Lev: Preschool
Lev is a student from our preschool who moved here with his family from Ukraine. Lev’s mother, Yuliia, says that the YMCA has been so welcoming and has really made their transition a lot smoother. “It was important to us that Lev feels comfortable, because we have a big language barrier. Lev speaks Russian and Ukrainian, and it has been very hard for him to learn English, so having everyone be so helpful and kind has made adapting easier. The teachers have gone out of their way to make Lev feel welcomed, like Miss. Irina (who speaks Ukrainian) and Miss. Elizabeth. It is reassuring to know I am leaving Lev in safe hands in a new country. The YMCA has showed us so much support and graciousness through this rough time in our lives, I appreciated them and cannot thank them enough. You never know how much of a difference you can make by doing a simple act of kindness. The YMCA has brightened our days and made us feel like we really belong here, which is very meaningful to me and my family. We love the culture that the YMCA has created, because we want to grow our son up in a positive environment where has has the opportunity to grow with amazing influences surrounding him, teaching him to be caring, honest, responsible, independent, giving and respectful.”
Makaya: Summer Camp
Makaya was 7 years old when she started coming to Y summer camp. Her mother Denise, a working mother, needed to find a nurturing environment that could provide Makaya with structure, friends and fun. They both needed a safety net as they dealt with stressful times at home, but finances were difficult. Makaya was able to attend camp because her family qualified for the YMCA’s income-based scholarship program. Over the course of the summer, the quiet, withdrawn little girl began to smile again as she made new friends. And her mother was able to relax at work knowing that her daughter was in an environment that she felt safe and cared about.
Phillip: Afterschool Program
Many children are left home alone afterschool. They don’t have someone to help them with homework, serve them a healthy snack or engage them in productive games and activities. These children left alone are more likely to become teen parents and engage in criminal activities.
7 year old Phillip started the first grade reading on a level three. Thanks to the help he got afterschool at the Y, he progressed to a level eight by the end of the first semester.
As a single parent , Phillip’s father , Richard, knows first hand how hard it can be to understand a child’s developmental needs and build an educational foundation for that child, all while trying to support a family.
Currently hundreds of children along the Treasure Coast do not attend a structured afterschool program. The Y Afterschool Program is one way that the YMCA of the Treasure Coast is ensuring our youth are developing into productive members of our community.
Nadia: Preschool
Too many children enter kindergarten unprepared and unready to learn. The Y’s VPK program ensures our youngest members get the foundation they need to succeed in kindergarten – and beyond. It can be a struggle for any parent to meet a child’s developmental needs but it was particularly tough for Nadia’s mother, Carinne, who herself was in school and trying to build a better life for herself and her daughter. Nadia had the Y on her side and she was ready for school.