Ottawa teenager Leila Heynen partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to organize a two-week swimming and tennis program.Keito Newman/The Globe and Mail
The organizer: Leila Heynen
The pitch: Raising $40,000
The cause: Launching Serve & Swim
Ottawa teenager Leila Heynen was taking a civics class last year and one of her final assignments was to develop a program that addressed a social issue that mattered most to her.
As a basketball player and someone who volunteered at various tennis clubs, Leila had seen how some sports were not accessible to many communities. “I really noticed that tennis was a very exclusive sport,” Leila, 15, recalled.
She also thought about her mother, Dr. Parisa Rezaiefar, who couldn’t cover the cost of swimming lessons after coming to Canada from Iran. “She only learned to swim once she was pregnant with my older sister and once she could afford to pay for her own lessons after working very hard to become a doctor.”
With all of that in mind, Leila developed a two-week summer sports program called Serve & Swim for at-risk children ages six to 12. With the help of her mother, Leila pitched the idea to the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, which jumped at the opportunity. The club has a swimming pool and access to tennis courts.
An avid basketball player, Leila hopes to expand the scope of the camp in the future.Keito Newman/The Globe and Mail
Leila has raised $40,000 to cover costs for the first Serve & Swim camp in July, which will have 80 spots available for kids who want to come for one week or two. The money will go toward buying equipment as well as paying for food, coaching and transportation. The equipment will be kept at the club so children can continue playing tennis during the year.
The camp is free and participants have been referred to Leila by the Boys and Girls Club, the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization and OrKidstra, a local charity that provides music programs for equity-deserving communities.
“I would love to inspire other youth and help ensure this camp remains viable for years to come,” she said. She’s also hoping to expand it. “As a basketball player myself, some of my best memories are through sport.”
After she handed in her class assignment, Leila wasn’t sure she could make the project a reality. “It’s actually more possible than I thought,” she said. “It’s really surprising for me, but it’s super exciting. It brings me so much joy.”