Carolyn Hemingway, M.Ed, brings a wealth of energy and experience to the Mindful Mentor: Building Connections program for Advantage Kids. As a teacher for 20 years, Carolyn shares her passion of working with children and playing tennis with Advantage Kids. Her role over the past 9 years with AK has blossomed into leading the Mindful Mentor: Building Connections program in New Hampshire. After attending 2 USTA Foundation conferences, Carolyn recognized the need for building structure, consistency, expectations, predictability, support, and connections within our Advantage Kids program so all kids feel included and safe. Following USTA’s model of a “sports based youth development” program, Carolyn is teaching and encouraging coaches and mentors to use proven structures of cooperative learning strategies on and off the court. Making connections with each other and with multi-generational mentors will help build confidence and resilience, developing the whole child while focusing on mental health, wellness, and building character. As a Training Coordinator for USLBM, Carolyn develops training programs on Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, and Social Skills), , Communication, and Conflict Resolution to name a few, and will use these skills to help develop mentors, coaches, and kids in the Mindful Mentor program. Carolyn and her husband Kent (AK Board Member and former Mount Washington Valley Area Director) live in NH and South Carolina, where they are “semi-retired”, leading active, healthy lives and playing tennis as often as possible.