The official 2009 NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay and Art Contest has begun! This contest commemorates the spirit and humanitarian work of the late, great Arthur Ashe by asking NJTL participants (18 years old and under) to learn about Arthur Ashe and then respond by writing an essay or submitting artwork answering the question. What this Arthur Ashe quote means to you by including example from Ashe’s life and your own. “From what we get, we make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
Ten National Essay finalists will be chosen for the grand prize – an all-expense paid weekend to attend Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day and other exciting cultural events in New York City.
If your program has participated in the past, then this year you’ll see that the contest has changed:
· New Question - We have changed the question to What this Arthur Ashe quote means to you by including example from Ashe’s life and your own. “From what we get, we make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” We hope this will get kids to learn about the legend, about who they are, and how their behavior reflects the ideals of Arthur Ashe.
· Art Submissions – If you have a participant 12 years old and under, instead of writing an essay, they’re more than welcome to respond to the question by showing off their creativity and submitting their artwork. This could be a drawing, must submit art within the parameters of size and shape (11” x 14” or less and flat). however, are not eligible for the grand prize.
· No Spanish – We can no longer accept essays in Spanish due to the legal difficulties of fairly judging them against English essays. The rules and entry form, however, have been translated into Spanish for your convenience.
· Incentives – Sharing this contest with your players is a great way for you to incorporate a fun educational component to your NJTL program and teach kids about the life of one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. To encourage all of our NJTLs to participate and administer the contest in their program, we are awarding prizes to NJTLs that submit a certain amount of essays. Chapters and programs that reach these goals by the deadline will get their prizes by November 2009!
· Policies and Procedures: We have new policies and procedures. Please be sure to read and review the rules carefully before running the Contest in your program.
The Contest Application and Official Contest Rules are available by clicking here. Please print copies of the Application and Official Contest Rules and make available to your program participants. All submissions must be collected by you and received at the USTA National Office by July 10th (Arthur Ashe’s Birthday). Only submissions received from ACTIVE NJTLS are eligible, so please be sure you have renewed your NJTL registration at http://njtl.usta.com before submitting.
> AAEC 2009 Guide
Since its establishment by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder in 1969, NJTL has had a significant impact on the lives of many of our nation’s youth. USTA Tennis NJTL seeks to develop the character of young people through tennis, emphasizing the ideals and life of Arthur Ashe by:
- Reaching out to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn and play tennis.
- Instilling in youngsters the values of humanitarianism, leadership and academic excellence.
- Giving youngsters the opportunity to fully develop their tennis skills so they can derive a lifetime of enjoyment from the sport.
USTA Tennis NJTL is a community-driven program that keeps youngsters off the streets and out of trouble by providing them with a safe haven, adult role models and an opportunity to develop positive social skills and learning disciplines. Many USTA Tennis NJTL participants have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, accountants, tennis teaching professionals, coaches, and business executives. A few have even become professional tennis players.
Why become a USTA Tennis NJTL Chapter or Program? Here are 18 Benefits of the NJTL program. If you are interested in forming a new NJTL program or chapter, please complete the Registration Form and mail it back to the USTA Florida office. An NJTL program can be formed through a school, a youth organization or club, a private tennis facility or even a park and recreation site. USTA Florida also offers start-up grants to get your tennis program off the ground.
To learn more about NJTL, contact Shelly Licorish.