Lenny Merkin earns 2024 Beat the Streets National Full Circle Scholarship

The BTS Program Coordinator received the honor for giving back to the BTS community in New York.

Lenny Merkin received the second annual Beat the Streets National Full Circle Scholarship last week at the third annual Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals at Boston University.

The scholarship is given to BTS alumni who give back to their BTS chapter as a coach, mentor or intern, and exhibit characteristics that embody BTS. Merkin and alumni from BTS chapters across the country received the scholarship.

Merkin is a 2016 BTS alumnus, who won four New York prep state champions for Brooklyn Poly Prep, placed in the top-three twice at Prep Nationals and earned All-American honors at junior nationals. He continued his wrestling career at Princeton University. He earned a spot on Team USA's 2019 U23 World Championship Greco-Roman team.

Merkin is currently a Program Coordinator for BTS in New York, where he assists with program planning, communication and coaching at BTS Training Center practices. He helped coach the BTS New York boys and girls teams to fourth place finishes at this year's national duals.

2024 BTS National Full Circle Scholarship Award Recipients

Austin: Amari Wright

Baltimore: Justin Henry

Chicago: Monica Griffin

Cleveland: Sakeena Hudgins

Lancaster: Vatio Lian

Los Angeles: John Islas

New England: Hamlet Suazo

New York: Lenny Merkin

Philadelphia: Daishawn Tilghman

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Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league.

BTS works to develop the full human and athletic potential of New York City urban youth and strengthen the city's wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.