Creating Scholar Athletes: Tennis & Education

PAST&E's Island Hopping Summer Curriculum infused science into art, reading, writing, fitness and nutrition activities all summer long. Each week we "traveled" to a different Island to learn about endemic species, cultures, history and politics, arts and crafts and foods eaten on each Island. Our focus on science, in particular animal biology, filled a gap in our student athlete's school experience and filled our day with fun enriching new activities. Each week the students sent postcards from the Island they learned about to one another, wrote newspaper articles about the activities they participated in, and made their own cheers and songs about the animals they learned about. These activities were a great way to make education fun and exciting for the student athletes, giving them the chance to learn for the sake of learning, not because they would be tested on the material!

For the PAST&E Student Athletes, it's important to learn about citizenship and how to respect and contribute in a positive way at PAST&E, at home, at school, in our local community, in our city, state and across the world! While learning about endangered species we focused on what we can do to help! The biggest impact we can make is to learn about animals, how they've become endangered and what is being done to help! While PAST&E didn't actually travel to the 8 Islands/Island nations we visited this summer, we did visit these places in spirit and feel a personal connection to each place!

This fall we are focusing on three animals to understand on a deeper level how people have advocated for animals and the positive changes they have been able to make on their behalf. Our K-3rd grade student athletes are studying Chimpanzees and Dr. Jane Goodall, our 4-5th grade student athletes are studying Elephants and Daphne Sheldrick, and our 6th grade student athletes are studying Cheetahs and Dr. Laurie Marker. We look forward to sharing more about these animals soon!