A'S & Aces

A’s & Aces’ mission is to provide academic assistance, life skills, and tennis instruction to New Orleans public school children. A's & Aces is sports-based youth development organization, a United States Tennis Association's (USTA) National Junior Tennis & Learning Chapter, and a Community Tennis Association. The organization has steadily built capacity through strong partnerships with elementary schools, local universities, the USTA, AmeriCorps Programs, and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. Broad financial support has been received from philanthropic foundations, corporate and government grants, and individual donors. This deep and diverse community support allows us to provide high-quality programming regularly to 750 underserved children through in-school, after-school and weekend programming 6 days per week throughout the academic year, and more in our Literacy & Tennis Summer Camps. In 2012, we reached about 1,000 children. Our programs, such as the Pathway to College Initiative and ARISE-ing Dream Project, among others, are designed to address several crises that particularly affect the City: illiteracy, violence, and obesity.The name “A’s & Aces” represents our student-athlete model and emphasis on good grades and good tennis. Research-based curricula addressing children’s reading and writing, character development, and health are implemented by full and part-time staff assisted by over 100 volunteers.