USTA Announces 2020 NJTL Essay Grant Awards
September 14, 2020
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Aug. 14, 2020 – USTA Foundation, the national charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), today announced the 10 winners of the 22nd annual NJTL Essay Grant. The winners, ranging in ages from 10 to 18 who participate in National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters nationwide, were selected from more than 1,000 entries. Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services organization by revenue, will return as the presenting sponsor of the NJTL essay grant virtual awards ceremony.
This year’s essay question asked: “Everyone measures success differently. How do you strive for success in terms of your character development, education, or tennis?” To apply, students were asked to answer this question in an essay of fewer than 350 words.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s essay grant awardees will be recognized during a virtual awards ceremony on September 26, 2020. Special guests scheduled to appear at the ceremony include USTA Foundation’s Chairperson of the Board Chris Evert, former Chairperson of the Board James Blake, and Daymond John, a member of the Foundation’s Celebrity Council. Another member of the Celebrity Council, Thaddeus M. Bullard, known as WWE Superstar “Titus O’Neil,” is slated to give this year’s keynote address along with Deloitte’s Chief Inclusion Officer Dr. Terri Cooper.
Additionally, each essay author’s NJTL chapter shall receive a $6,000 total directed grant—$5,000 will be utilized to support the essay author’s in chapter-related programming participation costs and expenses and $1,000 will be utilized by the chapter for the administration of the same.
“Now more than ever, we are committed to help students from different backgrounds advance their education and become future leaders, both on and off the court,” said Dr. Terri Cooper, Deloitte’s Chief Inclusion Officer. “We are proud of our work with the USTA Foundation and look forward to celebrating all of the 2020 essay grant awardees in a new special virtual ceremony.”
“The NJTL essay grant awards ceremony is always an event the entire Foundation looks forward to each year as deserving students across different age groups and regions come together to celebrate their collective accomplishments,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “While we will be celebrating virtually this year, we are once again looking forward to creating a special experience for these students and, in the spirit of this year’s essay topic, awarding them for their current and future success.”