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“THE GOAL OF GPTA’S “BASELINES AND BOOKS” PROGRAM IS TO BLEND TENNIS AND EDUCATION TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM ON THE COURT AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.”
According to the USTA’s special report: More than A Sport – Tennis, Education and Health youth who play tennis gain multiple positive outcomes. Among youth who play tennis:
Our mission-driven programming is strategically developed to address the achievement and opportunity gap in the North-End of West Palm Beach.
An indispensable community resource developing the academic, athletic, and life skills they need to reach their potential.
GPTA will deliver proven academic and athletic services that foster self-sufficiency and help participants develop the skills and confidence to succeed in school and beyond.
GPTA Baselines and books (B&B) enhances the health, safety and academic performance of elementary/middle school students every school year. We provide academic, tennis, and life skills instruction to students after school and within schools in the Gaines Park adjacent under-resourced neighborhoods.
(Roosevelt, UPA, Northboro, Northmore, UB Kinsey, Westward, Pleasant City) Baselines and Books will run currently within the Palm Beach County school calendars between September and June.
GPTA is forming relationships with Principals, ADs and PE Instructors at the indicated primarily elementary schools and secondarily middle schools in the Gaines Park adjacent area. This established a collaboration means that certified tennis instructors, introduce and teaches tennis to children during physical education classes, summer programs, and at other times based on availability and coordinates competitions between the schools. As a result, students will have increased access to quality instruction.
One to one academic tutoring primarily in Math, Science, Reading, and Writing ensures that our students will have the skills necessary to succeed in high school. The GPTA academic component is taught by subject matter experts, (retired teachers, businesspersons, and scientists) and other volunteers (high school and college students) with linkages within the schools where B&B operates. The tutors are provided with guidance and support to deliver an educational component that is in concert with the student’s grade appropriate curricula.
GPTA’s B&B’s aim is to use tennis as a vehicle to prepare young people to be successful on the court, in their communities and in the world.
Our target is for each elementary-aged child in the program to have a relationship with a caring adult (or high school/college student) who assists them with their homework, participates in mentor mixers and serves as a positive role model weekly. Additionally, to accomplish this we will collaborate with our partners the Boys/Girls clubs and PAL and other organizations like Big Brother/Big Sister who are already doing Mentoring and have “trained” mentors. This type of collaboration will help with the “one to one” tutoring ratio that we seek.
Monthly workshops on topics ranging from financial literacy to notetaking to managing standardized test (e.g., FCAT, PSAT) taking, to information technology, help our students function at their highest potential in school.
