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What We Do at TLC
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) is an out-of-school-time program that promotes academic achievement, health and wellness, and social-emotional development through the sport of tennis.
Since 2014, TLC has served elementary school children in four of San Francisco’s most high-need communities: Western Addition, Chinatown, the Portola, and Bayview Hunters Point.
In March 2021, the TLC program welcomed its first middle school students at the Lisa + Douglas Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park. Students receive advanced academic support in the Koret Teaching & Learning Center classroom, work on their tennis skills on the brand new courts, and engage in mindfulness activities in the Koret Garden.
TLC combats increasing disparities for San Francisco’s underserved communities by providing resources and opportunities not otherwise readily available. At the heart of TLC is the belief that providing youth with access to educational support systems and positive relationships will promote healthy youth development and improve their long-term outcomes.
Site | Partner School | Population Served | Ages Served | Target # Participants |
Palega Recreation Center | Hillcrest | Portola | 5-11 | 25 |
Hamilton Recreation Center | Rosa Parks | Western Addition | 5-11 | 25 |
Betty Ann Ong Recreation Center | Gordan Lau | Chinatown | 5-11 | 25 |
Youngblood Coleman | Carver | Bayview/Hunters Point | 5-11 | 25 |
Golden Gate Park Tennis Center | All Above | All Above | 11-14+ | 60+ |
|
| Total Served |
| 160+ |
Participant Demographics 2018-19
Primary Languages Spoken 56% – English 38% – Cantonese 6% – Spanish
Participants 44% – Female 56% – Male 85 – Total | Race & Ethnicity 48% – Asian 26% – African American 12% – Hispanic/Latino 8% – Caucasian 6% – Two or more races
|
Outcomes
- TLC serves 85 K-5th graders per year
- Each participant receives 10 hours of personalized homework help per week, with additional tutoring support available 3 days per week
- Each participant receives 5 hours of tennis instruction per week
- 82% have improved by at least one reading level
- Number of days absent from school fell by 21%
- 96% retention rates in TLC
- 44% speak languages other than English
- 92% come from multi-ethnic communities