Page 7 - 336562_AQUINAS_LANDMARK.indd

sPotLiGHt on...

As children of God, we are called to serve others using the gifts

and talents unique to each of us. Like the student, teacher, alumnus and

friend of Aquinas featured in our “Spotlight On,” it is not how we answer the
call to serve, but rather, it is the openness to answering it that matters most.

Bernard Alexander ’18

Connecting with Ghana’s Youth through Tennis

hen presented with the opportunity to travel to Ghana
Wthis past summer to volunteer at a youth tennis camp,
Aquinas senior Bernard Alexander didn’t hesitate to get on the
plane.

Bernard’s father, Abraham Steiner, an educator in the Rochester
City School District and a native Ghanaian, organizes the trip to
Accra, Ghana each year – bringing with him fellow educators,
community members, philanthropists and this year, his son
Bernard.

Th e two-week long tennis camp is a free program meant to
positively engage Ghanaian children who come from
underprivileged communities. Bernard and his father work Bernard on one of his excursions with the Christian
specifi cally with the St. Francis Foundation, a Catholic Youth Council of Ghana. He is pictured here wearing beads
Organization that makes the camp accessible to children who made by women and children as a means of surviv-
al. The beads are made from recycled glass.
would not otherwise be able to aff ord it. Prior to their trip, they
gathered and shipped tennis balls, tennis racquets and clothing
that they were able to distribute to camp participants upon their
arrival. visited Noble at his part-time job at a local restaurant. When he
gave him a $5.00 tip Bernard shared that the boy “almost started
“Th e camp is a really big deal for many of the kids,” said crying.” It should have come as no surprise then, that to the rest
Bernard. “Th e last three days of it they run a tournament with of the campers, Bernard was a role model. “I would teach them
a cash prize of $20,000 GCD [$1,000 USD] that the winner can how to do something and then they’d do it better than I did, but
use for scholarship. Th ey’ve never seen that much money.” For still look at me for approval,” he laughed.
the winner, who will get put into bigger tournaments, tennis
can open doors to a college education and a chance to come At the end of the tournament, Bernard had the privilege of
to America. In fact, Bernard’s father came into the United presenting the winner of the junior tournament with a big
States as an exchange student through tennis, one reason that check – something he says he’ll never forget. “I made a lot of
volunteering at the camp is so near and dear to his heart and new friends and I’m planning to go again next summer – it was
something he wished to share with Bernard. really fun.”

“I think the children here don’t see how good they have it
sometimes,” remarked Steiner. “I wanted him to see poverty
in Africa and how out of that, children are doing well through
sports and in other areas – give him another view of the world.”
Some of the tennis
Bernard maintains that despite having a father who played camp participants hit
the court for a practice
tennis and coached tennis at the College at Brockport, that match.
he’s just “okay” himself. He did, however, mentor many of
the children and was also responsible for announcing the
participants, helping with paperwork, recording winners and
losers, assisting the tournament referees, and distributing
food and water to the players.

“Because it’s universal, tennis was how I connected with Ber
Bernard (bottom nard (bottom
center) looks on as
the kids at the camp. Th e rules and everything are the same center) looks on as
the Junior Tennis Open
the Junior Tennis Open
no matter where you are so even though we didn’t speak in Accra, Ghana gets
in Accra, Ghana gets
the same language, the language was tennis.” One of the underway.
underway.
participants Bernard connected with was a 14-year-old
boy named Noble. During some of his down time, Bernard
7 7