First Serve is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for kids in Santa Fe grades 3 through 12 to enjoy athletics while improving their academics and life skills.
The program offers life skills (sportsmanship, health/ hygiene, public speaking, and etiquette), tennis twice weekly, and individualized tutoring. Esther Lescht, an engineering teacher at SFHS who is one of the First Serve tutors, said, “First Serve helps a lot of people not only in academics but also being a person as a whole.”
Many kids who participate in First Serve, which meets throughout the school year and also during summer, really enjoy the program. Luis Flores, an SFHS junior who has been participating in the program for seven years, stated that First Serve “helps students connect with each other.” He added, “It helps a lot of kids as the program includes life skills, which are very important to learn as we grow up.”
First Serve doesn’t just help kids; it also helps the staff involved in the program by connecting them with great people. “It gave me a cooperative opportunity to work with kids as a starting point for becoming a teacher,” Ms. Lescht said.
The head coach of First Serve, Nancy Keeran, has worked for First Serve for over 12 years. She said the program has allowed her to help kids help themselves and has given her the opportunity to meet wonderful kids. She said, “First Serve is a great program. It allows kids educational and life skills, with learning a sport that will stay with them forever.”
Tsering Phuntsog, who has been participating in the program for five years, stated, “I like how everyone is super close to each other.” Tsering also said that her time in First Serve helped her become more extroverted and helped her find a good group of friends.
Camari Knox, who graduated from Santa Fe High in 2022, said that First Serve shaped her to become a strong woman and helped her in academics. “It gave me the basis for a good work ethic,” she said, adding that the program also introduced her to competitive tennis.
Mikayla Montaño, a student who graduated from Santa Fe Highl in 2023, stated, “First Serve has helped me through my academic struggles, fine-tuning my tennis skills, and getting to meet people who have changed my life for the better.”
First Serve was founded in 2003 by Eleanor and Richard Brenner, whose dream was to help kids succeed and have better opportunities in life. Although they’re no longer alive, their purpose has been passed down to Angelique Lowry, who has adopted the program with the same passion.
Mrs. Eleanor left a significant impact. Camari stated, “Mrs. Eleanor meant a lot to me because she made everything personal and genuinely cared.” Many concurred that Mrs. Eleanor devoted her life to First Serve in order to help kids; she inspired them, she had a kind heart, and she treated everyone as her family.
To learn more about First Serve, email Ms. Lescht at [email protected]
