As mental health concerns for youth rise, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is expanding its mental health initiatives in over 30 public schools, including 12 in Brooklyn. Funded by New York State's LEAPS grant, these initiatives focus on emotional regulation and mental health first aid. Serving over 3,000 students, NYJTL integrates sports with educational support and wellness programs. The grant is set to enhance staff training and tools, facilitating better connections between adults and youth, which is crucial for developing emotional resilience in children facing mental health challenges.
"Overall, sports is mental health," said Grace Bodenmann, NYJTL's chief education officer. "It develops teamwork. It develops character, [and] a connection with other peers no matter how strong you are at the game."
Bodenmann told Brooklyn Paper that the grant will help "deepen the work" that NYJTL has already done. "We're being really purposeful [by] providing training to our staff who are going to implement the connections that they build with the kids," she said, "but we need to give them the tools to be able to know how to do that appropriately."
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