STREETSQUASH 20TH ANNIVERSARY REPORT MISSION For 20 years, StreetSquash’s mission has been to In 1999, StreetSquash launched as an provide consistent, long-term, and reliable support after-school program with 2 full-time staff to the children, families, and schools in Harlem and and 24 participants in Harlem. Newark. By exposing these students to a broad range Two decades later, we have evolved into an of experiences and by maintaining the highest intensive youth development program with standards, StreetSquash helps all participants realize 30 full-time staff and 400 participants their academic, athletic, and personal potential. across Harlem and Newark. Above: StreetSquash’s first student cohort and founding staff members prepare for a day of competition in 2000. 2 3 2008 2010 TO THE STREETSQUASH COMMUNITY, 2017 StreetSquash opens StreetSquash 2004 2014 It is hard to believe that StreetSquash has completed 20 amazing Today, we work with participants through college or other post- $9 million SL Green participants and staff 2013 StreetSquash Center on embark on program’s StreetSquash expands years of working with the students, families, and schools in secondary programs and into the workforce. We now have social professional development 1999 2005 115th Street in Harlem first international Record number of Harlem and Newark. workers, college and alumni support staff, and many other full-time 2003 StreetSquash offerings in partnership 2018 service-learning trip Lonnie Gibbs becomes first StreetSquash students introduces College with FREE (Finance Requires In 1999, we launched with our first cohort of students, made up of professionals dedicated to our participants’ success at every step to Nicaragua StreetSquash alumnus to compete on college varsity StreetSquash launches in Preparation Program Effective Education) 24 sixth- and seventh-graders from Thurgood Marshall Academy of their journeys. Our top priorities are supporting each student’s StreetSquash holds 100% of StreetSquash’s first (read more on p. 16) work in a full-time staff role teams, with 17 participants Newark’s first student cohort Harlem as second squash (read more on p. 11) mental and physical well-being, and helping participants reach their inaugural fundraising gala student cohort graduate at the organization representing their schools (read more on p. 23) graduates from high school, and Roberto Clemente Middle School. When we started working and education program in full potential in the classroom and on the court. at The Roosevelt Hotel, from high school (read more on p. 26) during the season with 100% going on to college with those students, I never imagined that StreetSquash would the United States raising $500,000 evolve into what it is today. At that time, I was just trying to create I am proud to reflect on StreetSquash’s past, and to see just how (read more on p. 8) something meaningful for students to do after school, and to do my far we have come. For two decades, we have grown responsibly and part to level the playing field for the program’s participants. responsively. We have expanded our community to include not only It did not take long to see the impact that StreetSquash was having. our students, but also their families, their schools, and our staff, Every day, we were helping students with their homework and volunteers, donors, and board members. We have an ever-growing teaching them how to play squash. group of people that are connected to and believe in StreetSquash, and that brings us tremendous strength. At the same time, and far more importantly, we were building relationships. We were connecting with our students, their teachers, Please join me in celebrating the progress we have made, and and their families, and we were creating a strong network committed everyone who has been involved with StreetSquash along the way. George Polsky helps found I hope you enjoy reading our annual report and seeing all that this to providing critical support to every individual in the program. StreetSquash competes Squash and Education Alliance Largest cohort of community has achieved. (formerly NUSEA) to guide 20 StreetSquash college against SquashBusters StreetSquash participates in Members of StreetSquash’s StreetSquash students In the 20 years since launching, we have always adapted to fit our national squash and students and other alumni at Columbia University first-ever national tournament inaugural student cohort earn graduate high school, participants’ changing needs. As our students aged and entered new education movement complete post-secondary To the next 20 years, in first-ever match for squash and education college degrees, the first with 26 participants stages of their lives, we grew alongside them. programs, marking largest between two squash and programs, featuring groups participants in the program earning diplomas StreetSquash opens student cohort to achieve education programs from Boston, Philadelphia, to do so We quickly learned that our sixth-graders needed different 2005 StreetSquash establishes second program in Newark StreetSquash launches this milestone and the Bronx StreetSquash celebrates programming than our ninth- or twelfth-graders, and that our full-time position to support full-time Social Work (read more on p. 19) 2016 20th anniversary with a participants in college and beyond could still benefit greatly from 2000 participants in college 2009 Department and beyond 2018 600-person gala, our help. At each point where we might have taken a break or pulled George Polsky, (read more on p. 20) raising $1.4 million back, we have instead increased our involvement. 19992003 (read more on p. 12) 202012 19 StreetSquash Founder and Executive Director (read more on p. 24) 2013 2008 2019 4 5 OUR IMPACT OVER THE A CLOSER LOOK LAST 20 YEARS AT OUR WORK TODAY HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE AND POST-SECONDARY COLLEGE AND POST-SECONDARY GRADUATION RATE MATRICULATION RATE GRADUATION RATE APPROACH COMMUNITY Our holistic approach supports all participants in realizing We partner with 400 students and their academic, athletic, and personal potential. families in Harlem and Newark. 100% 97% 68% ACADEMICS 37% higher than New York City 49% higher than New York City More than 4x the 20% 16% SQUASH MIDDLE K-5* 62% and Newark Public Schools and Newark Public Schools national average for students SCHOOL OF ALUMNI in the same demographic ENROLLED IN COLLEGE/POST- 99% SECONDARY IDENTIFY AS PROGRAM SOCIAL STUDENTS WORK COLLEGE ACCESS, OF COLOR SUCCESS, 30% AND HIGH ALUMNI SCHOOL SUPPORT COMMUNITY, 34% LEADERSHIP, ALUMNI AND CULTURAL EXPOSURE 70% OF THE CLASS OF 2019 QUALIFIED FOR THE PELL GRANT * Physical education for public school program WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT 1 We offer long-term, intensive services to participants beginning in sixth grade through six years after high school graduation. 6 2 We work with participants who have a wide range of abilities by not weighing academic averages or athletic skills in our selection process. 3 We use squash, a non-traditional sport, to engage participants. 6 7 JOHN JOHNSON StreetSquash Board Member AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING Educator at Thurgood Marshall Academy In 1999, StreetSquash launched in Harlem as the second squash and education program in the United States. With two full-time staff working with 24 public school students across three borrowed spaces, the organization’s 1999 program model featured academic support, squash instruction, and community service. StreetSquash’s high expectations give participants the drive to do better. I can tell immediately which of my students are involved with StreetSquash because their In 2019, while our foundation remains the same, our capabilities, resources, and staff have expanded to “ academic and social-emotional needs support participants at a much higher level. We now offer every participant rigorous, multi-disciplinary are being met at higher levels. instruction and support, thorough college preparation, individualized counseling services, intensive squash instruction, training, and competitive opportunities, regular community service events, and intentional leadership training. I started off as a math tutor at StreetSquash in 2000 because StreetSquash truly wants to see every participant succeed, my students were so excited about the program. As an and the kids learn they can reach and do more. The educator, it was important for me to get more involved at program’s staff are committed, and they really want to see 30 $4.2 400 StreetSquash because the program’s participants go on to the kids do well. When StreetSquash asked me to join its full-time million annual students and families participating staff operating budget in our programs each year college and better their lives. Nationally, the numbers for board, I was overwhelmed. I realized I could play a bigger 2019 kids of color earning college degrees is low, but that isn’t the role in the organization and make more of an impact. I have case at StreetSquash — here, the majority are going on to been involved with StreetSquash for 20 years, and I look college and graduating. A lot of participants are forward to staying involved for many more. first-generation college students, too. 8 9 CLASS OF 2019 ACCEPTANCES COLLEGE ACCESS ACCES-VR DREXEL UNIVERSITY NPOWER* SUNY NEW PALTZ ADELPHI UNIVERSITY EDISON JOB CORPS CENTER* PACE UNIVERSITY SUNY OLD WESTBURY In 2004, StreetSquash launched a College Preparation Program in response to a growing need to support ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY SUNY