Yasiris Ortiz
Table tennis, physical fitness, academic reinforcement, and social-emotional learning for New York City students, built by a Dominican national champion who started in a South Bronx classroom.
The Spark
At P.S. 1X in the South Bronx, Yasiris Ortiz taught children how to play table tennis. In return, they helped her learn English. Those early exchanges became part of the foundation for a business built around sport, learning, and connection.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Yasiris moved to New York City in 2016. Table tennis had already taken her into international competition. Teaching introduced her to another possibility: using the sport to create opportunities for students who might otherwise never encounter it.
“A dream I have that's as big as going to the Olympics.”
From One School to a Broader Mission
Yasiris launched Spin & Learn in 2020, building on her early work in New York City schools. She developed its curriculum, built school partnerships, and grew a team of coaches to bring the programs to more communities.
Today, Spin & Learn combines table tennis, physical fitness, academic reinforcement, and social-emotional learning through school-day enrichment, after-school programs, assemblies, wellness events, and author visits. Its programs create another way for students to participate, including children who may not feel at home in traditional team sports.
Students practice coordination and technique while learning to stay focused, manage frustration, encourage others, and keep trying. The company's CHAMPS values guide that work: Character, Health, Achievement, Motivation, Perseverance, and Support.
Since 2020, Spin & Learn has reached more than 12,000 students across 45+ New York City public schools.
An Athlete, Educator, and Entrepreneur
Yasiris has built the company alongside her education and athletic career. After attending Bronx Community College, she earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the City College of New York.
Representing the Dominican Republic, she won the women's singles title at the 2018 Caribbean Senior Championships and contributed to the women's team bronze medal at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. She is also the author of Yasi the Champion: A Table Tennis Tale, appeared in Marty Supreme, and was selected as a 2026 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow.
Keeping the Opportunity Open
As school programs grew, families began asking where their children could continue training after those programs ended. That question helped shape the Spin & Learn Foundation, where Yasiris serves as Founder and Executive Director.
The nonprofit is working to expand access beyond schools, with a vision that includes youth, adults, and seniors. A dedicated Bronx facility remains a long-term goal: a place for year-round coaching, tournaments, mentorship, and community programs.
For Yasiris, the next chapter is about making those opportunities last, so a student's first introduction to table tennis can become an ongoing source of learning, confidence, and community.