Taliyah Sharpe, left, and Nakayla Robinson wrote winning essays to attend summer tennis clinics at North Carolina State University and Davidson College, respectively.

Thanks to their excellent writing ability, Taliyah Sharpe and Nakayla Robinson will have the benefit of attending valuable tennis clinics at no cost this summer. Both wrote winning essays to attend clinics at North Carolina State University and Davidson College, respectively.

The young ladies are members of the HOLLA! Eagles Tennis Team. The clinics are timely, as they will be joining other members of their team when they travel to the American Tennis Association’s annual tennis tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in early August.

“We are pleased with the parental support the tennis team is receiving,” said Alex Gaddy, HOLLA! activities director. “The parents are working really hard to keep our youth focused on their education and to raise the funds necessary to make this trip possible and to keep the tennis program alive for these eager players.”

The HOLLA! Eagles Tennis Team started developing three years ago as part of the HOLLA! Let’s MOVE Fitness Program to fight obesity among Anson County’s youth. The project was funded by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

“The three-year grant funds kick-started the program, but it is now thriving on its own, and I have never been more excited,” said CEO of HOLLA!, Leon Gatewood.

Gatewood was a member of Bowman High School’s first tennis team and says that was the motivation for putting a tennis court at the HOLLA! Center in Morven. “These children will succeed at this because they have adults around them who believe they can and insist that they do,” said Gatewood.

Donations to support the trip or any other HOLLA! programs can be sent to: HOLLA! P.O. Box 88; Wadesboro, NC 28170.