Coach for College

Student-athletes from American universities and Vietnamese college students partner to teach academics, sports, and life skills to middle school youth at summer camps in disadvantaged areas of Vietnam. The children learn biology, physics, math and English. The sports include basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. Life skills lessons focus on the value of education, setting ambitious goals, how to break a goal into smaller achievable steps, perseverance, teamwork, leadership. The program aims to motivate the youth to stay in school, while providing knowledge and skills to help them succeed. The American and Vietnamese university students gain valuable cross-cultural skills, while taking part in meaningful service. They are intentionally placed in challenging situations outside their comfort zone, in which they must rapidly adapt and work together closely to successfully run the camp and teach the kids effectively.