Wimbledon may be over but 16-year-old Hannah Finkelstein, a rising junior at Evanston Township High School, is just getting started in her efforts to spread tennis love throughout the community.
In a bid to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, the organization’s highest achievement, Ms. Finkelstein conducted a one-day tennis clinic Monday, July 12 for Fleetwood-Jourdain summer campers. The 60 campers, ranging in age from 6 to 12, each received a racket, purchased with money from cookie sales, plus an instructional session.
Ms. Finkelstein said she hopes the equipment and experience will generate more interest in tennis among the campers. “My goal is exposure to the sport,” she explains. “I think tennis is sometimes forgotten about, because it’s hard to teach young kids. It takes more focus. It requires more one-on-one.”
Over the past year, Hannah developed a detailed curriculum for the clinic, which includes basic instruction and simple drills. Eventually she’d like to see her plan posted on the City’s website so that anyone interested in offering a similar program could have access to it.
“The theory is to spread the sport more widely,” says Ms. Finkelstein, “because I think it will give joy to so many people.” The idea behind the gold award, she explains, is to develop a project that has enduring impact in the community and beyond. On hand to assist were several ETHS classmates, including Samantha Asaro, Anna Bergmann, Caroline Klearman, Stella Morton, Talia Murtos and Molly Riley as well as troop leader Sue Felts, and her mom, Rebecca Finkelstein.
Wow! What an incredible achievement by an amazing girl. This program will surely continue to bring happiness to kids in our community for years to come. Way to go, Hannah!