The Ivy League: Uptown W.I.N.S. (Women in Neighborhood Sports) TEAM PORTRAITS are taken for the various sports of the Ivy league. This group shot is from the league's 1998 softball program Participation in sports has always been an effective tool for bringing community youths together in a positive experience—for boys and young men. But competition in sports wasn’t always an easy option for girls and young women of Washington Heights/Inwood—until the Ivy League, that is. Founded in 1994 by the Community Affairs Department and local community leaders, the Ivy League: Uptown W.I.N.S. (Women In Neighborhood Sports) uses sports to help hundreds of neighborhood girls improve their education, health, and overall self-image. While participating in athletic programs designed specifically for young women, members of the Ivy League are exposed to education on such relevant topics as academic achievement, dealing with peer pressure, safe sex, and saying no to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. "Sports have always given boys an upper hand--in education, business, and everyday life. The league is trying to even the playing field. Once we attract girls through sports, a whole world of opportunity opens up for them. The Ivy League is there to make sure they take advantage of those opportunities," says Ivy Fairchild, director of community affairs & program development and co-founder of the league. Not-for-profit and run primarily by volunteers, the league provides such sporting activities as basketball, volleyball, and softball. The league also runs educational programs including tutoring, college preparation, and computer training. These programs are open to girls and women ages 6 to 21. The league currently serves more than 500 community girls and young women. For more information, contact: Eva Matos (212) 305-9950