Legacy Youth Tennis and Education
Title: Legacy YTE: Fostering Connection Through Sport
Student Interns:
Inder Bhangoo
Drexel University College of Medicine
Haley Salus
Drexel University College of Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Daniel R. Taylor, DO, FAAP, FACOP
Drexel University College of Medicine, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
Community Preceptor:
Devynne McClelland
Legacy Youth Tennis and Education
Community Site:
Legacy Youth Tennis and Education (YTE) is a Philadelphia-based youth-focused organization dedicated to empowering young people through mentorship, leadership development, education, and community engagement. Its mission is to help youth build confidence, develop life skills, and create a positive legacy within their communities.
Team’s Experience:
Throughout the summer, the Bridging the Gaps interns worked alongside the Legacy YTE team to support youth programs focused on education, tennis, and personal development. They assisted with tennis lessons and activities by helping coaches, encouraging participants, and ensuring sessions ran smoothly. The interns also supported educational programs by preparing materials, helping students with learning activities, and creating a positive environment where youth could grow both academically and personally. In addition, the interns provided administrative support by organizing files, entering data, and assisting staff with other daily office tasks. They built strong relationships with the students while developing skills in communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Overall, the internship gave the BTG interns valuable hands-on experience in nonprofit operations, youth mentorship, and community engagement.
Reflections
Over the past several weeks, I have been fortunate to work with an incredible group of people who dedicate themselves to supporting the education and development of youth throughout the City of Philadelphia. Through this experience, I had the opportunity to participate in several camps across the city, where I interacted with young people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds who were able to come together and connect through tennis. I learned that working with children can be challenging at times, but this experience helped me develop the patience, adaptability, and perseverance required to support and guide a diverse group of students. These skills will continue to serve me throughout my academic journey and future career as a physician. On a more personal level, this internship allowed me to reconnect with my passion for tennis, and seeing the progress and success of the students I coached was both rewarding and inspiring.
Inder Bhangoo
This summer, I had the privilege to interact and collaborate with the staff and community at Legacy Youth Tennis and Education Center. I had the opportunity to witness the work and dedication that goes into providing young individuals with a meaningful and enriching summer camp experience. I was also able to participate in the camp as a tennis coach, where I experienced the joy of teaching young children a new skill that they can carry on into adulthood. This experience taught me about the resiliency, creativity, and eagerness to learn that young children possess. I was able to celebrate the accomplishments of young players who mastered a new skill while also adapting to the challenges of supporting players who struggled with a skill. This experience taught me the importance of clear communication, support, and patience when working with individuals, all of which are skills that I can carry on in my future work as a physician. I enjoyed being able to support the Philadelphia community by providing outdoor exercise and experiences to an amazing group of children.
Haley Salus
