This past weekend, fans of urban squash and collegiate squash alike were treated to a match between two former urban squash and current Ivy League varsity players at the StreetSquash facility in Harlem, NY. CitySquash’s Jesse Pacheco faced Reyna Pacheco of Access Youth Academy at the #2 position on their respective teams, Cornell University and Columbia University. While Jesse overcame Reyna in a decisive 3-0 victory, the match was well played on both sides and exciting to watch. The Cornell women swept the Columbia women 9-0, and are currently undefeated in their season. To follow Jesse’s season, check out the Cornell Big Red website. CitySquash is very proud of Jesse, and wishes her all the best in Ithaca!

On Veterans Day, eight CitySquash high school team members volunteered at the POTS soup kitchen. The organization, which stands for Part of the Solution, is a community outreach center providing everything from legal services to haircuts, yet the community dining room is the heart of the operation. By helping to serve food, bus tables, wash dishes, and sweep the floor, CitySquashers helped to serve over 450 people during the busy lunch shift. It was the second year in a row that the local high school program has volunteered at POTS and it is quickly becoming one of the more popular community service events CitySquash participates in each year.

Nearly 100 CitySquash supporters, volunteers, students, and parents gathered in the Fordham Field House for the 2^nd Annual Black & Orange Day. The participants were designated on the Black or Orange team, and then split into smaller teams for competition. The teams competed against each other in basketball, moccer (“massive soccer” with a giant exercise ball), squash, and in the spirit of Halloween, a mummy wrap/candy toss. Everyone gathered together in their larger groups for the final activities of relay races, dance contest, and a tug-of-war, which carried the Black team for the win. The event was great fun for all involved, and introduced many new volunteers to CitySquash and our students. Thank you to all of the participants in this year’s Black & Orange; we couldn’t have done it without you, and we hope to see you again at next year’s event!

On a beautiful fall Saturday in Central Park, 31 CitySquash students ran 3.1 miles in the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research. Alongside mentors and staff members, all of our participating middle and high school students completed the race and raised money for the cause. The students spent three weeks fundraising, and were proud to donate a total of $1601 to Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital. The Terry Fox Run is held annually around the world, in honor of Canadian runner Terry Fox. To read more about his story, visit http://www.terryfox.org/Run/

CitySquasher and Blair Academy high school senior Darrius Campbell was honored at the Bulldogs Care Foundation (BCF) 6th Annual Tip Off To Success fundraiser. Darrius was named one of BCF’s five 2012 All-Stars, a designation awarded to high-achieving athletes from urban athletic programs. Darrius was recognized for his transformation on and off the court: becoming a conscientious student, a great squash player (he plays #1 on his boarding school team), and a leader on campus as a dorm proctor. CitySquash recognizes all of Darrius’ hard work and achievements, and congratulate him on this honor.

This past week, CitySquashers in Elementary School were lucky enough to take a trip to Goshen, CT for some autumnal fun at Mr. and Mrs. Galluccio’s orchards. Students were given free range to pick as many apples as their hearts desired from the organic apple trees. After filling their baskets, they got to help Mrs. Galluccio make fresh apple cider with her vintage apple press! The taste-test confirmed that fresh cider is indeed tastier than store-bought cider. Students spent the rest of the afternoon chasing Mrs. Galluccio’s adorable dog Beamer and swinging from her giant backyard tire swing. They left that evening with baskets of apples and gift bags containing a recipe and ingredients for home-made apple crisp! Surely, it was a day that will be remembered for quite a while. A big thank you to the Galluccios!

Over the past few weeks, five CitySquashers have started their first year of boarding school, and nine CitySquashers have headed off to their freshman year of college. In total, since our launch in 2002, 43 CitySquash students have won scholarships to private high schools, and 28 CitySquashers currently attend college. Good luck to these team members as they settle into their new schools!

Cristian Escalona – Episcopal High School       

Bryson Grant – Canterbury School                         

Karina Lazaro – Tabor Academy                             

Esmeralda Mejia  – Loomis Chaffee          

Colleges

Doris Amoako – SUNY Morrisville

Maria Avila – Bronx Community College

Frank Garcia – Mt. St. Vincent College

Cris Margaret Frias – Franklin & Marshall College

Santiago Moran – Connecticut College   

Manuela Perez – Barnard College

Criselys Polanco – Hamilton College

Lanique Rhyne – Lehman College

Katiria Sanchez – Trinity College

This summer found a record number of CitySquashers touring across the United States for camps, tournaments, and home stays. The eight tournaments they competed in took place in locations such as Williamstown, MA, Southampton, NY, Middlesex, MA, Newport, RI, and Denver, CO. Sixty-eight CitySquashers attended overnight camps, from Camp Herrlich in Patterson, NY to the David Palmer Squash Academy in Orlando, FL. In total, ten states were visited by our team members and six students traveled to their destinations by plane. We are very thankful to the 15 families that hosted CitySquashers during tournaments or as part of our Summer Match program. Five CitySquash families billeted out-of-town urban squash students as well, for StreetSquash’s NUSEA Discovery Camp. A big thank you to the Ganek family for hosting a BBQ for CitySquash in Southampton on Sunday, August 12th. It was a successful and memorable summer, and couldn’t have been possible without our many supporters. Thank you!

CitySquash held its 8th Annual Boarder Send-Off on Wednesday, July 25th at supporters Cayre and Alexis Michas’s apartment in Manhattan. Friends of CitySquash, mentors, families, staff, boarding school students and past graduates celebrated the beginning of another school year and honored CitySquash’s five new boarding school students: Karina Lazaro (Tabor Academy), Esmeralda Mejia (Loomis Chaffee), Miguel Betances (Trinity-Pawling), Jeremy Carrasquillo (Suffield Academy), and Bryson Grant (Canterbury School). Peter Frew, Director of Admissions at The Taft School, spoke about the importance of the relationships made in boarding school, especially with faculty, staff and coaches. CitySquash’s older boarders offered a piece of advice each to our new boarders, highlighting the need to work hard, have fun, and try new things. Chef Rob prepared delicious, healthful food for all of our guests. Thanks to all of our supporters who came to this wonderful event and we wish our students another successful year at their respective schools!

As part of CitySquash’s Career Dinner series, eight CitySquash college and high school students shared a meal with New Yorker staff writer (and avid squash player) Tad Friend. The group discussed not only Tad’s insights about journalism and the writing process–including an in depth discussion of Tad’s 2003 New Yorker piece “Jumpers” which the students read beforehand– but also advice about choosing a line of work. The dinner is a part of a larger series that connects CitySquash students to professionals in various fields to talk about the industry and career choice. Special thanks go out to CitySquash supporters Angela and Michael Laskoff for hosting the event.

If you are interested in talking to students as part of the Career Dinner Series, please contact Director of College Prep Peter Feldman at 718-220-7400 or peter.feldman@citysquash.org