High School Ambassadors - Class of 2021
High School Ambassadors are back!
The school year may have ended, but the USTA Mid-Atlantic summer High School Ambassador Program is just getting started. If you are unfamiliar with the program, High School Ambassadors are high school age tennis enthusiasts on a mission to help USTA Mid-Atlantic promote the healthy, physical, social and emotional benefits of tennis to other young people in the region.
The High School Ambassador program was initially part of USTA Mid-Atlantic’s 2020 #ServeItForward Campaign and began as a way for Mid-Atlantic high school students to combat the isolation of the pandemic and connect with other area youth through tennis. Last year’s seven ambassadors participated in virtual meetings, the #ServeItForward Junior Team Challenge, and regularly engaged on social media. The program was so successful that we’ve not only brought the program back for another year but we expanded the number of ambassadors as well.
This year, the USTA Mid-Atlantic is pleased to welcome the class of 2021 USTA Mid-Atlantic High School Ambassadors:
Freshmen: Grace Kestler, Charlotte Perera, Kaitlyn Sullivan, Katie Van Horn
Sophomores: Simone Bergeron, Jeremy Chung, Andrew Hannan, Arakai Henryson-Gibbs, Tyler Hester, Adelaide Houston, Sage Ryder Lin, Luke Saylor
Juniors: Lauren Allen, Carleigh Leavitt, Hrishita Mareddy, Ryan Matin, Ameer Muhammad, Vedanth Ramachandra
Seniors: Jack Alexander Clauss, Zachary Fox, Arnav Gupta, Anika Ajay Joshi, Anbo Li, Joshua Padgett, Derek Yan
Our 25 ambassadors hail from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region, from Baltimore, Md. all the way to Hamilton, Va., and in between. This year’s program participants are an impressive group of high schoolers that include three returning ambassadors, one that runs a youth-based nonprofit and another that has a racquet-stringing business. All of the ambassadors play tennis either on their high school team or in competitive tournaments around the region.
Returning ambassador Derek Yan is excited to return to the program. "I had an amazing time last year serving as the Mid-Atlantic High School Ambassador and helping to promote the sport of tennis to juniors around the region during difficult times. This year, I want to continue this wonderful mission, which is why I've returned to the Ambassador program," he said.
This year’s program will run from June until August and the ambassadors will participate in virtual events, in-person events, and will use social media to promote and connect with others about tennis.
USTA Mid-Atlantic is looking forward to spending this summer creating community with our High School Ambassadors. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on what the Ambassadors are up to.
USTA Mid-Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps people and communities grow stronger, healthier, and more connected through tennis. Learn about our impact in the Section and how you can help bring tennis to more communities throughout the region.
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