Ross School Senior Turns Project into Opportunity to Give Back to East Hampton Community

 senior Spencer Kuzon is hosting a fundraiser on Sunday to gain support for his senior project, The Better Life Tennis Project, a program where he will teach tennis to kids who can't afford lessons.

Kuzon, who has been playing tennis since he was a child, said there is room for 12 kids from first to fourth grades to take part in his tennis program.  The students will be provided with instruction, Ross apparel, and tennis shoes.     

He spent his summer break working at the Ross Summer Camp, where he donated his time to teach kids tennis to get experience for the project.  It was only in the past year that he has devoted himself to tennis. He also has a passion for theater, and balanced his two hobbies, but during his junior year he stepped away from acting to dedicate his time to tennis.

"I knew what I wanted to do.  I knew it was tennis, and I knew tennis would change my life here, " he said during an interview on the grounds of the school.

Kuzon said that the tennis program at Ross has been taken to higher levels of achievement over the past two years since a year-round tennis facility was built at the school.  This has allowed Ross students to practice more often without having to travel to where they used to practice at .

Devon Parkes, Senior Project Coordinator at Ross, oversees all 60 projects that are in progress. The projects are mandatory for graduating seniors. She said she is not surprised that a projects have led to student-organized fundraisers because of the school's commitment to service.

"In recent years many seniors have selected fundraising projects, which I think goes back to the Ross mission of 'know thyself in order to serve,' " she said.

According to Parkes, seniors at Ross who choose fundraising projects, like Kuzon, must organize it themselves, work with adults in the field, and obtain donations from local businesses.

"Their Senior Projects are much more personal in that they choose the organizations they are raising funds for, and they are directly related to some aspect of their life," she said.

Vinicius Carmo, the head tennis coach at Ross, has acted as Kuzon's adviser for the project. Carmo has known Kuzon since he was 9 years old, and said that he is a very focused and determined student.  While he supports his student, he said Kuzon is doing most of the work himself.  "I hope more kids have ideas like this one, and give back to the community."  Carmo and Kuzon hope that this program will carry on after Kuzon graduates.

At the fundraiser, Kuzon will demonstrate a sample of his work and speak to potential donors.  Donors that are already in place will speak, and refreshments will be served. 

The Better Life Tennis Project fundraiser will take place at the Ross School Tennis Center on Nov. 14 from 1 - 3 p.m.