Our Mission
Washington Education & Squash Academy is a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, WA that aims to combat inequity in education and narrow the opportunity gap. We provide free academic tutoring, squash training, and community service learning to a group of youth from underserved communities in the North Seattle area, with the goal of ensuring high school graduation and creating new pathways to college. We help our students develop confidence, study skills, discipline, work ethic, squash skills, fitness expertise, and positive social skills. Our program also aims to reduce obesity in children and teens by promoting healthy eating and frequent exercise.
Our mission is to offer a group of traditionally underserved students year-round individualized academic tutoring, intensive squash instruction, and community service opportunities so that they may better recognize and fulfill their potential in life as students, athletes and global citizens.
Our vision is to impact the lifelong health and wellness of students through commitment, diligence, resilience, integrity and team-work.
Our goal is 100% high school graduation and to create pathways to 4-year college.
"The leaders commit to the critical time that it takes to tutor the team as students and really focus on areas where the student’s improvement is most valuable. This was all the more reassuring to me, because once I did learn that [WESA] was made up of kids from various schools in North Seattle, I wasn’t entirely sure how it would impact [my son’s] education. You see, I thought if it was based at his school, he’d be required to adhere to a certain academic standard in order to take part in Squash. What I found is that [WESA’s] focus on tutoring and regularly connecting with his teachers to support said tutoring, was more than I’d actually expected from the imagined coach of the school team! I’m very appreciative of the commitment to ensure the tutoring sessions happen consistently and in an environment that’s clear of disturbances and of obstructions to their ability to have a fair and productive experience. That helps make all the time committed to the program even more valuable and appreciated!"
— Abdullah D., WESA Parent
The Path
Combining 3 pillars: year-round intense squash instruction, academic tutoring, and community service
Providing a consistent, long-term, reliable, fun, and constructive after school environment
Creating a culture of achievement with intensive squash coaching, academic tutoring and positive goal-setting, expecting success, and encouraging students to be motivated to do their best and to stay committed
Working with a group of students beginning in third grade and continuing through high school
Requiring participants to attend squash and academic tutoring sessions a minimum of three days each week for the full academic year
Achieving national junior squash ranking for every student through a minimum of 4 exposures a year regardless of the skill level