History & Mission

Founded in 1995 by Cora Masters Barry, then First Lady of the District of Columbia, the Recreation Wish List Committee’s mission is to improve the quality of public recreation in the District of Columbia so that every young person has access to safe recreation facilities in their neighborhood. Equally important, the RWLC’s goals are to give District of Columbia youth opportunities to be academically competitive, as well as socially and culturally competent as they grow and learn. 

To achieve these goals, in 2001 the RWLC and the District of Columbia’s Department of Parks and Recreation joined forces to open the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center.  Since then, more than 2,000 children and teens — mostly from Ward 8 neighborhoods — have been drawn to the Center by its tennis programs, and have benefited from its education programs.  Through our structured academic and cultural enrichment programs, children and teens build social and life skills, strengthen academic abilities, and gain the confidence they need to succeed both on and off the court.