Tennis instructor Crystal Hernandez eyes 8-year-old Har’Mani Fleming’s technique as the Henry L. Marsh Elementary School third-grader bounces the ball during a tennis drill while her friend Emani Crockett, 8, also a Marsh third-grader prepares to serve.

The girls are participants in an eight-week Lobs & Lessons After school program at the Peter Paul Development Center. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success describes the partner program as helping to strengthen youths’ life skills, promote academics and create a path to higher education through tennis.

In addition to tennis, lessons include getting along with others, regulating emotions, being coachable and practicing healthy habits, states VCU’s website.

The Lobs & Lessons Afterschool program serves about 40 youths a day. Participants come to the center on selected days during the week, with some youths coming to the center once a week and others attending twice a week, according to VCU’s website.

In addition to Peter Paul and Richmond Public Schools, other VCU program partners include the Friends Association for Children, Higher Achievement, NextUpRVA, Richmond Police Athletic League and St. Andrews School.

For more details, visit https://community.vcu.edu/mfyc/lobs--lessons-afterschool-programs/