About First Serve
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About Us
First Serve - New Mexico provides an after-school program and summer camp to Santa Fe Public School (SFPS) students, home schooled students, and charter school students grades 3-12 across Santa Fe, NM. Our programs are at no cost to students or their families thanks to immense organizational fundraising efforts and the generosity of private donors and grantors who support our mission.
​Our unique program combines academic tutoring, life skills coaching, and tennis instruction to create a robust curriculum that prepares our student athletes for the world. We pride ourselves on educating the whole child for the whole year: academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. FS-NM staff, tutors, teachers, and coaches are all committed to expanding children’s sense of possibility and inspiring them to strive for excellence in all areas of their lives. Thus, First Serve is not a “drop-in” program that kids come and go from, students make a commitment to attend, participate, and put forth their best efforts for a minimum period of one full school year.
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We partner with the City of Santa Fe’s Parks and recreation division to reserve tennis courts across the city for our student athletes to utilize. We also partner with SFPS to provide our program at various schools throughout the district based on annual student enrollment demographics.
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If a particular school has a large enough enrollment, we will work with the principal and staff members at that school to bring the program to them. For students who attend a school that did not bolster a large enough enrollment to bring a program to them, they can attend our tutoring session online.
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Our program structure varies from one school site to another based on students' needs. However, most sites operate on a 4 day per week schedule alternating days of academic tutoring/life skills curriculum and tennis instruction.​​
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the cost of the program?First Serve - New Mexico is 100% free of charge to all participants and their families. As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of our donors to support our students. While we encourage participant families to donate to FS-NM to help sustain our operations, it is not required for your child to participate. What we do require is your child’s commitment and positive attitude for the duration of the program that they are enrolled in. · School Year Cost: The full program, which includes tennis, tutoring and life skills would cost approximately $5,000 per student out of pocket. · Summer Camp Cost: Our summer program would cost approximately $400 per week for each child to attend.
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How is the program funded, how are you able to provide all of this at no cost to the families?Our program is funded through the generosity of individual donors, grants, and community partnerships. These contributions allow us to offer our services at no cost to families.
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Can my child participate in tennis only?No, FS-NM provides a holistic experience that includes Education, Tennis, and Life Skills. We are more than just a tennis club; we are committed to the overall development of each participant.
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My child has excellent grades. Do they still need to participate in tutoring?Yes, tutoring is an integral part of our program. We ask all participants to join tutoring sessions, regardless of their current grades. We provide advanced supplemental lessons to students who already excel in the classroom. We have also partnered with Winward Academy to provide SAT practice for high school students and offer life skills programs for students during the tutoring sessions.
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Can we try out the program for a couple of weeks?The best opportunity to try out the program is during our summer camp. We offer a free two-week introductory period for students grades 3-12.
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What is the time commitment?Participants are expected to commit to a minimum of 3-4 afternoons per week for the duration of the program.
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What will the weekly schedule look like?The program operates Monday through Thursday, with alternating days dedicated to tennis and tutoring/life skills. Each school site will have a different schedule to accommodate the availability of our students, coaches, and tutors.
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What does my child need to bring?· Tennis: Athletic clothing, tennis shoes (no black soles), a water bottle, appropriate layers for colder months, and sunscreen and a hat for warmer months. · Tutoring/Life Skills: Homework, a book to read, interesting assignments, or long-term projects.
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Do you provide all the tennis equipment needed?Yes, we provide racquets, balls, and coaches. Students should come wearing tennis shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather.
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How do I register for the program?Online registration using League Apps opens each August for the school year program, which begins in September. Summer camp registration opens each April for FS-NM members and in May for non-members.
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Can my child participate in other sports or activities while in the program?We ask that your child commits fully to the program for one year to maximize the benefits. We understand other opportunities may arise and will try to accommodate a schedule that works best for you. If your child participates in one other sport during the year, we can work around that. However, if your child is involved in 2-3 other sports, FS-NM may not be the best fit.
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What if my child has never played tennis before?We welcome beginners! FS-NM works with students at all skill levels, regardless of previous experience.
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What if the program is not available at my child's school site?Students who do not have the program available at their school can attend tutoring at our hub school, currently Milagro Middle School. When we open our facility, most of our programs will be held there.
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Can younger siblings join the program?Our program is designed for students in 3rd-12th grades.
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Is transportation provided?Transportation is not provided, but we can assist in facilitating carpooling with other families at the same school site.
Our Board
Officers
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Angelique Cook Lowry, President
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Karen Herhahn, Vice President
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Scott Fuqua, Treasurer
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Mary Caslin Ross, Secretary
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Members of the Board
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Angelique Cook-Lowry
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Karen Herhahn
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Scott Fuqua
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Mary Caslin Ross
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Kimberley Sheffield
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Mary Catherine Matthews
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Melanie Peters Thorne
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Staci Stevens
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Jennifer Trujillo​​​​​
Our Staff
Karissa Martinez
Executive Coordinator
Chris Slakey
Program Director
Nancy Keeran
Head Tennis Coach
Steve Burke
Assistant Head Tennis Coach
Kelsae Pederson
Membership Coordinator
Sergei Barrow
Tennis Coach
Aaron Carlton
Site Coordinator, Tennis Coach
Steve Dixon
Tutor
John Dunbar
Tennis Coach
Susan Gallaher
Tutor, Tennis Coach
Yon Kempton
Tennis Coach
Joseph Romero Kleve
Tennis Coach
Vlad King
Tennis Coach
Phoenix Luna
Tutor
Yaszmina Nedboy
Tutor, Life Skills Coach
Claudia Phillips
Tennis Coach
Sangye Phuntsog
Tennis Coach
Nancy Ramirez
Tutor
Bonnie Rogers
Tennis Coach
Sally Walkiewicz
Tutor
Founders of First Serve – New Mexico (Founded 2003)
Richard A. Brenner
Eleanor P. Brenner
Eleanor P. Brenner and her husband Richard Brenner co-founded First Serve – New Mexico in 2003 to help create an educated, enthusiastic, involved future populace. In addition to having been a tennis family, they wanted the children of New Mexico to learn a sport that would give them great enjoyment and competition—as well as a sport they could play for life.
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Eleanor has successfully translated her business acumen to the nonprofit world and set a standard for results-based accountability that has driven First Serve – New Mexico to excellence. Since the beginning, Eleanor has created a culture of a First Serve – New Mexico family that cares deeply for all of its children. In turn, our students (children) are not only involved in their life skills, academics, and tennis, but as importantly have generated life-long friendships.