A's & Aces

"providing academic assistance,
life skills and tennis to New Orleans public school children"

A's & Aces provides:

Academic support, with a focus on improving literacy
Life skills, using 100s of First Serve Curriculum™ activities
Tennis, introduced via QuickStart format and team play.

We serve over 500 children through in/after-school and summer programming.  Our staff is assisted by about 100 college service-learners and adult volunteers who provide low tutor-student ratios.

Our 3-year First Serve Curriculum begins with 3rd graders who participate twice weekly and spent time equally in the classroom and on court.  New classes of 3rd graders begin each fall and spring graduates have opportunities to continue as 4th and 5th grade students.  Each of the 3 Levels focuses on 6 core character-building skills annually and is coordinated with our literacy support program, which also includes Words-of-the-Day, preparations for the Arthur Ashe Essay and Art Contests.  Special activities include college field trips.  The goal is to help prepare children to confidently enter middle school and to succeed academically, emotionally and physically at that level and beyond. More

“I know first-hand what the A’s & Aces program offers to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.  Through our partnership, our school’s vision and mission are realized as students are encouraged to develop academically and athletically while building character through the life skills portion of the program.”

Michelle Douglas, Principal, Hynes Charter School

Successive phases of programming are planned to help build public middle and high school teams, and institute a “Pathway to College” program for committed students at hub facilities with courts and academic centers when Katrina-damaged New Orleans Recreation Department tennis courts reopen. More

A’s & Aces is one of the 602 National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters – the only chapter in New Orleans and the only First Serve chapter in Louisiana. As a First Serve Chapter, A’s & Aces students are eligible to participate in the NJTL Student-Athlete Competition among students from other First Serve chapters and compete for scholarships.

A's & Aces 2009 Annual Report

Angel Award®
the BCBSLA Foundation
*****
“Program of the Year”
Louisiana Tennis Association
*****
“Educational Merit Award”
Southern & Louisiana Tennis Associations
*****
City Council Proclamation “For Outstanding Work On Behalf of the Youth of New Orleans”
*****
“Outstanding Commitment Award”
Clinton Global Initiative

President Clinton presenting the Clinton Global Initiative Outstanding Commitment Award to A’s & Aces (Transcript)