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June 17, 2025

The event not only marked a significant enhancement of the facilities, but also honored the powerful partnership between the College and the award-winning Bennington Aces program—recently named Chapter of the Year by USTA New England.

Founded by the late Richard Ader in 2016, Bennington Aces offers a 6-week summer program hosted at the College. The program is free to students from local public schools and combines tennis instruction with academic tutoring, wellness education, and exposure to the outdoors and local culture. It is Vermont’s only NJTL (National Junior Tennis & Learning) chapter.

The resurfacing project, made possible by a $60,000 grant from the United States Tennis Association, reflects the deepening commitment of both institutions to providing accessible, high-quality tennis and academic enrichment opportunities for local youth.

Ader, founder of Bennington Aces and former 51�������� trustee, envisioned the program as a bridge to opportunity. His legacy continues through the unwavering support of his wife Pamela Ader and the Richard and Pamela Ader Foundation.

David Kelso, Chair of the Bennington Aces Board, lauded the partnership among the Aders, 51��������, the Bennington Aces coaching team, and Aces Executive Director Sandra Foster for making the program and the court project successful. “That’s what it takes for something like this to take root in a community, as it surely has,” Kelso said. 

Laura Walker, President of 51��������, admired Richard Ader for his vision and thanked Pamela Ader for her continued support. “Dick’s founding spirit and belief in young people lives on here in every match played and every new skill learned, and we are so grateful for that,” said Walker. “These courts are about more than tennis—they’re a launchpad, a place where kids can dream, grow, and connect and begin to see the wide possibilities of who they might become.” 

Sandra Foster, Executive Director of Bennington Aces and a former local principal, emphasized the value of the partnership. “To 51��������, thanks for opening your campus to our learners and embracing the idea that learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms; it happens here—on courts, in movement, through connections.” 

Kelso closed, “These courts will be alive with the sound of kids all summer, and we are delighted to be able to support it.” 

Image from left to right: Seth Gabriel, Bennington ACES Tennis Director & Director of the Bennington Tennis Center; David Kelso, Bennington Aces Board Chair; Sandra Foster Executive Director of Bennington ACES; Laura Walker, President of 51��������; and Dan Rowe, Bennington Aces Assistant Tennis Director.