At age 6, Ashleigh Ellis (née Whitfield) put on ice skates for the first time and never looked back. “I was just gone! It was like I knew how to ice skate with the first seconds of stepping on the ice,” says the Long Island native who went on to compete nationally, even reaching the Junior Olympics.
Yet for Ellis, a Rhetoric & Communication major at UAlbany, something was missing from her experience. “I would go to these competitions nationwide and there were no other Black skaters.” She made a vow to, one day, change that if she could. UAlbany Magazine joined Ellis on the ice to see her promise realized in the Unity Ice Academy.
"I constantly look at these kids and watch their growth through skating, and I'm just so excited for them, and just so proud to be able to provide this opportunity to them."
Planning for the summer camp starts in August with organizing our first fundraiser scheduled for the winter.
Camp this year ran July 5-July 28. We have a combination of professional instructors and on and off ice volunteers that make this camp possible.
First, the basics. Learning how to lace skates and balance on the ice are the first steps. For of the kids, it's their first experience on the ice.
We like to encourage bonding early on, so we’ll rent out a movie theater and have a great time watching a film with plenty of popcorn for all.
During the camp, we try to make the experience fun so that the skaters learn and progress. Our goal is to build their confidence, resilience, drive and teamwork. Skills that will serve them well in life.
Off the ice, we hold character building workshop which include dance instruction and arts and crafts projects where the children learn about vision boards and how to build their own.
We bring in guest speakers to talk about their journey in sports and how they have overcome challenges and adversity. The kids get the chance to interact with the presenters and ask any questions they may have.
One of our last activites is an all-expense paid trip to Knotts Berry Farm, an amusement park in the L.A. area. This fun day out includes a barbecue lunch and plenty of rides.
At the end of the camp, we perform a recital where our skaters get to show off their news skills for family members.
Fundraising is crucial for providing free access to this unique experience for our low-income campers. Our main fundraiser is held in January and the support continues to grow.
Our programming is slowly expanding beyond summer camp with the addition of free classes the kids can take throughout the year, special pop-up events and a holiday "skate-tacular."
