Building Champions for Life
History and Mission
Since its founding in 1972, the nonprofit Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program (HJTEP) has served more than 25,000 youth ages 5 to 18 in Central Harlem on a “first come” basis, fulfilling its mission to build champions for life through tennis, education, and wellness programs.
HJTEP is headquartered at the Harlem Armory Center which currently provides four indoor courts for after-school programming Monday – Saturday, serving 800 youth annually with a waitlist of 500 more. HJTEP also offers summer camp programs for 150-300 youth at six public courts located in Harlem and six additional courts at Fordham University.
HJTEP student-athletes are engaged and seven years, and several alumni have returned as coaches, demonstrating the lasting impact of the HJTEP program on youth development and community engagement.
Empowering Youth Today & Tomorrow
HJTEP programs teach beginners to play of tennis and offer a pathway to earning college scholarships. In addition court instruction, Learning Resource Center (LRC) academic assessments to provide participants with appropriate support. HJTEP studentmaintain a 3.1 GPA on average receive homework help, private SAT/ACT prep, and College/Career counseling. The statistics HJTEP student-athletes are impressive:
graduate from high school attend leading colleges and universities
■ 65% receive non-athletic financial aid to attend college
■ 25% earn tennis scholarships to continue to play and attend college
■ $1.1M in academic scholarships and financial aid was awarded to HJTEP students in 2023
In addition to academic and athletic support, the cornerstone of HJTEP’s wellness program is Tennis Against Obesity (TAO), which helps students, parents, and schools recognize and combat obesity by offering fitness and nutrition guidance. Guided meditation and mindfulness sessions complement the wellness program, promoting mental wellness and physical fitness. HJTEP empowers students to grow into well-rounded individuals ready to succeed in all aspects of life through a holistic approach to personal development and character building.
Facility Rendering
Facility Plans
HJTEP’s goal is to develop a site in a strategically placed location within the Harlem community to further promote and expand HJTEP’s mission. The following program requirements are flexible given the mandate to remain in Harlem.
A new facility will ideally include:
■ 8 Indoor tennis courts
■ 8 Outdoor tennis courts
■ 6 Pickleball / junior courts
■ Offices
■ Classrooms
■ Adult & Junior locker rooms
■ Flexible multi-purpose room
■ Fitness center
■ Cafe
■ Lounge
■ Nursery with childcare
Expanding the Footprint for the Future
In consultation with architects, engineers, and tennis experts with experience in land use, the HJTEP Board of Directors has endorsed a strategic plan to build its own permanent facility at a projected cost of up to $80 million. In addition, the HJTEP Board has committed to raise an additional $20 million to create an endowment to ensure long-term facility operations.
With 500+ youth on the waitlist, HJTEP will triple its capacity with the new HJTEP Community Tennis Center to serve 2,500 youth annually and offer adult programs for the first time.
The HJTEP Community Tennis Facility will be the only public indoor tennis facility in Manhattan, which is long overdue. With no membership fees and readily accessible public transportation, HJTEP looks forward to a bright future, introducing new inclusive programs for adaptive students while upholding a respected standard of excellence for everyone who walks through its doors.
To achieve these goals, HJTEP is committed to building a team of supporters who are dedicated to its mission to Build Champions for Life. Every donation makes a difference. Upon request, detailed naming rights opportunities are available.
Endowed Scholarship Naming Opportunity
In addition to the Capital Campaign, HJTEP continues to address the challenge of raising revenues to offset program expenses. HJTEP, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, is introducing an interest-bearing endowed scholarship opportunity to be named as proposed by the donor. (Examples: Jane Doe HJTEP Scholarship or XYZ Company HJTEP Scholarship.) All endowments will be recognized on the HJTEP website year-round.
The cost of endowing one scholarship is $200,000, which ensures that one student attends HJTEP tuition-free each year. This investment does more than remove financial barriers it creates a legacy of opportunity and empowerment, fostering future success for talented young student-athletes.
