The New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) organization is bolstering mental health initiatives at over 30 public schools, supported by a $100 million LEAPS grant. This program targets high-need areas and provides after-school activities like sports, arts, and tutoring to help students develop emotional regulation and mental health awareness. NYJTL serves more than 3,000 students, leveraging sports to cultivate teamwork and character while equipping staff with necessary training. Recent data highlights a concerning mental health landscape for children, emphasizing the need for such initiatives to support emotional well-being.
"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..."
The Learning and Enrichment After-School Program Supports (LEAPS) grant has accelerated efforts to expand the organization's mental health programming, which focuses on emotional regulation and mental health first aid.
...approximately 15 percent of children ages 3 to 13 were formally diagnosed with a mental health condition, with anxiety and depression identified as the top issues.
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