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Aquademics was a Michigan nonprofit organization established in 1990 to increase the number and presence of African American children in competitive water sports. In addition to sponsoring a competitive swimming team, Aquademics operated an academic support program. Based in Ann Arbor, Aquademics programs were open to all youth of color children, ages seven to sixteen, living in Washtenaw County.〔Schutte, Pat, "Kids mix swimming, social enrichment,"''Ann Arbor News'' 1990〕 In operation throughout the 1990s, Aquademics formally disbanded at the turn of the 21st century. The Aquademics model resembled other athletics programs created in the late 1980s and 1990s, whose goal was to increase youth of color participation in sports lacking in diversity and with a history of racial exclusion.〔Tennis Across America, National Junior Tennis League〕 The Aquademics program was also guided by the precedent that sporting excellence is a means to teach children other forms of excellence, most importantly, academic excellence.〔Arthur Ashe comments〕 The Aquademics model's impact can be measured by the number of former members currently in professions where credentials and opportunities require associate and college degrees. Aquademics alums are represented in the following professions: business, communications, nonprofit administration, computer science, law, and the military, including the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.〔Communications with former Aquademics participants or family members〕 Moreover, a few Aquademics alums and former staff have volunteered or are working in water sport professions.〔Communications with former Aquademics family members〕 Two head coaches, who started their water sport coaching with Aquademics, continued with their coaching careers. Aquademics' original coach,Vicki Hames-Frazier was a water sports instructor of children with special needs for the (Washtenaw Intermediate School District ). After Aquademics, Hames-Frazier became head coach of the co-ed swimming team at Ann Arbor Greenhills School. She is one of the first African American women to coach a high school competitive swimming team in Michigan. Kelton Graham was Aquademics' longest-serving coach. Graham was a student athlete on the men's swimming team at Eastern Michigan University. After Aquademics, Graham took head coaching positions at both the club and high school levels. In 2006, he was appointed head coach of the Huron High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan) boys' swimming team.〔http://www.clubwolverine.org/SubTabGeneric.jsp?team=czmscw&_stabid_=5257〕 In 2008, Graham led the boys' swimming team to its first Class A championship in 19 years. That same year, Graham was named the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Coach of the Year, becoming the first African American to receive this award.〔McCabe, Mick, "Standing Alone," ''Detroit Free Press'', February 29, 2008, 10C〕 ==Beginnings== In 1990, Jeanine DeLay, faculty member and first coach of the Ann Arbor Greenhills School co-ed swimming team, met with former colleague,Wilma Allen, then Assistant Director, Research Services at CPHA, a national health information services firm. DeLay was interested in starting a swimming program for underserved kids whose access to swimming had been impeded by discrimination, inadequate resources and lack of coaching mentors.〔Inadequate resources〕 Cognizant and supportive of appeals for educational reform in athletics voiced at the time by tennis champion, humanitarian and activist Arthur Ashe, Allen and DeLay, also committed the endeavor to a strong academic program.〔Top-ranked teams〕 They were joined in forming Aquademics by three other educators and health care professionals to comprise the founding board: Carmel Borders, adjunct faculty member in health education at Eastern Michigan University, Melvin Rhoden, Admissions Director of Ann Arbor Greenhills School and health company executive, Gloria Jackson. Aquademics' name merged its two vital goals: Aqua(tics) and (aca)Demics. The motto served its mission: Swimmers Make Better Learners. The logo featured its goal: a Black swimmer smoothly churning through large waves. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Aquademics」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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