The Sprite Spark Parks Project for Schools program awarded a $25,000 grant to the Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn to rebuild the school's tennis court and get students active.
Andre Boothe, Coca-Cola Maspeth distribution center manager; Christine Quinn, New York City Council speaker; Albert Vann, New York City Council member; and Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn borough president, attended the new tennis court's unveiling ceremony.
Students need safe, youth-friendly areas to be physically active, but new playground equipment and athletic fields are not always in the budget. Now, thanks to Sprite, the Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn has a refurbished tennis court for its students to enjoy.
Since September 2010, the Boys and Girls High School's tennis court was unusable due to a large sink hole caused by a drainage malfunction. Using a $25,000 donation from the Sprite Spark Parks Project for Schools program, the school was able to address this problem and unveil the new and improved tennis court August 23. The United States Tennis Association's Eastern section provided a new net for the refurnished court and additional equipment, including tennis racquets, tennis balls, and a pop-up tennis net for multi-location usage.
"Our students [now] have a safe place to exercise and socialize during and after school," said Principal Bernard Gassaway. "The school and the local community will be able to enjoy this tennis court for many years to come."
Working with teens and parents in 2011, the Sprite Spark Parks Project for Schools will put approximately $2 million into building or revamping outdoor spaces in at least 150 American cities. For more information on this program, visit www.mycokerewards.com/sprite.
