STAUNTON- AUGUSTA FAMILY YMCA NEWS JULY 27, 2019
#BESTSUMMEREVER
Con ten ts 4
A Day at t he Lake
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I n t he News
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A Visit or f or YVC
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Cause Dr ive Leader
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Br yan St evenson
From t he Direct or
Josh Cole Joined by Chief Volunteer Officer, Hillary Getsey, I recently had the opportunity to attend the YMCA of the USA's General Assembly in Anaheim, California. There we spoke to many other Y's throughout the country. We learned about a Y in New Jersey that collaborated with the local hospital to create an Adult Day Care based on a social model. We spoke to a Y in Seattle that is heavily invested in making sure that children in and aging out of foster care are supported. We heard about a group in Detroit, teaching youth development through boxing. In an area with a 37% high school graduation rate, they are bringing hope to the youth and the youths going though the program have a 100% graduation rate. We heard from a Dance Psychologist from England who spoke of the power of movement to teach us so much more than choreography. There are a number of great things happening within the Y movement, however, as we were repeatedly reminded, our movement is only as good as our ability to engage and work with our youth. Y's nationwide have seen a decrease in the number of youth members and participants. As the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA, we must remain dedicated to Youth Development. We must feature Summer Learning Loss, Youth Volunteer Corps, Summer Camp, Youth Sports and more. We must dedicate ourselves to new projects which allow us to expand our reach to all children in our service area and foster hope in all we do. As keynote speaker Bryan Stevenson said at the General Assembly, "HOPE is our superpower."
A DAY AT THE LAKE It started with all smiles. It ended with a few tears. The happy kind of tears. If the Staunton- Augusta Family YMCA was trying to produce the #BestSummerEver, then the trip to Smith Mountain Lake is the best day ever in that summer. David Didawick, a long- time ally to the YMCA?s Summer Day Camp, once again had the middle school campers go tubing from the back of his boat. And it was perfect. The water was perfect. The weather was perfect. And the tubing was perfect. After four hours of fun and sun, the campers headed home. The special day marked the end of camp for one segment of the campership, a group of students who attend summer day camp through Elk Hill, an organization that helps students with diagnosed behavioral or social issues. As camp drew to a close, one YMCA summer camp counselor Jahleel ?Ja Ja? Pettiford started making away around the bus. He found the students whose last day of camp was that day and gave each one final words of affirmation and validation. It was a touching moment. Ashley Cole, the YMCA?s youth and families director, was glad to be on the bus to see it. ?Ja Ja spent his whole summer developing relationships with kids, and that was a great way to honor them,? Cole said. ?I think that Jahleel?s a really good example of what people who work with you at the Y are trying to do. They all look up to Ja Ja. They think he?s a superhero. What he did was really impactful in a positive way.?
Ever y yea r our Shelbur ne Ca mp Site visits Smith M ounta in La ke. This tr ip is ma de possible thr ough the effor ts of the Didawick fa mily.
CAUSE DRIVEN LEADER Gabrielle Newby becomes leader level certified at the Y.
When it was time to choose a college, Staunton- Augusta Family YMCA membership coordinator Gabrielle Newby chose a school in London. She?s never put a limit on learning. As a YMCA employee, Newby was thrilled to learn about LINK, the YMCA?s idea sharing and personal growth platform. One of the things that most excited Newby about LINK was the opportunity to continue learning. On Friday, Newby completed her Y- USA leader level certification. ?The leader certification definitely set that foundation for building upon what I?m doing now and how this can become a career,? Newby said. ?It?s really good to do, even if you are part- time or full- time. That?s the beauty of the leader certification. It?s designed to incorporate everyone, so it really inspired me to go further and dig a little deeper.? Newby was able to complete almost all of the course work online through e- learning modules. However, the last piece required to be in a classroom with an instructor. As Newby searched through LINK for a solution, she was able to connect with Anne E. Jacoby, the director of staff training and regional training at the YMCA of Greater Richmond.
Jacoby offered to come to Staunton and teach the class. ?Gabrielle is a true cause- driven leader,? Jacoby said. ?Her taking the initiative to set up the Living Our Cause Experience training and workshop speaks volumes to who she is as a leader. She not only wanted to better herself and grow within the Y movement, but she wanted her fellow staff to benefit from it as well. She rallied those at her branch to focus on their personal development and take the time to renew themselves in the Y Cause and Mission.? Jacoby would love to see more people taking advantage of the classes. ?The Y is a movement filled with opportunities,? Jacoby said. ?Staff are able to grow as far as their dreams and ambitions will take them. They need only to utilize the resources around them and focus on their personal growth. When we intentionally develop our competencies, we grow as cause- driven Leaders and are better prepared to make a positive impact on our community. The sky is the limit for a staff person that show the imitative and drive of Gabrielle. I am very impressed by her!?
IN THE NEWS It started with a good- natured ribbing. Staunton- Augusta Family YMCA Program Director, Eddie Santiago noticed how one of the point guards in the Women?s Basketball League, Sabrina Newman, had opted for a Shirley Temple- style of haircut. Then he learned the reason. Newman?s hair actually used to be long and flowing, but it had grown short and curly after her cancer treatments. That immediately created a bond between Santiago ? who had just beaten lymphoma ? and Newman. Not only did the two share a deep passion for playing basketball. They were also bonded through surviving cancer. Sports reporter Patrick Hite picked up the story, which was uploaded to The News Leader?s Website (photos here are from the News Leader) on Wednesday and appeared in the physical paper on Sunday. The Newman- Santiago bonding story was just one of three times that the Staunton- Augusta Family YMCA appeared in the media this week. Hite had actually done a general story on the Women?s Basketball League on Monday, with an emphasis on the high school- aged players learning valuable lessons from the opportunity to play against former area stars. On Thursday, WHSV- TV3 picked up a story on our Youth Volunteer Corps as students served at the Staunton Public Library, surpassing the goal of 400 combined community service hours for 2019.
YOUTH VOLUNTEER CORPS Leah Boal loves the view in Staunton. The manager of affiliate training for Youth Volunteer Corps, Boal was in town last week to observe the progress of YVC for the annual visit. Youth Volunteer Corps a non- profit service organization operating throughout the United States and Canada that was created to introduce, encourage, and support the spirit of volunteerism in youth ages 11 to 18 through consistent, well- organized volunteer opportunities. ?Staunton is such a beautiful town,? Boal said. ?I love that it sits right in the mountains.? What drew Boal into town was to view the progress of the Staunton- Augusta Family YMCA?s progress with Youth Volunteer Corps. Boal observed a project at The Valley Mission on Wednesday and The Staunton Public on Library. She also held a parents? meeting at the YMCA on Wednesday, and was interviewed by WHSV- TV3 on Thursday. Boal also spent time meeting with YMCA executive director Josh Cole, YVC administrator Kristie Shuey, and former YMCA board CVO Shaun Liccione, YMCA membership coordinator Gabrielle Newby, teen center supervisor Eddie Santiago in addition to multiple coaching sessions with YVC affiliate coordinator Chris Lassiter. Boal?s assessment? Good first steps. Keep growing. ?YVC of Staunton has made so much progress in the last year,? Boal said. ?My visit to Staunton was so insightful, and I learned so much about the
community and specific strengths and needs that YVC faces. Meeting youth, parents, board (members) and staff was such a highlight. YVC is in a period of growth, and should focus on sustaining that growth by providing capacity and meaningful service.? The Staunton chapter was able to fly through the first set of goals given by the Youth Volunteer Corps, and the following higher goals were set to complete by August of 2019. - Work with 100 different students in the YVC program - Complete 35 projects - Reach a total of 400 combined volunteer hours Currently, the group is at: - 96 different student volunteers - 419 combined service hours completed (goal exceeded) - 35 projects completed (goal met) Lassiter wants to see continued growth. ?Kristi Hatcher, who did YVC before me here, set me up for success,? Lassiter said. ?Kristie Shuey has been an invaluable part of our successful year, and Leah Boal and Josh (Cole) have been super supportive. With one year under my belt, I think I?m beginning to understand what needs to happen now, and I?m excited continue to help grow YVC here.?
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