good morning. welcome to "viewpoint." i'm jim handly. our guest this half hour is cora masters barry, the founder and ceo of the southeast tennis and learning center. welcome to "viewpoint." always great to see you. >> always good to be here. >> so you're in your 15th year with the center. i have been down there and it is something to see. firsthand. but we'll see some video shortly. but talk about how you've grown there in the past 15 years. how it's just taken off. >> well, you know, our product is our children. and so we invested in children early on. and in 2001, and they have gone on to do great things.

as they grow, we grow. we have grown both programmatically and we have an amazing new building, $18 million rep -- renovation, that's the best in the world for tennis and education facility. and we have programs that have grown. we have watched -- i'm sure people who are principals or teachers at schools they watch kids grow and they come back. but being there, seeing kids who picked up a racquet for the first time when they were 5, 6 years old, and now they have gone through college on a tennis scholarship and they're lawyers, doctors and teachers and so it's kind of -- it inspires you to keep going. >> you say tennis is the hook because it's so much more than tennis there. i mean, technology, the computer labs you see. talk a little bit about what it does beyond the game of tennis. >> well, many organizations have what they call a learning component and most of it --

almost all of it other than us are assistants. we have so many entrepreneur programs. robotics, computer science. we have gardening and health and fitness so it's like a minischool. if you come to the beautiful school, it's on mississippi avenue, on one side of the building it's like a minischool and a beautiful computer lab. on the other side it's the conditioning room and the beautiful six indoor tennis courts with the mezzanine. you go outside and it's a state of the art course and a clay court. it's different in that it has such a variety of things that we do and we invest in the kids that are very deep -- in a deep way. we don't just help them with their homework but to another level and help change the trajectory of their life or enhance it. >> you have enriched the lives of thousands of children. we want to show the viewers who

may not have been to mississippi avenue, i have been down there, i played there. but give us a firsthand look of what it's like. let's look at this beautifully produced video. ♪ ♪ >> well, we have a model here. tennis is the hook but education is the key. ♪ this is is a wonderful, safe, nurturing, inspiring and inspirational and empowering place to be for children. well, it started really out of the funds of the inaugural committee and it was just too much money.

hundreds of thousands of dollars for a party and i thought that was a waste. at the same time, they were cutting the budget of the recreation department. so that's what we did. we saved the money and we said let's call it the wish list committee because we wanted the recreation department to get their wish list. hillary clinton was with me at the very beginning when i didn't have two dimes to rub together and that really kicked off the capital campaign to build the building, and of course mayor williams, anthony williams at that time, stepped up and provided the balance of the money. we were able to build the building and we could not have done it without mayor williams or without hillary clinton. we built some new tennis courts. we discovered that even though recreation is important in these children's lives it's not enough. so we wanted to do a building that would have in it education, mentoring, and support for the children beyond just the sport. we opened up in 2001.

it is now 2013. we served over 10,000 children since our opening. i had a parent who came to us, like a third child in the family and she said we saved the lives of her children. marie johns invited us to join the chamber because she thought it would be good. we're a nonprofit. we came in, we met other nonprofits. other corporations, other businesses. we were able to connect and to network with many different entities in the city and it's been helpful. i think about barbara lane, she's done such a great job with this organization that whatever the business community needs or needs to know, the chamber is going to provide it. and if you need information, if you need support, if you need help or guidance, they have a great organization that provides that.

this morning i was reading to the kids and they asked me what -- what made you build the southeast tennis and learning center and i said you. i have to pat myself on the back. we worked very hard. we have children who really are showing what we can do, through their actions. so it's very affirming and exciting and makes everyone very found. i'm the founder and ceo of the

southeast tennis and learning center. i would like to thank the d.c. chamber of commerce for the 2013 community impact award. >> wow. what a beautiful video. comcast produced that we should say. i saw you choke up there, tear up a bit. what is it like when you see these children blossom over the years? because they come back many of them give back. >> yeah, they do. they come back, they're junior coaches and mentors. i'm happy because that was the whole point and the story that i told was when we first built the building in 2001 and we opened, then i was like, oh, my, now we have to really produce. so when you see that, what we did really made a difference in the children's life and continued to. we have 140 kids on a daily basis now. we went from 50 to 60 to this.

it makes a difference. because what's important in life is what you do for other people and how you go into the lives of young people. i think that's the most important thing you can do in life. >> we'll take another quick break and hear from some the kids on the other side. as we go to break, if you'd like to learn more about the southeast tennis and learning center we'll put up a web address, if you want to donate or if you have a child who would like to take part. we'll be right back on "viewpoint."

here in vineland, home of progresso, we figured out how to get rich ingredients like bacon into 22 light soups, so if you want 100 calories or less per serving without giving up rich flavor do what we do...make it progresso. this moment is perfect in every way just like my kid gooey...flaky...happy. toaster strudel. now with more icing. and welcome back to "viewpoint." our guest again this morning, cora masters barry, she's the founder and ceo of the southeast tennis and learning center. you know, i have been out there a few times and the thing that really strikes me -- not only is it palatial and a beautiful facility, i want to talk more about the renovations but when you see the children walk in this front door and they don't walk, i mean, they're running to

get inside there. >> running to get inside. >> it makes their day. they look forward to this. tell people where a lot of these kids and their parents would be without this. because this is a saving grace for a lot of families. >> well, i think what people really need to understand and i was listening to a young man running for congress and he said what the country needs to understand that it's not just what happens in school, but what happens after school. so a great after school program is good for any kid. no matter what part of the city or part of the world because they're coming somewhere because they want to, not because they have to. when you get there and you can point to them -- good to enhance their life because it will broaden their exposure and make them multidimensional as opposed to one -- or double dimensional. most of the children who come through there their lives have been enhanced because of it and

some their lives have been saved because of it. >> that after school is critical period for many children. you have five hours on your hands, that's where you fill in a very critical role and gap. >> well, by the time the parents get off of work and pick them up, they can feed them, kiss and hug them and everybody goes to bed. before that, the kids have done their homework, they play tennis, they have had exercise, they have learned robotics or computer science. so they have had a full day. really that empowers and increases their knowledge base and their exposure. it just broadens them. the parents love us. >> yeah, that i do. >> we don't baby-sit. they have to be involved. every child has to have a point and a purpose every moment they're there. >> it's hands on mentoring. i want to hear from the kids. let's go to another video. we call this "how do you like me now."

♪ >> i went to undergrad at howard university in washington, d.c. i did play tennis. i was on a scholarship. >> i received a bachelors of arts in studio art and i was the arts scholar. >> i'm currently a student and my major is sociology. >> i went to college at unc charlotte in north carolina. i am a second grade teacher at cw harris elementary school. and i am also pursuing my masters degree at american university. >> i began playing at the southeastern learning center in 2001. i was 11 years old, going into my seventh grade year at holy trinity.

>> i remember my mother bringing us to the tennis center and it was a great experience knowing there was this place to offer an outlet for sports and supporting us academically. >> the tutors make sure i understand it. >> they taught me how to commit to something and stick to it and see it to the end. we'd come in every day and practice from 3:30 until -- and that was something equal to five hours on the court. during school, as a seventh and eighth grader. >> as a high schooler i learned what it was to be a student athlete. academics come first and athletics second. if i didn't have paper done or no homework done, anything i didn't have done, obviously, there were consequences for not doing that. like i said, i was a good student so those times weren't usually things i had to worry about. on the tennis court it's not about how many times you can hit the second or the third ball, but how long can you stay in the point without making -- without

making the first mistake. >> i don't think i appreciated it much then, but i really learned how to serve and support one's community. i remember getting tutoring and learning math skills with mr. rainy. and it really helped me learn how to balance my life a little bit better. >> my best lessons obviously, playing tennis. tennis lessons. it got me a whole lot of opportunities. got to play for the first time. >> tennis is one of the only purely individual sports. it's just you, no one else. you don't have teammates to rely on. you don't have coaches to tell you what to do when you're out on the court. it's you, that racquet, that ball and the person on the other side of the net. >> there's a different opponent every time you step on the court and i think life throws different curveballs at you. so you always have to be on your

feet and ready to adapt to different challenges that you may have confront. that's what tennis is. >> you know, when you get out there, all you have to rely on is yourself. what you have learned, what you have practiced. >> the skills i have learned here have carried me all the way through and carried me through my years in undergrad. >> it reflects what they helped me with academically. >> it takes a village to raise a tennis player too. and there were so many people that, you know, just played such an important role in me becoming who i am not only as a person but as a tennis player. >> the renovation of the tennis center is great and in terms of how it will impact students i think it will help them understand how invested this program is in their future.

and also what it takes to be invested in the community. >> current students will get to see a brand-new center. i think it will give them pride to see that's an investment in their community and they can see a beautiful center and maybe it will get people interested in playing. >> this impact in a great way because it's a nice environment. like a good learning environment. >> i understand how your surroundings and how the space where you work definitely affects the kind of work you do. >> i really hope to see people coming here will realize how important and how loved they r. >> this is a place we talk about all the time. whenever we see each other. we always go back to our memories here. i'm eric chavis. >> i'm rachel means. >> i'm chris brown. >> i'm candace cunningham. how do you like me now? >> incredible. boy. they tell the story right there. >> yeah. >> i heard you -- you said it as we watched the tapes a few times how proud you are because you have seen lives transformed. >> yes, absolutely. transformed and enhanced.

you know? i think many of these kids were going to be all right. but they're great. you know, they got -- to go to undergraduate school and not have debt, not pay a penny. >> exactly. >> that is amazing. that's helped the families. >> what is it like for you to see them really -- i mentioned this before. blossom. then come back and want to give back to another generation of youngsters? >> well, it's emotional for me and there are so many kids, like i have a hundred kids or 200 kids. first of all, i can't get over the fact they're grown. how dare you be grown. you're talking grown and making sense. >> how did that happen? >> how did that happen? but i'm very proud of them. i'm very happy that it's a point of the you know for them because like eric said, almost all of the kids went to different schools. but their point of contact is

that southeast tennis learning center where most of the great memories they had was there. because it wasn't the four walls. we took them on the trips, we took them to the u.s. open. we took them to swim in the swimming pools of maya angelou. they have done a lot of things. >> we have a lot more to get to. i want to talk about the williams sisters and the massive renovations out there. as we go, here's the web address if you'd like to find out more about the southeast tennis and learning center.

welcome back. we're with cora masters barry, talking about the southeast tennis and learning center. how massive is this place? you have some incredible renovations going on. >> over 150,000 square foot. we have a square indoor tennis court with a mezzanine that reaches out to the glass banisters so you can see right through it.

it's six beautiful state of the art courts. usda endorsed. lighting, right to the top, it's the best in the world. >> you can lob as high as you want. >> we have all kind of people. the brian brothers have filmed there. the fuzzy ball people have come there and g.w. washington pays all their -- plays all their tennis matches there. >> i didn't know that. >> yeah, they have all their practices there and therefore, they play people like stanford, harvard university. so people coming from all over the world. >> glad to see it. two people who come back every year, they have given so much. they love it there. i have seen them there a few times. venus and serena williams. they love you, but they love what your center has done. >> i'm so proud of them and so grateful to them for the support

they give us. by the way, when you come we have amazing graphics that was done by the company that venus has. so it was a front page article about this time last year in "the washington post." she did the interior design. serena has been supportive. they came to every major event we have. and they love what we do. i think we're the only facility they do that repeatedly for. their sister is on the board. so venus was supposed to be with us in the heart to heart. she's not coming which is the bad news, but the good news is she's not coming because she was qualified at the end of the year -- the end of the year championships. i'm proud of her. >> the kids light up when they see hem. when we come back, we want to talk about heart to heart, so stick around.

cora masters barry, big event coming up on the 31st called heart to heart.

>> yes. that's when adults team up with juniors and they play doubles. it's fu we have food, we give away wonderful t-shirts. and sweatshirts. and everybody has a great time. it's a really great event. i love to see the juniors and the seniors play together. i won't tell anybody else, the kids need to do better than the adults. >> i have been on the other end of that. real quick, something about tennis. you said there's no wasted experience. >> yes. the kids learn from tennis. they learn when they lose they learn when they win. because the important thing to me is what did you learn? the most important thing to me about tennis especially to young people, it holds you totally accountable. you have no one but yourself. >> so true. cora masters barry, always a pleasure. thanks for keeping us up to date on what's happening. the exciting things happening over there. congratulations for all you have done and continue to do. >> i hope to see everybody on the 31st. thank you. >> thank you for having us in. and enjoy the rest of your weekend, everybody.

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well, it is race day for marine corps marathon runners. over 30,000 participants getting ready to hit the pavement in a show of solidarity and support for our men and women in uniform. and the runners are going to get a little bit red. sprinkles throughout the morning. we have meteorologist tom kierein here on when we can all see a break. good morning, everyone. i'm angie goff. >> and i'm adam tuss. >> a lot of people have been talking about training for this day. the