Mills College and E. Morris Cox Elementary School Collaborate to Create the MillsCommunity Tennis Program

by Peter Stiepleman

How did this program come to exist?

E. Morris Cox Elementary School has over 1,000 students (K-5), and after-school opportunities outside of the school can be described as sporadic. In January our school community was frustrated when the local Elmhurst Branch Library as well as the Verdese Carter Recreation Center were slated for closure. Many of the teachers and parents at Cox protested the closures with petitions and mass mobilization. Peter Stiepleman, an Instructional Facilitator at Cox, asked Stephanie Ng, a fifth-grader, how she felt about the imminent shutting down of these institutions. She responded "It's not fair." She was right. It wasn't fair.

Peter spoke with Marc Weinstein, the Director of Tennis at Mills, about the predicament, and they both decided to create an after-school tennis and tutoring program for E. Morris Cox students. With the support and encouragement of their directors, Michael Scott at Cox and Themy Adachi at Mills, students began coming to Mills College every Sunday and Thursday.

How does the program work?

On Thursdays the student athletes come from grades 3 to 6 p.m., the most dangerous time for juveniles, according to the FBI, and receive mentoring from undergraduates and high-school students in the Upward Bound program. They also participate in university classroom visits and library visits, in addition to receiving tennis instruction. On Sundays parents accompany their children for an hour of tennis games, which focus on the specific skills taught the previous Thursday.

Who is funding the program?

With the financial assistance of organizations like Youth Grants for Youth Action, the United States Tennis Association, and E. Morris Cox, the program has raised nearly $9,000 to pay for court rentals, tennis coaches, tennis tutors, transportation, and instructional materials. Individuals interested in donating time, money, or equipment are welcome to contact Peter by e-mail at pstieple\@ousd.k12.ca.

Why is this program important?

This program promotes healthy activities for children. Peter volunteers his time because he wants students to think about their mental and physical well-being. A majority of Cox students do not exercise or eat healthily. In addition, the program has a long-term vision of involving parents and reducing the amount of racial conflict on the schoolyard. If parents feel valued, they will get more involved in school activities. If students from very different cultural backgrounds realize that all children have similar dreams, there will be less suspicion of the "others" at school.