Our Impact

As a new organization, our programming began last year with just six kids. In the past year, Serving Stars has introduced the sport of tennis to over 300 young people in Lawrence through pop-up clinics at events like Ciclovia and the Salsa Festival, sports sampling in P.E. classes at the Arlington School, and weekly open summer clinics on the Lawrence High School courts. Having developed partnerships with organizations like Spark Fitness and Tennis Club, the Lawrence YMCA, Esperanza Academy, Arlington Middle School, and One for Health has allowed us to provide extensive and impactful after-school programming to over 50 students on a weekly basis.

In our after-school program, players use wearables to track their activity, the ACE Curriculum to improve their attitudes towards learning, One for Health yoga and mindfulness training to teach strategies the players can use to manage stress and improve physical well-being, and expert tennis coaching meant to improve hand-eye coordination and instill confidence in the individuals as athletes.

During the summer, Serving Stars will continue to partner with the YMCA to provide a tennis component within the YMCA enrichment program. Starting in the fall, we will begin our first year as a fellowship location within the Community Engagement Master's Degree program at Merrimack College which will provide us with a full-time fellow to continue to solidify the financial and programmatic foundation of the organization.