On a sunny morning at the Case Western Reserve University tennis courts, Advantage Cleveland campers take the court. The organization operates year-round and has four focus areas – tennis, STEM, literacy, and wellness – and a host of youth programs throughout the year.
More Than Just Tennis
But Advantage Cleveland Tennis and Education, AdvantageCLE for short, is more than just a tennis camp. Each day starts with breakfast at 8:15 a.m., followed by morning announcements and a review of the camp rules. Campers are divided into groups by age and spend an hour in each of the four main focus areas.
Carter White, 11, came to AdvantageCLE as a six-year-old. The tennis component of camp is what he looks forward to the most each day. His favorite shot is his backhand and volley, and one of his favorite players to watch is Coco Gauff.
Creating Opportunities
Liz Deegan, the executive director of AdvantageCLE, believes that the organization is creating a space where kids from all backgrounds can have the same opportunities. Deegan said, ‘For me, it’s about creating a space here where no matter the ZIP code is or what may be going on at home, these kids have the same opportunities that they would in the suburbs.’
Me’lani Labot Joseph, a board member for AdvantageCLE, facilitated the introduction of STEM to the curriculum. The AdvantageCLE students have thoroughly enjoyed the STEM component, particularly robotics.
Success Stories
Kelli Price, a former camper and instructor at AdvantageCLE, credits the organization with giving her the spark she needed to follow her dreams and start her own nonprofit. Price said, ‘I knew that at 15 what they were doing at the camp was something I wanted to not only replicate but transform into a place that people like me, little boys and girls from the ‘hood, could have an opportunity to be heard and feel comfortable expressing themselves.’
Price’s younger sister, Kalia Price-Franklin, followed in her footsteps. Kalia was a camper and upon aging out of the camp, became a counselor. She currently plays on the Shaker Heights High School girls tennis team.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
