Education Through Athletics is designed to create positive pathways for our at-risk/disadvantaged youth. ETA began 9 years ago with a program called Hoop Dreams. We have created an innovative process that focuses on providing youth with the opportunity to achieve academically as well as athletically. Research shows that teens that participate in athletic activities are less likely to participate in high risk, deliquent behaviors, such as: gang membership, teen crimes, drug abuse, and premature sexual activity-teen pregnancy. We have been very successful at helping the at-risk athlete become the STUDENT ATHLETE. Once youth have the opportunity to attand a 4 year institution they are no longer at-risk, because they now have the same opportunity as peers from other more affluent communities and backgrounds. The level of talent throughout our program enables us to participate competitively at major exposure events attended by NCAA coaches. To this date we have been extremely successful at changing the outlook and futures in the lives on many youth, and we are just getting started. Our goal is that every student athlete participating in the program receive a high school diploma and full scholarship from a Div. I or Div. II university. We pledge to provide student athletes participating in the program with unique Education Through Athletics academic counseling, skill development, one-on-one counseling (life skills), the opportunity to travel outside of their enviornment to compete against the nations best athletes, and exposure to major college/university coaches. We have the respect from colleges/universities in the ACC, Big East, SEC, Atlantic 10, Pac 10, and many other conferences. Please feel free to contact us at buildyourskillz@yahoo.com