The ACE Project was established to provide kids with an opportunity to do what they do best: be kids! We started by launching a tennis camp for students in Southland Chicago then expanded our program model to include homework assistance, nutritional support, academic enrichment, and social-emotional skill building. Now, we offer tennis-based after-school programs for students attending elementary schools in Chicago, IL, Baltimore, MD, and Detroit, MI as well as special opportunities in the summer for the school communities. Our goal is to ensure youth have equitable access to services that help them grow and thrive. The ACE Project also recognizes the role that families and communities play in helping youth practice and master social and emotional competencies. We recruit and train coaches among parents, teachers, school administrators, and other adults who live in the community, providing an economic incentive to all adults motivated to mentor at-risk youth. Hiring coaches from within the youths’ community increases the presence of attentive caring adults. For the adults, it builds new individual skill sets and boosts the local economy, which is paramount to our vision of creating self-sustaining program chapters. Each dollar benefits a child by helping them gain access to after-school programs that positively impact their lives. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact us for more information! Let's serve up more ACEs!