This year, we celebrate the 15^th anniversary of The Asher-Ezra Scholarship Fund, founded in 2008 by Elizabeth da Trindade-Asher (Lizzie) and Daniel Ezra.

Lizzie grew up in Lima, Peru, won a scholarship to Duke University, and graduated from Harvard Law School while Daniel grew up in Mumbai, India and London, England, and attended Harvard University where he became one of the most decorated squash players in the school’s history. Their extraordinary personal journeys instilled in them a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives, and so on the occasion of their wedding, they created the CitySquash Asher-Ezra Scholarship Fund and asked their friends and family to support this initiative in lieu of gifts. For the last decade and a half, the Asher-Ezra Scholarship has supported a growing group of CitySquashers who excel academically and athletically and make the decision to enroll in private high schools. To date, there have been 25 Scholars, 16 of whom have captained their high school or college squash team.

Billy Fleurima (Taft ’18, Connecticut College ’22) says, “It means the world to me to be an Asher-Ezra Scholar. Ever sine I first met Lizzie and Daniel, they’ve shown me nothing but support. They always encouraged me to go beyond my limits, whether that was applying to highly ambitious schools, trying new foods even though I am a very picky eater, or going after my professional dreams. They have never once put me down and always provided me guidance to get where I want to be, even in moments when others doubted me. On top of all that, Lizzie and Daniel truly are just wonderful individuals. That is what I admire about them the most. Their genuine selflessness and care for others.”  

During high school, Asher-Ezra Scholars receive financial assistance, academic counseling, and mentoring. Lizzie and Daniel have continuously set the bar for excellence in their own lives and inspire the students to do so as well. Asher-Ezra Scholars are expected to be exemplary student-athletes who strive to be their best not only in the classroom and on the court, but also in their respective school communities at large. The group meets formally twice a year for dinners, and a strong community has been formed.

Victoria Haghighi (Brooks School ’19, Bates College ’23) says, “Asher-Ezra has done so much for my academic career. Although I graduated from high school in 2019, Lizzie and Daniel still reach out and offer to help in whatever ways they can. Most recently, they have helped me submit my graduate school applications. I am always invited to dinners with the current scholars. They are truly amazing people, and I am so lucky to have been a part of their program. They continue to inspire me and I am grateful for their guidance since joining their program.” 

The long-time dedication of Lizzie and Daniel is an incredible example of a way in which supporters can make a meaningful and long term impact within the CitySquash community. Financial stress is one of the leading reasons students drop out of high school and college, and research continues to show that strong adult support for students leads to positive academic outcomes. CitySquash is grateful for the generosity, thoughtfulness, and dedication of Lizzie and Daniel and the Asher-Ezra Scholarship Fund. The cohort of scholars has had incredible success academically, athletically, and professionally, no doubt in part because of this program. We look forward to many generations of Asher-Ezra scholars to come.  

Asher-Ezra Scholars have attended the following schools:

Last weekend, CitySquash traveled with 60 students to Western Massachusetts at Deerfield Academy and Amherst College to play in the Squash and Education Alliance’s National Individual Championships. It is always amazing to see so many team members competing and supporting each other through one of SEA’s biggest events of the year.

Two team members took home titles to bring the total count to 120 SEA National titles.

Jaylin Vrolyk – GU11

James Vazquez – BU15

CitySquash also saw many semi-finalists and finalists!

Yanet Ramos – GU11 2nd place

Leonardo Ambrosio – BU13 4th place

Brea Genis – GU13 3rd place

Rodrigo Hipolito – BU15 Finalist

Lindyn Morocho – GU15 Finalist

Ashley Amaro – GU15 4th place

Coby Galarza – BU17 4th place

Ariana Michaca – GU17 Finalist

Randy Guzman – BU19 Finalist

Angelina Amastal – GU19 Finalist

Ashanti Amastal – GU19 3rd place

Congratulations to all our team members and here’s to celebrating all the hard work they put in on and off the court this year.

On February 10th, 2023, CitySquash traveled to Philadelphia once again to compete in SEA’s National Team Championships. Under one banner, 70 team members from the Bronx and Brooklyn competed against other member programs of the Squash and Education Alliance. 

Out of the four A divisions, CitySquash took home titles in the High School Girls and the Middle School Boys divisions and third place finishes in High School Boys and Middle School Girls divisions. 

It was an amazing weekend which saw incredible wins and valiant efforts from every team member attending. Lifelong memories were forged and team camaraderie was in full force. 

High School Girls A Champions!

Middle School Boys Champions

It is incredibly important to CitySquash that time off is not time wasted. That is why during the school’s Mid-Winter break, our team members committed themselves to many different trips and experiences. 

7th graders witness the boarding school experience at from Millbrook’s zoo to Berkshire’s Squash courts 

6th graders explore the New York Historical Society 

9th graders ring the famous Gong at Pugsley’s Pizzeria in the Bronx 

8th graders dodge balls at SkyZone

High Schoolers make their own bubble tea and taste test against the real deal at Gong Cha 

Stay tuned for a return to Spring Tours in April! 

On Sunday, October 24^th we held our 11^th Annual Black & Orange Day at the M.S. 45 Field in a new outdoor format with the help of M.S. 45, our oldest partner school in the Bronx.

Over 100 team members, family members, and mentors competed in outdoor squash, word scrambles, kickball, and soccer. Going into the final Basketball competition worth three points, the Black Team led the Orange Team 18-16.  

This year, the shirts featured the initials “JS” to honor our team member James Solano who tragically passed in 2020. After hearing his friends speak about the impact he had on their lives and countless others, we dedicated the Basketball game to his memory. At the end of the day, it was the Orange team with the game-winning shot to put a cap on our 11th Annual Black & Orange Day. Below are photos of the event and competitions.

After a virtual year in 2020, we want thank all who came and helped make it a memorable day for the CitySquash team!

The changeover of innings during kickball 

The Orange team cheers on their squad during soccer

CitySquash’s version of outdoor squash!

The Orange Team celebrates the game winning layup! 

The Black Team

The Orange Team

Six CitySquash team members earned the US Squash Scholar Athlete Award for the 2019-2020 academic year (see list below). The Scholar Athlete Award recognizes high school students who have excelled in the classroom by maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher throughout the year, and on court by playing in at least three US Squash accredited tournaments. Caleb and Giselle were both recognized as Scholar Athletes for the second year in a row, while Alan, Elizabeth, Madalein and Sachary earned this recognition for the first time. Congratulations to our six Scholar Athletes for their hard work throughout the school year!

Photo Above: Top Row (L-R): Elizabeth Barroso, Sachary Rodriguez, Caleb Boateng, Giselle Ciriaco; Bottom Row (L-R): Madalein Amoako, Alan Lopez

CitySquash team member Michelle stops by the office to pick up to-go meals thanks to a new partnership with World Central Kitchen made possible by the Cura Collective

Celebrating the Class of 2020

Nicole celebrates her graduation from SUNY Geneseo 

Despite the cancelled graduation ceremonies, CitySquash’s College Class of 2020 had plenty to celebrate as they finished their multi-year CitySquash journeys and became CitySquash Alumni. With our five newest graduates, our Alumni cohort grows to 44. Congratulations to the Class of 2020! 

Miguel Betances – Niagara University 
Nicole Cedeno – SUNY Geneseo 
Jose Fernandez – St. Lawrence University 
Elaine Hualoto – Lehman College 
William Pantle – Fordham University 

We are also proud of our 12 high school graduates for successfully finishing their high school careers and moving on to college. We wish them the best of luck as they begin their next chapters in the fall! 

Karla Domingues – Colby College 
Mikael Garcia – Lehigh University 
Kevin Guadarrama – Borough of Manhattan Community College 
Joan Gutierrez – Borough of Manhattan Community College 
Tita Hicks – St. Lawrence University 
Alexander Lorenzo – Connecticut College 
Brandon Ortega – Borough of Manhattan Community College 
Frankie Pasquariello – Niagara University 
Melanie Pestana – St. Lawrence University 
Yoskart Rodriguez – Borough of Manhattan Community College 
Eslin Silva – Bronx Community College 
Kelsey Tejada – St. Lawrence University 

Alex Lorenzo named a U.S. Squash High School All-American 

Alex during a match with his Mercersburg team this year, where he played in the top spot all season

Alexander Lorenzo (Mercersburg Academy ’20) became CitySquash’s first team member to be recognized as a High School All-American by U.S. Squash. Alex joined CitySquash in the 6th grade and won a scholarship to attend the Eaglebrook School before entering Mercersburg as a 10th grader. At Mercersburg, Alex played in the top spot on the ladder and served as a Team Captain both his junior and senior years. We look forward to seeing Alex’s continued success on court as he suits up for the Connecticut College Camels next year!

Karla Domingues wins SEA Tyler Griffin Student of the Year Award 

Karla proudly sports her new Colby t-shirt after gaining early admission there 

Recent high school graduate Karla Domingues (Episcopal High School ’20) won the Squash and Education Alliance Tyler Griffin Student of the Year Award at SEA’s annual End-of-Year Ceremony. The award is given to two graduating high school seniors from SEA member programs who embody the overarching values of the SEA network: sportsmanship, effort on court and in the classroom, respect and concern for others, integrity, character and leadership. Karla is CitySquash’s first recipient of this honor and will begin at Colby in the fall. Congratulations, Karla!

Virtual Summer Camp

A group of elementary school team members show off their summer reading book during a camp session 

CitySquash’s annual five-week summer camp is underway in a new format: virtually! Team members tune in daily through Zoom and engage in level-specific math and reading lessons, yoga and fitness, extra tutoring and virtual field trips and other activities on Fridays. In the first week of camp, team members mastered seven new math skills on average and read 480 hours collectively in their summer reading books. A benefit to the virtual format is that team members from the Bronx and Brooklyn can participate in camp together, strengthening the ties across CitySquash’s two sites. Another benefit to the virtual world is the ability for team members to take classes across the world! Eight CitySquashers are participating in courses from the African Leadership Academy, based in South Africa. A huge thanks to our volunteers who are dedicating hours of their own summers to helping our team members, and to the Cura Collective and World Central Kitchen, who are making possible weekly deliveries of 100 to-go meals in the Bronx and Brooklyn. 

New Staff Faces and Positions 

L to R: Morgan Solender, Alexandra Boillot, Colin Murfree 

CitySquash is excited to welcome a new staff member, Morgan Solender, as Director of Middle School Academics in the Bronx. Morgan recently graduated from Washington University and worked for the past two summers with CitySquash as an Academic Enrichment Intern. Morgan takes over for Colin Murfree, who has become the Bronx Program Director after serving as Director of Middle School Academics and Academic Chair for the past five years. Alexandra Boillot, who has been the Bronx Program Director for the past six years, is stepping into a new position for the organization as Director of Development. 

CitySquash team member Alex Lorenzo was recognized as a 2019-2020 U.S. Squash High School All-American, becoming the first CitySquasher to achieve this honor. One of 44 other high school players to receive this honor for 2019-2020, Alex qualified through his senior season with Mercersburg Academy in the Mid-Atlantic Squash Organization. Alex has played in the top spot on the Mercersburg ladder for the past two years and served as a Captain for both his junior and senior seasons as well. This year, he helped lead his team to a second place finish in Division V at High School Team Nationals. He started playing squash in the 6^th grade when he joined CitySquash and quickly fell in love with the sport, attending as many extra practices as possible to improve his game. With CitySquash, he is a two-time Urban National Champion. We look forward to seeing Alex suit up for the Connecticut College Camels next year and realize his goal of becoming a college squash player. Congrats, Alex!

Alex with his Mercersburg team after coming in 2^nd in Division V at HS Nationals this year!

Alex with his CitySquash teammates after winning the High School Boys Division at SEA Team Nationals this year!

Extracurricular clubs have become a staple of CitySquash’s normal programming, and clubs offered have included Art Club, Music Club, Game Club and more. When CitySquash transitioned to virtual programming as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, two of our dedicated mentors, Stephanie & Ali Butera, came up with a plan to continue offering clubs to CitySquash team members virtually! With the help of Ali and Stephanie, mentors to Malika (7^th grade) and Stephany (6^th grade) respectively, we have been able to add Activity Club to our weekly schedule, and continue to provide team members with a creative outlet during this difficult time. Stephanie & Ali help plan easy, arts-based DIY projects on a weekly basis that require very few materials so all team members can participate at home. Projects have included making fortune-tellers and origami figures. A portion of Activity Club is also dedicated to thanking those working on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. Students have written thank you letters to workers at City Meals on Wheels who are continuing to deliver food to the elderly, and to doctors and nurses at Jacobi Medical Center. See below for photos from Activity Club and a huge thanks to Stephanie & Ali Butera for making Activity Club possible!

Photo Above: Rodrigo tries on his new mask! 

Nicole shows off her fortune-tellers!

3^rd grader, Brianna, focuses while writing a thank you note to a doctor at Jacobi Medical Center!