The Squash and Education Alliance (SEA) has announced the addition of Mission Success (Houston, TX) as its newest member organisation and Squash Dreamers (Amman, Jordan) as its newest international partner. SEA now has 21 member organisations in the U.S. and six international partners, furthering its mission to provide transformative educational, athletic, and post-secondary opportunities to underserved youth.

Mission Success
Founded in 2011 by Board Chair Alistair Barnes, Mission Success provides year-round academic support, squash instruction, mentoring, and travel opportunities to 75 students from 6th through 12th grades. Its students have gained admission to selective independent schools such as Choate Rosemary Hall, St. Paul’s School, and Westminster School, and graduates have gone on to colleges such as Connecticut College, Boston University, and Texas A&M. Based at James S. Hogg Middle School, Mission Success partnered with the Houston Independent School District in 2015 to build 3 squash courts inside Hogg, making it the country’s only public school with a squash facility.

“I am thrilled to take Mission Success to the next level through our membership with SEA,” said Mission Success Executive Director Maggie Trendell, who has been with the organization since 2021. “The support and access provided by SEA will open up incredible opportunities for our students on a national and international scale, allowing us to make an even greater impact on the Houston community. The life-changing work being done by SEA programs is truly inspiring, and being part of a network of like-minded organizations with shared goals is a game-changer for all of us in Houston.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Mission Success into the SEA family,” said SEA Executive Director Tim Wyant.

“The pioneering organization – SEA’s first in the Southwest – has been making an extraordinary difference in the lives of Houston children and families for years, and we look forward to collaborating with and learning from its staff, board, students and alumni. Mission Success’s unique partnership with Hogg Middle School and the Houston Independent School District is emblematic of its innovation streak, and we are particularly pleased to welcome Mission Success into the SEA network as Houston prepares to bring together the world’s best junior squash players in July for the World Junior Championships.”

Squash Dreamers
Squash Dreamers, founded in 2017 by Board Chair Clayton Keir, is based in Amman, Jordan, and provides English instruction, academic tutoring, squash coaching, and meals to Syrian, Sudanese, and Palestinian refugee girls and under-resourced Jordanian girls. The organization serves 45 girls aged 8-18. This summer, six students have been awarded scholarships to study at the University of Cambridge and Canford School in England.

“Joining SEA has always been a huge goal of ours,” said Squash Dreamers Executive Director Daisy Van Leeuwen-Hill, who has led the organization since 2021. “We are so excited for the opportunity to grow as an organization and learn from the wealth of experience of SEA. It’s a huge step for us in terms of development and will provide such incredible opportunities for the wonderful hard-working young girls we support.”

“I was honored to have the opportunity to visit SquashDreamers in March,” said SEA Senior Advisor, David Kay, who oversees SEA’s international engagement efforts. “These girls are coming from some of the toughest circumstances imaginable and what stood out most was the incredible kindness that staff, students and volunteers all show one another. I have rarely – if ever – been so inspired by a program. They are an inspiring addition to SEA’s network of programs.”

Squash Dreamers is SEA’s sixth international partner and the second in the Middle East. SEA’s other five international partners include SquashBond in Israel, Khelshala in India, Urban Squash Toronto in Canada, Egoli Squash in South Africa, and Squash Urbano in Colombia. SEA launched its international arm in 2013 when it helped launch Squash Urbano in Cartagena.

SEA
The addition of Squash Dreamers and Mission Squash comes at a time of extraordinary growth across the SEA network. Six construction projects are underway that will open community centers in Baltimore, Bridgeport, the Bronx, Pittsburgh, Lawrence, MA, and Portland, ME over the next year. Made possible by over $60 million in philanthropy and $5 million in public funding, these six facilities will collectively create a total of 31 squash courts and 17 classrooms.

Founded in 2005, SEA is the umbrella organization and governing body for a network of 21 U.S. member organizations and six international partners that combine squash, academics, mentoring, and college prep support for over 2,500 students from under-resourced communities. 96% of SEA students in the U.S. identify as Black or Latinx, and approximately three out of four participants identify as first-generation college students. 94% of SEA students who stay in its member programs go to post-secondary institutions — more than one-third of whom go on to attend top-100 colleges or universities. SEA students have enrolled in all eight Ivy League schools, and 214 students have played on varsity college squash teams.

SEA leads its network by launching new programs, promoting best practices, and providing unique educational and athletic experiences for its network’s students. SEA organizes and operates squash tournaments, camps, educational programs for students, and conferences for staff and board members. SEA also awards nearly $1 million in grants and scholarships to member programs and their students, providing funding for capital projects, academic innovation, squash excellence, community engagement initiatives, and financial aid.

To learn more about SEA, visit www.squashandeducation.org.

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