificates along with Barnes & Noble gift cards. Top achievers earned additional gift cards for reading as many as 4,442 pages. Those who weren’t able to attend the end of summer activities dropped by the NJTL office to accept their certificates. Congratulations to our voracious readers! First place Reading Rally winners were:
Boys
4-6 Benjamin Montoya, 651 pages
7-10 Vladimir Montoya, 4,442 pages
11-18 Travis Washington, 3,057 pages
Girls
4-6 Charlotte Gorney, 1,097 pages
7-10 Giselle Chang, 1,730 pages
11-18 Hannah Washington, 2,780 pages
Top Left photo: Ace Instructor Hana Abdul-Rahim hands out Reading Rally certificates; Top right: Bella Gomez from Finigan Park; Bottom left: R.L. and Cora Johnson Park participants receive their certificates; Bottom center: Charlotte Gorney from Proctor Plaza Park; Bottom right: Travis and Hannah Washington from Windsor Village Park
Summer 2022 NJTL Art and Writing Contest
Over 60 entries were received for the Summer 2022 NJTL Art and Writing contest. Judges selected winners from a colorful array of decorated tennis balls and art posters, creative poetry and informative research papers. Congratulations to all entrants for taking part in this competition! First place winners are
Art-Tennis Ball
Age Division: 4-6, Javen Wimbush (Sunnyside)
Age Division: 7-10, Julius Fields (Proctor Plaza)
Age Division: 11-13, Jafet Muñoz (Platou)
Age Division: 14-18. Reginald Russell (Sunnyside)
Art-Poster
Age Division: 4-6, Erin Ozkanoglu (Cherryhurst)
Age Division: 7-10, Alice Hovinga (Proctor Plaza) and Elinam Dzakpasu (MPTC)
Age Division: 11-13, Jon’Carian Perry (MPTC)
Age Division: 14-18, Taisan Brandt (MPTC)
Writing-Poetry
Age Division: 7-10, Vladimir Montoya (R.L. and Cora Johnson Park)
Writing-Research
Age Division: 7-10, Aldo Herrera (R.L. & Cora Johnson)
Age Division: 11-13, Lewsan Brandt (MPTC)
Age Division: 14-18, Taisan Brandt (MPTC)
Top left photo: Art ball by Samuel Jimenez from Sharpstown Park; Top right, Art display at River Oaks Park; Bottom left, Jafet Munoz from Platou with Coach Rafael Chapa; Bottom right, Camilla Sventuranti from Proctor Plaza Park.
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August 2022 Newsletter
#ChaseReturntheServe at Memorial Park Tennis Center held July 15 hosted NJTL students and parents, with fun tennis activities, sessions with a Chase community managers for kids and parents, an ACE educational session, dance lesson and group performance, music, giveaways, and each participant received a Jersey Mike’s sub at the end! Chase presented the HTA NJTL with a $15,000 check for its programming. Accepting the check were from left in the photo below Zina Garrison, Director of Tennis for Houston Parks and Recreation Department; Doug Pritchett, President of Houston Tennis Association; Arfonzo Adams and Cheri Green, Chase Community Managers; Mark Embuscado, USTA Foundation; and Stasia Foster representing the national Chase sponsorship.
Special thanks to the HTA Board Members who volunteered at the event!
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July 2022 Newsletter
#ReturntheServe Fun Day Presented by Chase returns to Memorial Park Tennis Center Friday, July 15. This year the focus is on families, and the event will be held from 5 to 7:15 p.m. The evening will include dance competitions, tennis play, goodie bags, T-shirts and more.
ACE (Academic, Creative Engagement), HTA NJTL’s summer education program, is in full swing at 16 sites throughout Houston. Ace Coordinator Madonna Medina reports that instructors are visiting up to 12 parks per week, once or twice per session and engaging students ages four to six and seven to ten by reading them a story and then doing an activity with them. Students attend these sessions directly after their tennis classes. Instructors also promote educational activities for students ages 11 to 18.
Some of the students are currently engaged in preparing essays for the 2022 USTA NJTL Essay Contest and for the Art and Essay Writing contests in July.
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June 2022 Newsletter
Summer NJTL begins June 13 at 27 Houston sites. For information please visit houstonyouthtennis.org.
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May 2022 Newsletter
KHOU features USTA Foundation and FSUSMCCC support of HTA NJTL
The USTA Foundation helped encourage a news piece that highlighted HTA NJTL and the support it receives from the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. In case you missed it, here is the video: Channel 11 Video
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Natalia Alvarado was one of the 2021 NJTL Essay Sectional winners, and because of that she was chosen to do the coin toss at a USMCCC match. She made the toss at one of Taylor Fritz’s matches. Photos by Mennaz Orantes.
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April 2022 Newsletter
We sipped, shopped and celebrated to support HTA NJTL.
Thank you J.McLaughlin for hosting us and for your generous support.
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March 2022 Newsletter
The tenth annual Gala Set Match Gala is April 2, 2022, at the Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria. All proceeds benefit HTA NJTL (National Junior Tennis & Learning) supporting youth development through tennis, education and scholarship opportunities. See details.
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The Spring NJTL sessions begin March 21. Visit Houstonyouthtennis.org.
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February 2022 Newsletter
Photos from NJTL sessions
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January 2022 Newsletter
The Houston Youth Tennis Program offered through the Houston Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with the HTA is often referred to as NJTL (National Junior Tennis & Learning) and is a FREE, year-round program that offers basic tennis instruction to registered participants ages 4-18 (ages 6-18 during the school year). The program with instruction is offered at parks across the city.
The winter sessions begin in mid-January. Visit https://www.houstonyouthtennis.org/ for details.
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The 2022 USTA Texas NJTL Art Contest is open to contestants age 18 and under who participate in an NJTL chapter. Contestants compete in one of six age categories by submitting a 2D piece of art on an 8” x 11” piece of paper following a theme of “how tennis has taught you to work well with others.” Artists may use any colorful medium that includes markers, paint, pastels, colored pencils, crayon, digital art or photography. The entry deadline is 5 p.m. February 18. Six winners will be awarded a plaque and a chance to win tickets to the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships April 2-10 in Houston. Find full details and an entry form here.
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December 2021 Newsletter
Benefit Tennis Mixer/King Richard Goodies
The HTA NJTL mixer at Giammalva Racquet Club early in November was a huge success, thanks to the diligence of Victoria Jaeger, Tina Beddow, Cecile Wilde and several others. HTA Board Member Caroline Champion participated in the mixer. Coach Charles brought four of his NJTL kids from his homeschoolers to play, and Rafael Chapa was the pro for the evening, which raised more than $550 for HTA NJTL. A big shout-out to GRC owner Victor Pinones for his generosity in hosting the event.
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Warner Bros. gifted some of the HTA NJTL kids with promotional items from the King Richard movie. Here, the Homeschool group show off their caps, totes and water bottles at Lee LeClear TC.
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November 2021 Newsletter
Saluting our scholar-athletes
The HTA NJTL Chapter is getting in the habit of developing national winners…in the essay category that is.
The Baumeisters–Jerome, Erin, Kathryn and Matthew in front. Not shown is Kara.
Erin Baumeister entered the USTA Foundation’s annual NJTL Essay Contest this year and won first place in the female 14 and under category. Ten student athletes, a boy and a girl in five age divisions, were selected from more than 1,100 entries.
Students entering the contest were asked to answer the following question in an essay of fewer than 350 words: “Robert Ryland was an accomplished tennis player and coach. He was known for seeing the possibilities in those he coached and within himself. Mr. Ryland was the first African American professional tennis player and the first African American to play in the NCAA National Championships. What facts about his story inspire you to break boundaries and excel in school, sports and to follow your dreams? What are your possibilities?”
Erin, who participates in the HTA NJTL sessions at Memorial Park Tennis Center, described her determination for breaking boundaries in her essay.
“One boundary that I overcame was my middle school not having a tennis team. With my mom’s guidance, I determined everything we’d need…I started my middle school team because I wanted to play for my school, and I found many of my classmates felt the same way when given the opportunity.”
Erin started the tennis team at St. Anne Catholic School in the eighth grade with the help of her mother Kathryn Baumeister, who plays tennis on several USTA teams, and now is recruiting team members for Incarnate Word Academy where she is now a freshman.
Erin at MPTC
Along with the recognition comes a trip for Erin and a parent to New York City for a two-night stay that will include multiple cultural experiences around the city and the unique opportunity to hit in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Deloitte, part of the largest global professional services network, returned as the presenting sponsor of the NJTL Essay Contest and virtual ceremony.
The Baumeister family plans to make this their family vacation in 2022, taking Erin’s younger siblings Kara and Matthew. All five Baumeisters are sports-minded, participating in cycling, tennis, soccer, softball, volleyball and baseball at one time or another. Erin is also on the volleyball team at Incarnate Word.
Seven HTA NJTL participants (including Erin) were Sectional winners in the contest.
Winners in the girls divisions were: 18 and under–Jada Lucas; 16 and under, Alexandria Chung; 14 and under—Baumeister; 12 and under—Natalia Alvarado; and 10 and under, Julia Zhu. Boys winners were: 12 and under—Raunak Sharda; and 10 and under—Ryan Zhu.
Meyerland resident Camille Blecher was a national essay winner in the 16 and under female category in 2018.
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Play tennis and support HTA NJTL at Giammalva Racquet
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October 2021 Newsletter
Here are a few of the winners of the NJTL art and essay contest. (Photos courtesy of HTA NJTL)
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HTA NJTL Fall II Session begins October 11. For information about the program and how to register for the second session visit www.houstonyouthtennis.org.
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September 2021 Newsletter
The National Junior Tennis League Ambassador’s Dinner, sponsored by the Houston Ladies Tennis Association, was held August 9 at the Red Robin Restaurant Marq-E Center on Silber Road.
The dinner recognizes two outstanding participants in the NJTL summer tennis program from each of the 60 public parks. Each award recipient was nominated by their coaches for their team participation and attendance, citizenship, helping others and promotion of strong community values.
Tina Beddow, HLTA representative who gave each winner their award, said “It was great to see so many excited winners and proud parents come together at one successful event.”
Emily Schaefer, who manages the HTA NJTL program, emceed the event. Photos by Hosanna Medina.
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Fall Session I of the HTA NJTL began August 30 at public parks throughout the city. The program offers basic tennis instruction to registered participants ages 4-18 (ages 6-18 during the school year). Session 1 continues through October 6, and Fall II Session begins October 11. For information about the program and how to register for the second session visit www.houstonyouthtennis.org.
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August 2021 Newsletter
Summer Program scenes at Cherryhurst Park
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July 2021 Newsletter
Sorting T-shirts was the first order of business to prepare for the HTA NJTL summer sessions. In the first photo, from left, Bronwyn Greer, Ricky Ardila, Rafael Chapa and Beatriz Chapa divvy up the shirts for the multiple neighborhood sites.
In addition, on-court training sessions began at Memorial Park Tennis Center with volunteers and student teachers. Team challenges began in June and are continuing through July.
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June 2021 Newsletter
HTA NJTL has announced its 2021 Youth Tennis Summer Schedule, which begins June 14 at 68 neighborhood park sites throughout Houston. Classes meet Monday through Thursday in the morning or afternoon.
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department Youth Tennis Program is a FREE program offered at a variety of public parks throughout the year. In partnership with Houston Tennis Association, Inc. – National Junior Tennis and Learning (HTA NJTL), the program provides children with fundamentals of the game of tennis and educational components that develop life skills.
Learn more at www.houstonyouthtennis.org.
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May 2021 Newsletter
Madonna Medina provided these photos of the children at Frazier Elementary School, one of the schools served by HTA NJTL through the HCDE CASE Select Service Partnership.
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April 2021 Newsletter
ACE stu
dents who completed the virtual education lessons provided last fall
and turned in their assignments to HTA NJTL Education Coordinator Hosanna Medina
received gift cards to Barnes & Noble. This group of students is from
the Tournament Players Group (TPG) at Memorial Park Tennis Center.
An education and technology grant from Chase enabled HTA NJTL to present 10 NJTL students
with Chromebooks of their own. Pictured at left is a student who is undergoing medical treatments
thanking HTA NJTL for all it is doing to support her family and for the new Chromebook.