25th Anniversary: Terri Florio

The backbone of the Foundation is Executive Director, Terri Florio. Without her dedication, hard work and devotion; we would not be the organization we are today. She helped build the Foundation from the ground up, bringing 25 years of hope and change to the Jacksonville community. Her kindness and generosity made the pursuit of dreams and an education possible for thousands of low-income students. Learn more about the humble beginnings of MWYF and Terri's experience in serving hope and changing lives for the past 25 years:

Q:  What has been your favorite memory with Mal over the years?

One of the most impactful memories with Mal is after we met with Mayor Delany at the time and Paul Vance who was the chief legal counsel of the Jaguars and Pam Paul who the the Mayor’s Chief of Children’s services in the city a the time. We just talked about the concept of building the youth center and the tennis complex and we sat out in the parking lot of Emmett Reed and was just looking at the empty field which is now the youth center and we just kind of talked about it, we said “you know if we go forward with this we can’t really go back”, and Mal just looked at me and said, “yeah let’s do it.” That’s probably not necessarily my favorite memory but my most impactful memory with Mal and we never really looked back from there we just kind of kept going forward.

Q: What do you feel is the biggest accomplishment of the Foundation so far?

I think there are two really big accomplishments that the Foundation has, one is the transformation of the neighborhood with first the Youth Center and tennis complex and then the Teen Center. But I think the biggest accomplishment of the Foundation is the hundreds of kids that have the trajectory of their lives changed. They’ve been able to experience things outside of their immediate neighborhood. They’ve been able to go on trips really all across the country. They’ve been able to go to college and come out of college debt-free. They’ve been able to learn about different careers that they may not have been able to learn about without MWYF and they’ve been able to grow up and go on to be successful contributing members of society.

Q: What was the moment you realized how much of an impact the Foundation has on the community?

I think the moment I realized how much of an impact the Foundation has on the community was the first time we opened the doors to the Youth Center and how much of a waiting list we had when we opened that building and again when we opened the Teen Center over here. To see how much both campuses really transformed the community and how much it transformed the neighborhood as a whole.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

We couldn’t do this work without all of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and professional staff. So really just a huge thank you to everyone from day one until today who has contributed a minute of their time or a dollar of their resources to support everything that we’re doing here. It doesn’t go unnoticed and it’s incredibly important to the work that we do and the success that we have.

25th Anniversary: Carol Hadley, 25 Years of Volunteer Service

A huge part of our success over the past 25 years is due to the time and dedication our volunteers and partners put in. With their help, we transformed the Foundation from two classrooms with a handful of students to a two-building operation dedicated to empowering youth, to providing academic assistance and skill-building to over 200 children in grades K-12. Carol Hadley is a volunteer who has been with MWYF since the beginning. Learn about her experience watching MWYF’s growth and why she’s volunteered with us for the past 25 years:

Q: What was the Foundation like at the beginning and what did volunteering look like?

When I came initially, you were over at the Emmett Reed Center and you had two rooms probably 10x12 ft. for each room. About 18 students, if that many, split between kindergarten - 3rd [grades] in one room and 4th-6th in another. Rooms were somewhat crowded, the building itself needed to be improved. So our very first volunteer project was to get authorization from the City to come in on the weekend and paint the two classrooms and clean everything else up.

Q: What is your experience like as a mentor and what is the relationship like between you and your mentee?

Well, I first met Karina when she was five years old. It was the first time I had been convinced that maybe I should mentor, and at first, it was kind of hard because I didn’t know Karina and Karina didn’t know me. I’m not a talker, fortunately Karina is a talker, so once we got to talking I got to know more about her and our relationship has developed more and more each year.

Q: Why have you continued to volunteer with us for 25 years?

The reason I continue volunteering is I love the children, the staff and I also like to see the growth of the children. Because so many of them have come and gone through and now are in college and it’s just such an improvement in their lives and I can see the improvement in how they view life and what they can achieve.

Q: What would you say to those interested in volunteering with MWYF?

I encourage others to volunteer because it’s important to make a difference in a child’s life and a lot of the children here, I know don’t have the impact on their lives at home, and having someone come in and talk to them one-on-one and encourage them is very important.

25th Anniversary: Marc Atkinson, MWYF Tennis Director & Alumni

For 25 years, MWYF has impacted the lives of over 20,000 children. Our Tennis Director, Marc Atkinson, was one of the first students touched by the Foundation. Check out what he has to say about his experience and why he chose to come back to help change the lives of others:

Q:  When did you attend MWYF as a student?

I attended the Foundation, Tennis-N-Tutoring, when it first started back in 2000, I was the very first student to sign up. I actually first met Ms. Terri at a block party during a Education for Youth Boot Camp I was in at Mayport, who had an end-of-the-year block party and I met Ms. Terri and she said “ Hey, you wanna sign up for Tennis and Tutoring?”. I was like “Tennis-N-Tutoring? What is Tennis?” The only thing I knew about tennis was Serena. So I said you know what, I’ll give it a try. So I was the first student to sign up back in 2000. We had about 25 kids in the program and now we are sitting here with 200 kids, it’s truly amazing.

Q: What is the most impactful thing the program did for you as a student?

The most impactful thing the Foundation has done for me as a student was keeping me off the streets and giving me a safe place to go after school. If I wasn’t coming here I’d probably be out running the streets, being a knucklehead like every other boy I knew. But the Foundation gave me a safe place and an opportunity to learn and play tennis, so I took advantage of the opportunity and it saved my life really.

Q: What are the most rewarding thing aspects of being the Tennis Director at MWYF?

The most rewarding thing about being the Director of Tennis at the Foundation is the opportunity to teach tennis to the youth. I teach tennis because, I mainly just want to give the kids a different outlet to make it out of the neighborhood. You know, most of them only play basketball, football or wanna be a rapper, or get caught up in some street mess or whatever they get caught up in nowadays. I just like giving our kids the opportunity of a different way out of the neighborhood than focusing on the basic “African American” sports, like they call it. I rather teach them tennis where they have more opportunities to be successful, if they really took advantage of their opportunity.

Q: As the Director of Tennis, what is your favorite memory with your students?

One of my favorite memories was with a young lady named Keshell Brown. She was murdered a few years ago, but I taught her backhand and she had like the best backhand in the Foundation’s history. I would put her backhand up against anybody- Serena, Mal. Mal’s backhand wasn’t as good as hers. But that’s one of my favorite moments and memories, teaching her backhand and watching her hit it and talking about “Oh, I got that Coach Marc backhand!” You know, that was a real blessing to me.

Q: What do you see as the biggest accomplishment of the Foundation So far?

The biggest accomplishment of the Foundation for the last 25 years- it’s still growing. You know not many programs or non-profits, at that, can say they grow every year, their impact is getting bigger every year, they’re expanding throughout the city of Jacksonville and more people are learning about them. Not a lot of non-profits or NJTLs can actually say that.

Q: Do you have anything to say to our supporters?

For the supporters, for the last 25 years, I would personally say I appreciate each and every one of ya’ll. You know, even if you donated money or donated your time or just sent items here, we really appreciate everything you’ve done for us. You can see, I’m a direct impact of the Foundation. The first student to graduate high school, the first student to graduate college, the first kid to play college tennis from the Foundation. And now that I’ve come back you’re the reason that I strive to try to be the best I can be and come back to the Foundation to give more.

25th Anniversary: MaliVai Reflects

In honor of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary, we sat down with MaliVai to reflect on the past 25 years and talk about his favorite memories and accomplishments since he started MWYF in 1996.

Q: What was your vision & goals for Mwyf in the 1990’s and how does that align with where mwyf is today?

The idea was to work with a group of kids in Northeast Florida, kids who otherwise would never be exposed to tennis, and get them out on the tennis court in the hopes that they would gain from the sport some of the things I’ve gained - the value of hard work, dedication, sportsmanship and sticking to a task. From those early days of just wanting to expose them to tennis, it has really morphed into so much more. We realized very quickly, learning to hit a forehand and backhand is great, but is there a better way to serve them in life. We literally did a 180 and went from a tennis program in the 90s, to a tennis and education program, to then over the years starting our life skills program - so just evolving.

It’s something that I’m proud of because I think we are genuinely impacting lives and genuinely saving lives- literally saving lives with the programs. Its just a great sense of, I’d say, accomplishment and pride that I have that so many people have come together to support the Foundation.

Q: we have heard countless impact stories from families, students and alumni, have reached major milestones and seen incredible outcomes from many programs. If you could think of one moment over the past 25 years where you really saw and understood the difference the Foundation was making what would it be?

It’s always fun when a student comes back to the Foundation and shows a level of appreciation and just kind of says hey thanks for the Foundation or this is the impact of the Foundation. There was one student who graduated from college, and this actually resonated with me, she graduated from college and she said “Mr. Mal, one of the greatest things about the Foundation is I was able to graduate debt free.”

Q: What is your hope for the next 25 years at the foundation?

So I think I’m most proud that we have lasted for twenty-five years, and literally today, we are trying to set ourselves up to last another twenty-five or fifty years. So long after I’m gone, I want to feel like and know that the Foundation will still be impacting young people here on the First Coast. So my vision for the Foundation is to be a staple in this community that will be here for generations to come.

After 25 years, obviously this isn’t something that I’ve done alone, or just a few staff members have done alone. No, this has been a true community effort. From our staff, which has always been led by our current Executive Director, Terri Florio, to all of our staff members, literally hundreds of staff members, volunteers, donors, individual donors, family foundations, corporate donors and people who have spent countless hours as board members or just helping out in a classroom or on the tennis court, this has been a collective effort, and that is why we are in our 25th year. And I want to say how grateful I am for all that support, we could not have done it without you, and we won’t be able to succeed in the future without continued support. So I hope and trust that every hour and every dollar you have donated to this Foundation, we have honored that commitment by running the best program that we can. Going forward, we are going to continue to try to do that, we are going to continue to try to be worthy of your time and effort and treasure that you are trusting in the Foundation. So thank you.

Sorenity & Journee

Nine years ago, Sornaura enrolled her daughters, Sorenity and Journee, in our afterschool program when she needed childcare assistance as a single mother. Today, they continue to attend the Foundation and benefit from our diverse programs and activities, summer camps and Family Nights and the lifelong friendships and relationships they created.

During one of our Family Nights, Sornaura and other parents learned about building credit and home ownership. After following the steps laid out that night, she became a first time homeowner four years ago!

“The program is teaching them important things they need to learn. It holds them accountable for their grades and makes them more responsible.” -Sornaura

Sorenity and Journee both achieved straight A’s during the first quarter of this school year and were awarded scholarships from the Foundation this past year. Sorenity received her scholarship for her community service and Journee for overcoming adversity. Sorenity has also maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school and was elected Treasurer of our Teen Board of Directors, where she takes pride in helping to create a better program for her peers.

We need your help to ensure more families will have access to our services. Your contributions are investments in our students’ lives that go towards providing academic assistance, college and career preparation, leadership training, life skills and enrichment courses and so much more. I hope that you will consider giving a gift to the Foundation this year.

I appreciate your continued support as we work to provide children and families with the resources they need to reach their full potential. Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!

Best Regards,
Terri Florio
Executive Director

P.S. Club 904, our new teen center, is now open! Would you make a donation today so that more teens, like Sorenity and Journee, can benefit from Club 904’s programs?

Teen Board of Directors

Many of the decisions for our teen center were influenced by the students: the rooms, programs, classes - and even the name, Club 904! It is a space meant for the students to have a voice and a choice on how they want to shape the future of Club 904. To maintain that intention, a Teen Board of Directors was established. You can meet the newly elected Teen Board below:

Why did you run for Teen Board President?

“To ignite a fire among my peers that would inspire them to motivate each other and come together as one student body voice.”

What was the platform you advocated for?

“I wanted to make sure everyone’s voice was heard.”

What are your hopes for the future of Club 904?

“My hopes are that I am able to give all students a great Club 904 experience, even during a pandemic.”

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Why did you run for Vice President?

“I wanted to advocate for all my fellow students and give ideas to the Board of Directors on what teens want for Club 904.”

What are you hoping to do as Vice President?

“As Vice President, I’m hoping to help bring in activities that’ll help teens achieve academically and help them get scholarships.”

What are you looking forward to seeing happen at Club 904?

“I’m looking forward to seeing more students come to Club 904 and seeing them achieve and grow, so they don’t just become another statistic.”

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What is your goal as Treasurer?

“To make some awesome fundraiser ideas so other teens could have the events they want to do.”

What are you hoping to accomplish as Treasurer?

“I hope to save Club 904 money and help students at the same time.”

What drew you to the position of Treasurer?

“ Handling the income of Club 904 events.”

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Why did you run for Secretary?

“I thought it would be a great way to help my peers & make a difference at Club 904.”

What will you do as Secretary?

“I would be sure to keep all the meeting records up to date and help give a voice to my fellow students.”

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What are you looking forward to as A Class Rep?

“Making events happen for the Class of 2022.”

Why did you want to become a Class Representative?

“ I felt that I have great communication skills and I think I could represent my class well.”

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What are you hoping to accomplish as a class rep?

“I hope to give a voice to what middle schoolers want for Club 904.”

Why did you run for Class Representative?

“I wanted to do something different and get leadership skills.”

My Distance Learning Experience

The pandemic has disrupted the everyday lives of MWYF students, however, through all the disarray they have been able to adapt and be resilient. The Foundation opened its’ doors for middle and high school students doing distance learning to complete their work at the Foundation in a more safe, isolated environment with access to computers, wifi, printers and supplies. Here’s the perspective of MWYF Student Tywan about how distance learning has affected him and how MWYF has helped him through it:

“ Hello, my name is Tywan, and I’m going to tell you a little bit about myself. For starters, I’ve been at the Malivai Washington Youth Foundation ever since I was in the eighth grade. I like how we’re able to go on trips (pre-Covid) and I like how when we have activities and special occasions at the foundation. I also like the foundation because it has shaped me to be a better person through its activities. The activities may be fun but also a learning experience, they teach you different things in life and it may give you a different perspective on certain topics. 

When I first began distance learning, I thought it was quite simple. The reason I thought it was simple is because I knew how to do my work already. Me personally, I like distance learning because it affected me in a good way by making it easier for me to manage my home and school work. When I was doing distance learning, I was still able to maintain a 3.0 and above GPA because I turned in my work on time.

Distance learning is currently the same, meaning it just like regular school, but it’s virtual. All I’m doing is listening to the teacher and doing the homework. MWYF has helped me with my grades and distance learning by encouraging us to do our work and not get Saturday School, and I don’t plan on going because I do my work.

When I go back to school, I hope to do the same as before the virus. What I mean by that is hanging out with my friends and having face to face understanding with my teachers.

What MWYF Means To Me

Most of our students grow up at MWYF and consider the Foundation to be a second home. Our staff works to provide students with a place to succeed, thrive and grow. We asked two of our high school students what MWYF means to them:

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Hello, my name is Breona and I’m in the 9th grade. After school, I come to MWYF and I’ve been here ever since 3rd grade. I’m so glad I stayed at MWYF, I’ve stayed in contact with many friends throughout my time at MWYF. Also, MWYF has helped me maintain my grades by staying out of Saturday school, and not to mention what great fun it is!

This school year, I’m excited about being in the new building, Club 904. Doing homework there is really relaxing, I feel comfortable. The classes I am taking are honors classes and I’m in the Early College Program. I want to play sports this year, maybe basketball or flag football.

I can tell you the three top things that are my favorite about MWYF and why. One is the people, when I’m at MWYF I feel like I’m surrounded by my second family, everyone here is so loving and we’re like one big family. Two, the love the staff has for the kids is amazing, how much they care for us and all that they do for us. Lastly, the fun! The activities, games and field trips are all great fun, especially when everyone is involved.

I’m looking forward to trips and different programs like cooking club, girl talk, playing games and more. I’m a LIT (Leader in Training)  at MWYF, I love helping the leads out in the classrooms and having fun with them, the smiles and giggles are priceless moments.

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My name is Mya, I am 17 years old and currently a senior. I’ve been at MWYF ever since the first grade. Since then, I’ve made long-lasting friendships. MWYF helped improve my grades by implementing Saturday school. With Saturday School existing, I am always on top of my assignments. MWYF is important to me because it gave me the life skills that I need to succeed in the future. 

As a Senior, I’m looking forward to my dual enrollment class. I’m taking college English and I’m excited to be taking a college credit. So far, I’m loving virtual school, but taking Spanish online is pretty challenging. What I’m most excited about as a senior is finally graduating. 

My top two memories here were going to a tennis match at Delray Beach and during summer camp when we used to have red vs. blue wars. What I will miss about MWYF are the friendships I’m leaving behind. Especially with people I formed a close relationship with. My plans after high school are to get my AA degree, then I will finish my bachelor’s at FSU. I will major Biology and then I will apply to a Physician’s Assistant program.

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To help us continue to provide educational programming and life skill classes to students like Breona, Mya and hundreds of other students, join us for a Night of Hope on October 8th from 7 to 8 pm. We will be raising vital funds that help us provide our programs to children in the Jacksonville area. Our virtual gala will be held on our Facebook Live and will feature a live and silent auction, to learn more about the event or to register visit A Night of Hope.

Building Future Leaders

The MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation is dedicated to changing the lives and building the futures of the students we serve. The Leaders in Training (LIT) program gives our high school students the chance to work as office assistants, classroom assistants or tennis coaches.

The program is more than just earning job and volunteer experience, it teaches responsibility, budgeting and time management and exposes the students to different career paths. Students are given the opportunity to interact with professionals from different backgrounds to talk about how they turned their passions into careers. LITs also build resumes and participate in mock job interviews during their time in the program.

The purpose of the LIT program is to build the foundation of success for the future leaders of our community. Our students love participating in the program and have shared some of their experiences with being an LIT below!

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“Being a LIT in this program is super beneficial because you meet new kids and become closer with the staff. I wanted a little bit of job experience and I really like this foundation. My responsibilities as a LIT are to manage the front office and to help out when there is extra work to be done. I’ve gained tons of communication skills, job experience, budgeting, time management, responsibility and organization. My favorite thing about being a LIT is being able to work in the office. My overall experience as a LIT is great because the people are friendly and the kids are funny and fun.”

- Breona

“My Job is a LIT and being a LIT is fun because we can interact with the kids during activities and also learn different stuff we never knew about. The program is amazing because we can apply for scholarships, they help keep our grades up and they give you different career opportunities to choose from. I joined the program so I can learn about different careers that I didn’t even know about and I can learn how to budget my money. My overall experience as a LIT is good because it improved my communication skills over time and I now have job experience to put on my applications in the future.” - Landaijah

2020 Scholarship Awards

Every year the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to students who embody the mission of being a champion on the courts, in the classrooms and throughout the community. This year we were able to award over $41,000 in scholarships through our first ever virtual ceremony. Many children who attend the Foundation live in low-income households and would struggle to attend higher education due to financial difficulties. 

Our goal is to help recipients overcome obstacles and hardships and break cycles of generational poverty. The majority of scholarships are donated by volunteers and partners who believe in our students’ potential and the Foundation’s mission. To earn these scholarships, students participate in a lengthy application and interview process and are given awards based on their merit as successful students, athletes and community members. 

MWYF’s most prestigious scholarships is the George M. Soper Student Athlete of the Year Award, which awards the recipient $5,000 to further their education. Our 2020 Student Athlete of the Year is Mya Sudduth, who was chosen based on her excellent sportsmanship, perfect 4.0 GPA and dedication to succeed in the classroom and on the tennis court. Mya is currently an 11th-grade student at Andrew Jackson High School and plans to attend Florida State University and major in Biology.

Congratulations Mya, on all your hard work and we can’t wait to you see you excel as you grow! 

Words cannot express how proud we are of all our award recipients. They pushed through adversities with kindness, determination and intelligence to achieve their dreams. Below is the list of all scholarship recipients: 

 Sherry Murray Extra Mile Scholarship 

Students who made an extra effort in academics, behavior, and/or tennis received either $500 or $1,000 each. 

• Tywan Allen., 9th, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts 

•  Neriah Owens, 7th, River City Science Academy 

• Deshai Bell, 10th, Robert E. Lee High School

• Tyhlur Reynolds, 7th, LaVilla School of the Arts

• Kendall Ford, 10th, Stanton College Preparatory School

•  Lannis Richardson, 9th, William M. Raines High School 

• Zion Gobi-Denson, 6th, John E. Ford K-8 School

• Skylar Robinson, 8th, Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts

• Tatiyana Goodman, 8th, John E. Ford K-8 School

• Ny’reon Shuman, 10th, Bishop Kenny High School 

• Amaya Morene, 8th, Kirby-Smith Middle School 

• Elijah Thomas, 5th, R.V. Daniels Elementary School 

• Caleb Owens, 8th, James Weldon Johnson Middle School 

  Zoe Gaudet Scholarship & Agassi Advantage Award 

All graduating seniors who are serious about continuing their education received Zoe Gaudet Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 and laptops courtesy of the (Andre) Agassi Advantage Award. 

• Jaravion Bell, Senior, William M. Raines High School 

•  Mauricia Brown, Senior, William M. Raines High School 

•  Skyy Steward, Senior, William M. Raines High School 

Rick Murray “Don’t Quit” Scholarship 

This award is given to acknowledge students who have persevered through adversity. 

•   Journee Hayes, 6th, John E. Ford K-8 School ($1,500 runner up)

•  Taifa Kumalo, 9th, Robert E. Lee High School ($3,500 winner)

  iMethods Meaningful Work Scholarship 

This $2,000 award was given to a student who participated in monthly work readiness, career preparation programs. 

•  Mauricia Brown, Senior, William M. Raines High School 

Carol Hadley Community Service Award 

Given to the student who best exemplifies Carol’s spirit of volunteerism, this $2,250 award was established to encourage community service. 

•  Sorenity Hayes, 9th, Robert E. Lee High School 

THE PLAYERS Championship Driven to Succeed Scholarship 

This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates champion-level behavior throughout the year. 

•  Breonna Holley, 8th, John E. Ford K-8 School 

Excellence Tennis Team

The MWYF Excellence Tennis Team is open to students who maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 and try out for the team. Although it may seem simple to join the team, participating is another story. Students must attend weekly practices, keep a notebook or journal for instructions and analysis of their matches and performance, perform a minimum of 10 service hours and participate in the annual Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. They also commit to improving life skills to be a successful person, player and world class citizen. Although there are many requirements to participate they are not without benefits for our students. Students are provided equipment like their own racquet and Excellence Dri-Fit shirt. They even earn the privilege of traveling for matches, like the BB&T Atlanta Open, Georgia/Florida Challenge and College Tennis Matches. Participating on the team looks phenomenal on college applications as well. “ Recently I was playing a doubles match and the odds weren’t looking good. But, by the end of the game, we were able to tie the score and went into a tiebreak. Even though we didn’t win the match, I felt a sense of accomplishment,” said Kendall, a member of the 2020 team.

Our coaches teach players to not only focus on wins and losses, but on the process of growth and learning. We prepare our team not only academically, but physically as well. Before matches, they have closed practices with instruction, open point play, practice match play scenarios and then match play. At MWYF, we have four excellence teams, 10U, 12U, 14U & 18U and each team competes in the USTA Florida Junior Team Tennis season. Last year, the 10U and 18U team finish 2nd place in their division and our current senior, Mauricia , won five tournaments in the past year. Most of the Excellence team had the opportunity to participate in the NetGeneration on court demo at College Match Day and had the opportunity to walk the collegiate players on the court as well. Coaching these students has created some wonderful moments for our staff. According to Coach Marc, one of the most exceptional experiences he had with the team was when they participated in the Net Generation Demo on stadium court at the BB&T Atlanta Open.

We feel that having a tennis program is important because studies have shown students who participate in sports are less likely to participate in criminal activity. One of the best parts of our team is watching the growth of the students through academics and on the court. Our coaches push them to be great individuals first, because it is important to be great on and off the court. Our Excellence Tennis Team is a wonderful reminder of our foundation’s modest beginning and they continue to be an exceptional example of our mission statement.  

Servathon: The Power of Volunteering

At MWYF we know the importance of volunteerism and the impact it can have in the community. From hosting activities on Fun Fridays to mentoring students, our volunteers’ time and dedication genuinely effects our students in a positive way. We want our children to truly understand the impact of giving, so every year they participate in Servathon. During the Servathon season, the kids engage in volunteer activities in their community, which teaches them about the positive influences they can have through volunteering. Each age group participates in different service activities, and this year our teens volunteered at City Rescue Mission Thrift Store. At the thrift store they gave an hour of their day to organize and sort through newly donated items.

They also went around the local community passing out candy and information about our new teen center, Club 904.

Our middle school students wrote letters to Servicemen and helped distribute food to the homeless at City Rescue Mission. Some of our elementary students visited a JSO Substation to drop off sweet treats, cards and to thank the police officers.

During Servathon we asked our participating students a few of the following questions:

What do you gain from serving your community?

Which service project was your favorite and why?

Why is it important to volunteer?

What is one thing you learned while volunteering?

How will you continue to give back in the future?

What is one thing you could do today to improve our local community?

As an organization we understand firsthand how volunteerism can impact the community. The time and effort our volunteers take to spend time our students genuinely influences their life. We’ve seen vast improvement in our students’ grades and behavior. They also help our students understand the opportunities they are given in our program to become the best version of themselves. Hopefully, this Servathon season will help our youth understand the power of volunteerism and grow into adults who will volunteer their time to improve the community around them.

Xander’s Award Winning Essay and Trip to NYC!

We are thrilled to share that one of our 7th grade students, Xander Freeman, has won the 21st Annual NJTL Essay Contest in the Boys’ 12 and Under category. Xander’s was one of only ten essays selected out of over 2,600 entries.

This year the USTA Foundation asked students participating in National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters to answer this prompt: “This year marks the 50th anniversary of NJTL. What specific impact do you hope your chapter can make in your community today that you would want remembered 50 years from now?” Xander rose to the challenge and wrote an incredible essay highlighting the impact the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation (MWYF) has had on the Jacksonville community and what he hopes for the future of the organization and the community.

To celebrate his accomplishments, Xander was sent on a trip to New York City from August 22nd to the 25th. He was able to explore the city, see “The Lion King” on Broadway, visit 30 Rockefeller Center’s “Top of the Rock”, and have other exciting experiences throughout his visit.

The USTA Foundation hosted him as a VIP in the President’s Box at the 2019 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day celebration to kick off the US Open. He also received an honorary plaque at an awards luncheon attended by former New York City mayor the Honorable David N. Dinkins and USTA Foundation Past President Pam Shriver.

MWYF is appreciative of the USTA Foundation for giving students the opportunity to showcase their talents and inspiring them to be a part of making a difference in their communities. Join us in celebrating Xander for his wonderful representation of MWYF, advocacy for his community, and talent as a writer. You can read Xander’s award winning essay in its entirety below. Congratulations, Xander!

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The impact that I hope to see my NJTL, the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, make is that they can get all of the youth off the streets and have a safe educational environment to come to after school. MWYF can help Jacksonville’s crime go down in the neighborhood that it is located. The more youth that go to the programs, the more that we can keep them from killing people, using or selling drugs and joining gangs. The most specific thing I want MWYF to be remembered for is the way they helped youth of all races get off the streets of Jacksonville.

MWYF can continue to help youth develop positive mindsets that we are winners at the end of the day no matter what. The staff love us so much that we consider each other family. They provide us with life skills classes we can use to overcome the hardships in life, help us with our homework and other educational activities that youth will need 50 years from now. The MWYF staff would also need caring and loving adults as we do now – they all help us get to where we are at now. If you are feeling troubled and you do not know any trusted adult, staff at MWYF will talk to you. Youth will need that long into the future.

I also want MWYF to be remembered for exposing youth to the sport of tennis, which is rare in our community except for youth that attend the program.

So fifty years from now, the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation would be remembered as being an all-around good place to go to feel loved and safe from crime. We always stress that we are family and you are loved for who you are no matter what.

by Xander Freeman

Volunteer Appreciation Week

MWYF aims to provide each student with the individual support they need to succeed, both inside and outside the classroom. Reaching that goal would not be possible without the help of countless volunteers that dedicate their time to making a direct impact in our students’ lives. Below are just some of the ways volunteers give back.

Becoming a mentor to one of our students is one of the most direct ways volunteers can make an impact in the life of a student. This school year, over 40 mentors have met with our students once a week to help them with homework, provide them with a positive role model, and give them the extra support they need, whether personal or academic. Thank you, mentors, for being a positive force in our students’ lives!

Stopping by our center, even just for an afternoon, always brightens our students’ day! Two-hundred and six volunteers have participated in Fun Friday with our students this school year playing kickball,  making arts & crafts, and reading books in book club. Our students work hard on their schoolwork all week, so every Friday it’s important that they have an opportunity to have some fun! Thank you to our Fun Friday volunteers for helping us give our students a fun end to the week.

Every year, we enter the holiday season with the goal of making sure students can enjoy the holidays no matter their economic circumstances.Volunteers make that goal a reality. This past Thanksgiving, volunteers packaged and delivered meals to 110 of our students’ families! Our Holiday Angels went above and beyond last Christmas, providing more than 1,000 presents to 250+ of our students and their siblings.

At MWYF’s semi-annual career days, local professionals volunteer to spend an afternoon telling our students about how they got to where they are. At our Spring Career Day, 21 people from 17 companies helped our students learn more about potential educational and career paths. Thank you to everyone who has participated in a career day for showing our students the different possibilities open to hem if they continue to work hard!

Exotic Robotics Club: Team Ends First Year with Two Awards!

Every school year, our middle school students choose a club to join for the year with options that range from Cooking Club to Basketball Club. Thanks to our partnership with Communities in Schools, the DuBow Family Foundation, and Shiva Robotics, this year our students had the opportunity to join Robotics Club.

When MWYF’s middle school students were choosing a recreational or educational club to join for the 2018-2019 school year, there was one new option- Robotics! Robotics teaches students about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through various hands-on activities such as building robots and learning how to control them through coding.  The robotics club eventually formed into a tight knit group of several students; Amaya, Christian, Kendall, Tatiayana, Thylur, Tywan, and Valor -with staff member Ms. Emily as their coach.

The Robotics Club (who named themselves ‘Exotic Robotics’) originally met twice a week but began practicing up to four times a week as they prepared for their first ever tournament. Team members had extra motivation to finish school work on time and ace tests and quizzes, since maintaining good academics is required to participate in the club.  Stanton High School student coach Vireli also joined the team, bringing several years of hands-on experience to help our rookie team learn the ropes.

We asked some of our Exotic Robotics team members what their favorite part of Robotics Club is:

The months spent practicing finally paid off when Exotic Robotics attended the FIRST LEGO League’s qualifying tournament. Spending all day together at the tournament, along with hours of practicing made the team even stronger. Out of the twelve teams competing, Exotic Robotics won the Champion’s Trophy and was one of the three teams chosen to move on to regionals!

With their first trophy in hand, Exotic Robotics had even more motivation to continue their hard work as they headed toward the Renaissance Jax FIRST LEGO League Regional Championship. Despite all of their hard work and dedication, our students did not advance to the next round, but they didn’t leave regionals empty handed! Out of the fifty teams that participated, Exotic Robotics won the Judge’s Award after making a connection with judges. Although they didn’t make it to the next level of the competition, our students kept a positive attitude and are focused on building a legacy for future students to build. Many of the students plan to become robotics coaches themselves when they enter high school. We are so proud of Exotic Robotics, both students and coaches, and can’t wait to see what they accomplish next year!

Neriah: Youngest Student Athlete of the Year in Program History!

When Neriah Owens won the George M. Soper Student Athlete of the Year Award this year she became the youngest student in our program to ever do so. Read her story below about how she prepared to give a speech in front of 400 people and what this award means to her!

I was speechless and really surprised when I first got this award, but I was also proud.  I didn’t think it was real because I was in the 5th grade not the older grades like all the previous winners.  After that day, people started thinking highly of me and I was a little overwhelmed.  It finally became real when I was called up to the front office to put my name plaque up on the board where all the other former student athlete’s names are.  Shortly after that, it was time to start working on my speech (a lot of people kept asking me about it) for the gala.  When doing my speech, I got help from others and I am grateful for all that help and support.  I even asked the former student athletes questions to help ease my nerves. Every day leading up to the gala I had to say my speech out loud to people to practice.

On the day of the gala, I was quite nervous and a little stressed.  I was really confused what to do and where to go.  Sadly, when I had to go up and talk I had to stop eating my food so I never finished eating.  As I was waiting to do my speech I was so scared, my knees were shaking a little, but once I started talking I felt a lot more calm.  Then, I was done and I got a huge standing ovation and I felt so proud.  After, we played a short little game where I helped on stage.  I was so tired at the end but I had an amazing night.

Being Student Athlete of the Year has filled me with a lot of determination.  From the start, I felt as if I had a great amount of responsibility held over my head, but I was fine with it because I knew that’s what it takes to receive this award along with other scholarships.  To me, this scholarship is a great achievement.  Out of all other students, I proved myself to be good enough, even though no one as young as me has ever won before.  I want the next person that receives this scholarship to be able to learn and grown on the tennis court, in the classroom, and all around the world—no matter what gets in their way.

With my scholarship, I’d like to attend North Carolina State University and get my bachelor’s degree, although I am not sure what I want to study yet.  NC State is a great school that has multiple programs for me to get involved in and sports teams to cheer for.  It’s where my father went to school and I hope to make my parents proud!