Read ’26 spends time with underserved youth helping to instill confidence and positivity into their lives through squash and connection.
This summer, I volunteered at SquashSmarts, an organization in North Philadelphia with a goal of helping underserved youth. My role, officially, was a volunteer squash coach, but the impact I had on students was more than just squash. Through spending time with them on and off the court, I was a role model for younger kids and a friend for students my age. In the first week, most students seemed skeptical of myself and the other volunteers, but it did not take long for them to feel open to us. Soon, I didn’t feel like an intern or volunteer, but a peer and someone learning from and experiencing the camp with them. I was friends with many, especially a boy my age who will be a new student at Mercersburg, a boarding school in Pennsylvania. I spent a lot of time talking to him about boarding school. SquashSmarts felt more like a fun and rewarding time with a byproduct of helping underserved kids than simply a summer job or community service. This is how it should feel and I am pleased it worked out this way.
There were a few students that I saw grow the most, one being a very young boy named Yaseen. Prior to the summer camp, Yaseen had just moved to the United States from Egypt and he knew little to no English. He was clearly shy around other students. When I spent time with him, I tried my best to make him as happy and confident as possible. Every little thing he did, I acted very positively towards. It did not take long for Yaseen to noticeably feel comfortable around me and his peers. I am happy to have seen his growth over the course of the summer. This is one of many great impacts that SquashSmarts has–instilling confidence in its students.
By volunteering at an organization that improves the lives of underserved youth, I learned the necessity and value of positivity. Many of the kids come from grim areas and home environments. For example, I learned that one of the schools that a few of the kids go to had a gun scare, leading to a severe lockdown, something I cannot imagine. Thus, it was important for SquashSmarts to be a beacon of positivity in the students’ lives. Other than being encouraging for the students’ sake, I was struck by their positive attitude in general.
I am grateful for the SquashSmarts community for being so welcoming and I believe the organization has a hugely positive impact on its surrounding community. I am very grateful to have been a part of that. Thank you to the CSGC for giving me the opportunity to volunteer at SquashSmarts this summer. Over the school year, I hope to continue my time with SquashSmarts by tutoring students online.
