Camden, NJ Schoolkids Get Treated To An Introduction To Tennis
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) - A group of Camden schoolchildren hit a few balls around today at tennis courts on the campus of Rutgers University in Camden, before boarding a bus to visit the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI.
The philanthropic Campbell Soup Foundation has sponsored the trip several years running, to give kids new summertime experiences.
The children, between the ages of 10 and 13, got some pointers on tennis fundamentals, then hit the road. They're from three Camden elementary schools and are members of the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education program.
Eleven-year-old Jaylen Shanklin was looking forward to learning more about the sport.
"I play with my dad," he says. "Maybe this could be a sport for me."
Jerry Buckley of the Campbell Soup Foundation notes this visit comes on the 25th anniversary of Ashe's induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame.
"There is a special display showing Arthur Ashe's career, and for these kids a great opportunity to see Arthur's career and his legacy," he told KYW Newsradio.
While at the Tennis Hall of Fame, the kids will learn more about tennis greats, play on grass courts, see some matches, take a motorboat tour of Newport Harbor, and swim in the hotel pool.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio 1060