Mission & History

Mission

Figure Skating in Harlem's (FSH) mission is to transform young lives and help Harlem girls to grow in confidence, leadership and academic achievement. Established in 1997 with a special visit by Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton, FSH has served more than one thousand girls with a powerful program that prepares them for success in all aspects of life.

Vision

Our vision is to empower every young girl with the confidence and foundation to achieve her dreams. She will be a powerful speaker, an effective leader, live a healthy lifestyle, and be a global citizen.

History

In 1989, the Princeton and Yale women's ice hockey teams conducted ice skating clinics with a handful of girls from the Harlem-based agency, Upward Inc. The students so enjoyed the ice skating clinics that they expressed an interest in learning to figure skate. Sharon Cohen, a former competitive figure skater (U.S.F.S.A. double gold medalist) and Brown University and New York University graduate, volunteered to work with these girls, and soon, their excitement about the sport inspired Sharon to start Figure Skating in Harlem, a rigorous figure skating and academic enrichment program. In 1997, Figure Skating in Harlem officially separated from Upward Inc. and incorporated as a non-profit in the State of New York, expanding its program to serve girls throughout the Harlem community.

For more than a decade, FSH has continued to expand its educational and skating opportunites to serve a greater number of girls, grown from a staff of three to over thirty, and now hosts four exciting city-wide events, bringing together parents, community supporters, business leaders, and celebrities. In the coming years, our organization is looking forward to opening its first "Leading Edge Skating and Education Center" in Harlem to accommodate the growing demand for our program and services