Ten deserving National Junior Tennis and Learning student-athletes were honored during the 2024 US Open as winners of this year's NJTL Essay Contest.
The winners, aged 10 to 18, are participants in the USTA Foundation’s flagship NJTL network, created in 1969 by legendary tennis player Arthur Ashe, along with Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder. The network provides more than 150,000 youth from under-resourced communities nationwide with more equitable access to tennis, education, and life skills development to help prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of life. Over 1,000 students entered this year’s contest, answering the prompt, “Who is your GOAT?” or greatest of all time.
During US Open Fan Week, winners participated in various events throughout New York City, culminating with a special luncheon presented by Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services organization.
Each winner and their parent or legal guardian received a trip to New York City from Aug. 21-24, during which they were able to experience signature US Open Fan Week events, accompany USTA Foundation Chairperson and 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert to Wall Street to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and participate in an immersive learning experience with representatives from Deloitte. Each essay contest winner also received an honorary plaque at a special luncheon at the Yale Club of New York City.
“We are incredibly proud of all of the student-athletes who submitted such thoughtful responses for this year’s NJTL essay contest, and it was an honor to celebrate the ten winners and their families in New York City,” said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich. “We are grateful to Deloitte for their continued support and for leading activities designed to help students understand the importance of strategic thinking, collaboration, and networking – all things we strive to reinforce through NJTL programs.”
The 10 winners of the 2024 NJTL Essay Contest were selected in the following categories:
Girls/Boys 10-and-Under
Winifred Homer-Wambeam, University of Wyoming NJTL
Lincoln Powell-Stevenson, The Sarah Vande Berg Foundation
Girls/Boys 12-and-Under
Chase Meyers, Opportunity Tennis Academy
Bhodi Knowles, Legacy Youth Tennis and Education
Girls/Boys 14-and-Under
Mackenzie Moseley, Dallas Tennis Association
Kristofer Glason, Small is the New Big
Girls/Boys 16-and-Under
Euri Kim, Serving Advantage, Inc.
Ian Wu, First Serve OKC Foundation
Girls/Boys 18-and-Under
Maasiai Sales, South Atlanta CTA
Magnus Smith-Peters, Metropolitan Tennis and Education Group