Coach For College

Student-athletes from American universities and Vietnamese university students partner to teach academics, sports, and life skills to youth at summer camps run in rural middle schools in disadvantaged areas of Vietnam. The children learn Biology, Physics, Math and English. The sports include basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, ultimate frisbee and dance. 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 their students effectively.