Updated Aug. 18
Stand With Everyone Against Rape (SWEAR), an initiative at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in partnership with Martha’s Vineyard Community Services’ CONNECT to End Violence, hosted a charity pickleball tournament over the weekend. It was sponsored by Vineyard Family Tennis.
The first tournament, called “Smash the Silence,” welcomed all skill levels — beginner, intermediate, and advanced — and two-person teams joined in a men’s, women’s, or co-ed category.
The fundraiser, which took place at the high school tennis courts, raised money for SWEAR, which empowers young men to challenge gender norms, confront rape culture, and become stewards against gender-based violence. Money raised through registrants and donations helps to fund trips for students off-Island, which in the past included a two-day retreat on Cape Cod and a visit to the Healthy Youth Summit in Boston.
SWEAR has been around for more than a decade. More than 30 students, around 25 boys and six girls, meet weekly, and are led by advisors Amy Lilavois, Matthew Malowski, and Jack Pachico. Pachico was a member of the program in high school and is now a MVRHS faculty member as well as the Men’s Initiative Specialist for community services’ CONNECT to End Violence.
This event blended together Malowski’s two greatest passions: educating young men on how to grow into adulthood as a valuable member of society, and pickleball, Lilavois said.
Despite the heat, dozens of players were on the courts Saturday. Rising seniors Samilly Guimaraes, Lucas Souza, Sophia Alves, and Caleb Miller, all of whom joined the program their junior year, were also present at the event over the weekend.
When Souza went on the SWEAR retreat last year, he didn’t know whether people would take the issues seriously, but said everyone was very focused. Boys and girls were able to learn from each other and understand what another gender goes through.
Guimaraes said through the program, she is able to share how the words or actions of boys affect her and other girls, and Alves said she’s learned how to speak up when others do something wrong.
Miller said he’s learned how to be a role model inside and outside school, through the program.
The program is unique, Lilavois said, because SWEAR educates young men on how to step in when there’s gender-based violence, a job that is typically left to women.
As of Monday, event programmers didn’t have an exact amount raised so far from the tournament.
