The annual NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup will return to the Bronx from May 26 to June 5, 2022 at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Eleven scholarships have been awarded that will provide a total of $70,000 to program participants to help them achieve their collegiate ambitions. The scholarships will be presented to the winners during the final day of the tournament at the awards ceremony on June 5, 2022 at 2 pm.
The $70,000 of scholarship awards for the benefit of underserved students, a significant increase over last year’s total of $5,000, will be presented at NYJTL’s first in-person awards ceremony since the beginning of the pandemic. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will present the young champions from the teams, singles, and doubles categories in addition to the recipients of the 11 scholarship awards. The scholarship awards include the Gavrin Family Foundation Scholarship, established by Metropolitan Commercial Bank; the Louis Marx, Jr. Educational Scholarship; the Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship; and the AYS Leadership and Innovation Scholarship. These are awarded to NYJTL participants with financial need who excel in tennis, academics, and character, and will be renewed annually based on good academic standing.
“I am honored to support the success of NYJTL’s young people across New York City,” says former Metropolitan Commercial Bank Chairman of the Board of Directors David Gavrin. “Through these scholarships, I hope to help these students achieve their goal of attending college and realize their full potential.”
The winners are:
Gavrin Family Foundation Scholarship
- Derwin Guzman, Bronx, Frederick Douglass Academy, Manhattanville College
- Sylwia Filonik, Brooklyn, Christ the King Regional High School, St. John’s University
- Jeremias Contreras, Brooklyn, Homeschool (SFKG School of Applied Wisdom), Kings College
- Emmanuel Usman, Bronx, Aviation Career and Technical Highschool, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Matthew Usman, Bronx, Aviation Career and Technical Highschool, SUNY Stony Brook University
Louis Marx, Jr. Educational Scholarship
- Sara Contreras, Brooklyn, Homeschool (SFKG School of Applied Wisdom), Liberty College
- Allycia Santa Cruz, Queens, Bard High School Early College, Queens College
- Dylan Augustin, Brooklyn, Nazareth High School, Brooklyn College
- Aaron Wong, Queens, Francis Lewis High School, SUNY Binghamton University
Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship
- Mary Maccarone, Queens, Bayside High School, Florida Atlantic University
AYS Leadership & Innovation Scholarship
- Evelin Perez, Bronx, High School of American Studies at Lehman College
The awards ceremony will feature dance performances from students in NYJTL’s ACES Afterschool Program. This along with other activities will create a day of fun and festivities to celebrate the winners of the tournament and scholarships.
“We are so proud to host the nation’s largest free junior interscholastic tennis competition in honor of late longtime NYJTL board member, tennis advocate, and former NYC Mayor, David Dinkins,” says NYJTL President & CEO Udai Tambar. “His dedication to bringing tennis and education to NYC children, like that of our visionary founder Arthur Ashe, has had a tremendous impact on our organization.”
The NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup brings players from all over New York City representing public, parochial, and private schools. Formerly known as the NYJTL Mayors Cup, the tournament was renamed in honor of NYJTL’s late board member and the first Black mayor of New York City Mayor David Dinkins.
The NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup kicks off today at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. The awards ceremony will be held on June 5, 2022 at 2 pm. Come join and cheer on our winners and scholarship recipients!
For more information on the Mayor Dinkins Cup, please visit nyjtl.org/mayor-dinkins-cup/ or contact Tournament Director Michele Cope at mayordinkinscup@nyjtl.org. For more information on NYJTL scholarships, please visit https://www.nyjtl.org/scholarships/.