1. Question 1: Who did you serve, and what did you accomplish
that day?
On Saturday, September 21, 2013, USA Gymnastics teamed up
with Shepherd Community Center and Jireh Sports to celebrate
National Gymnastics Day. National Gymnastics Day started in
1999 as a way to engage gym clubs across the country to come
together on one day and give back to the community. Recently,
USA Gymnastics partnered with Right to Play, a global nonprofit
that believes all kids have the right to play regardless of location
or economic status. In our of USA Gymnastics’ partnership with
Right to Play, USA Gymnastics worked with Shepherd
Community Center and Jireh Sports to give underserved children
in USA Gymnastics’ backyard the opportunity to participate in
gymnastics. USA Gymnastics staff members volunteered with
Jireh Sports volunteers to host an open gym which gave kids in
the inner city of the Indianapolis the chance to try different
aspects of the sport. The open gym featured the following
stations: balance beam, trampoline, vault, bars, and tumbling.
Each of these stations taught lessons in flexibility, strength,
endurance, and cardio. By partnering with Shepherd Community
Center and Jireh Sports, USA Gymnastics was able to reach a
new demographic of children and bring the sport to them.
Question 2: What is your team's plan for an ongoing relationship
with the nonprofit?
USA Gymnastics and Shepherd Community Center only had 10
days to plan the event and even in that short amount of time,
over 75 kids participated in the open gym! In the future, USA
Gymnastics in partnership with Shepherd Community Center
would like to include the entire community to celebrate National
Gymnastics Day. Next year’s plans include reaching out to
community organizations such as the Indiana Pacers and invite
the Pacer’s mascot, Boomer (a former gymnast), to participate in

2. the event as well as invite Nicole Pechanec, a former gymnast
from Stanford University and new resident of Indianapolis. With
more time to plan and help from other organizations in the
community, the goal is reach as many kids as possible and show
them the benefits of gymnastics!
Question 3: What would your nonprofit do if they won part of the
prize money?
Shepherd Community Center is a proven nonprofit in the
Indianapolis community that has shown over time, they are
working hard to break the cycle of poverty. With the prize
money, I know they will put it to good use in the Indianapolis
community to help the poor and empower them to change their
family history of poverty by creating a better future.