Ice Hockey In Harlem is a non-profit community based organization for youth that uses the sport of hockey to promote academic achievement, responsibility, teamwork and good character. Ice Hockey In Harlem (IHIH) began in the winter of 1987 with forty eager participants ranging in age from 9-12. All participants agreed to attend weekly classroom sessions and skate one night a week. In class these IHIH pioneers were taught math, reading, and geography using hockey cities and statistics as teaching tools. With a cursory knowledge of the basics, the youngsters donned mismatched, second-hand equipment and wobbled onto the ice of Lasker Rink, an outdoor facility at the northern end of Central Park. Under the tutelage of Co- Founders Dave Wilk and Todd Levy, and with the help of former Ranger Pat Hickey, the boys were soon skating, shooting, and passing as though they had been playing the game for years. After that rookie season, the program managed to raise enough money to send one player to a summer hockey camp in California. Now in its fourth decade, Ice Hockey In Harlem has become a widely recognized and highly respected name throughout the hockey community. It has also served as the model for numerous successful programs throughout the country.