SquashSmarts Recognizes Carol Jacobs With Service Award

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SquashSmarts representatives honoring Carol Jacobs.

Carol Jacobs was honored during the SquashSmarts VIP Night at the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open tonight with the 2019 SquashSmarts Distinguished Youth Service Award.

More than two hundred SquashSmarts staff members, students, parents, donors, advisors, and board members attended the SquashSmarts VIP Night. Founded in 2001, SquashSmarts has just begun its nineteenth season. A 501(c)3 non-profit, SquashSmarts is an award-winning, free, intensive, out-of-school academic and athletic mentoring program changing the lives of Philadelphia’s public school students. Students are recruited in middle school from Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, Neuva Esperanza Academy Charter, Science Leadership Academy, Carver School for Engineering & Science, and Overbrook Educational Center. Operating out of two facilities—the Lenfest Center in North Philadelphia and Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center—the program has students attend practices three days a week for seven years. SquashSmarts is the official community partner of the twenty-court Arlen Specter US Squash Center opening next year on Drexel’s campus.

Carol Jacobs has been volunteering with SquashSmarts since May 2015. She is a weekly academic tutor, volunteer, connector and friend, annually devoting hundreds of hours to the program. In particular, she mentors older students in their college selection process. “Carol is an incredible part of our SquashSmarts family,” said Alix Cummin, the senior academic director at SquashSmarts, during the on-court ceremony. “She’s a consistent advocate for our students, helping ensure they have brighter futures and broader horizons.” The night included a special announcement of Carol’s Kids a new college scholarship for graduates of the SquashSmarts program.

Previous SquashSmarts Distinguished Service Award honorees include: PYSC co-founders Wendy Palmer and Nancy Peter (2013); alumni coaches Sakora Miller, Kareem Price, Devonte Harris and Mithun Das (2014); founder and board chair Andrew Nehrbas (2015); volunteers Karen & George Gowen and Judy & John Wisniewski (2016); executive assistant Jeanie Shanahan (2017); and leaders from the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative Beth Devine, Anne Marie Horner and Terry Horner (2018).