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Palmetto High School rising senior Brighton Brown teaches disadvantaged children how to play tennis. She was the force behind creating Magic City Tennis United.
The program began the summer of 2019 and they tried to continue last summer, but COVID concerns cut the program short. This summer, the lessons were scheduled to return in mid-June.
Magic City Tennis United was created when she went with the idea to a friend who has been in the tennis community since he was young.
“I approached him and he was super happy to support,” she says. “He doesn’t help with the coaching. He’s there for supervising.”
Originally, they set up shop in Cutler Bay and the Lakes by the Bay courts. They started the program and worked with 7-8 children on two courts.
“It worked out perfectly,” she says.
Now she wants to expand north to the area between Overtown and Wynwood and help up to 16 children.
“I really like working more one on one with the kids,” she says.
She has three friends who help her coach.
“Two from the tennis team and a friend who goes to another school help me out,” she says.
“I wanted to make it a student run thing.”
Not only do they provide lessons for the children, they also provide the needed gear such as rackets, balls and shoes. The children are rewarded for their hard work with the gear.
“So, it doesn’t feel like charity. We wanted to work with the kids and see them progress,” Brown says. “After you came a few times and saw they wanted to play, we’d give them what they needed so they could play on their own.”
Brown has been playing since fourth grade. She’s played on the Palmetto team since she was a freshman. She’s also the team manager. This year she hopes to play more since several players graduated.
She’s passionate about her volunteer work. She’s been volunteering at the Sylvester Cancer Center since ninth grade. Her work there included helping out at the National Firefighter Cancer Symposium.
“I worked the logistics of it. I’d sign people in and make sure the speakers were in line,” she says.
She learned a lot about the issues while taking notes during the programs and discussions.
Brown plans on continuing to volunteer at Sylvester because she’s interested in a career doing lab research.
Since its inception Brown has volunteered with Pinecrest City Music Project. Since 2019, she’s been the special events supervisor. This spring, she organized the South Dade Arts Festival at Pinecrest Gardens, which bridged visual and performing arts.
The program created an outdoor experience so everyone could enjoy art safely.
“It was really special to see and all the kids who came to visit their art pieces, and take pictures next to them,” she says.
Since ninth grade, she’s been interning in the summer at Dickman, Epelbaum and Dickman, a medical malpractice law firm.
She is one of the Editors-in-Chief for the Yearbook. Last school year she was the Design Editor.
She’s a member of the African Heritage Club. She also helps organize their annual music and dance showcase since she doesn’t sing and dance.
Brown is on the Student Council senate. Her roles have included athletic liaison and special events.
She’s currently unsure about a major – she thinks she may try chemistry – but she wants to go to California for college.
At the Palmetto Awards Ceremony this year, Brown won the Yale Book Award. Previously she’s garnered the Freshman Yearbook Award, and the Panther on the Move Distinction Award.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
