Three Breakpoint Tennis and Life Skills Academy Awarded in NJTL Essay Contest
This summer, ten juniors were selected as USTA Foundation National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) Essay Contest winners. The contest allowed those 18 and under to participate, and children under 12 had the following prompt: “In your opinion, who is the greatest of all time and why?”.
Three of those ten winners are students of Breakpoint Tennis and Life Skills Academy: Dakota, Lincoln, and Soren. This Saint Louis non-profit organization helps students gain confidence and self-esteem through tennis and education programming.
“I was proud of all the kids,” Breakpoint Co-Founder and Executive Director of Program Development Ben Gidehaus said. “I love when the section recognizes kids for their passion and hard work, especially for educational initiatives like the essay contest.”
Thanks to the academy, the participants had plenty of educational tools and resources to use as they worked on their writing.
“We worked on essays during tennis and reading camps at Mathews Dickey Club and the Highlands Golf & Tennis Center,” Gidehaus said. “Students had access to coaches, volunteers, and our reading specialists to assist them. In some cases, essays started out as comic books [that] students worked on in the Drawn In program we run in partnership with Nine PBS.”
Soren, Gildehaus’ son, made his father proud as he represented the academy and the life lessons he learned from his family. Who was his greatest of all time? His father.
- Ben and his kids
- Ben's kids on tennis court
“He put a lot of thought into his essay and chose to write about me,” Gildehaus said. “Soren started playing tennis with me when he was four on public courts near our house. He and his sister come to nearly every Breakpoint clinic and have grown up playing tennis with kids in our program all over St. Louis. He and I have spent countless early mornings together on court over the past four years, so it was fun for both of us when he shared his essay with me."
Gildehaus notes how the awards will help the success of the academy. He hopes that it will inspire other students and increase essay contest participation next year.
- Lincoln
- Dakota
- Soren and Sister
“We will recognize the winners in Breakpoint's next virtual newsletter and celebrate their achievement with other kids in the program.,” Gildehaus said. “We had many other kids in the program put thought and effort into essays, but they were unable to complete the submission process. Our goal is to increase participation in the essay contest next summer.”
The work of all their participants were properly recognized as the achievement brings together the academy’s community.
“The kids sacrificed time and energy to celebrate and share why the individual they chose is their greatest of all time. Essays were read aloud and shared with coaches and families,” Gildehaus. “More investment in community tennis and education programs can bring people together, stretch everyone's comfort zones, and have a ripple effect in our community!”
Want to learn more about Breakpoint Tennis and Life Skills Academy? Click here.
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