The Reader
One of the many blessings of my job is to watch people grow up and pass through all the stages of life. Last week I visited with a 6-year-old who has been with our Y since she was about 6 weeks old. Both her parents work hard and have done a great job with her. Their family qualifies for financial assistance. She has spent more waking hours at the Y than anywhere else. One of our great partners, Lee Pesky, did some testing last week and this 6-year-old is reading at the 6th Grade level! She also knows the Y values, eats healthy foods, and loves to be active. So much of our course for life is charted and brain connections are formed by age 6. I am so proud off the way our child development professionals partner with parents to help their children have a strong foundation for life.
Scott the Engineer
I also get to see the long term results. I talked to a dad today and received an update on his son Scott, a boy who attended our preschool nearly 20 years ago. He did not receive financial assistance but attended with three kids who had parents in prison (we only have an update on one of those three kids . . . he is in the area still and is an honor student at BSU). Scott is graduating as a dual major, one of which is engineering. Early numeracy is something we teach in our preschool programs, and this helped Scott gravitate towards STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). This young man grew up at the Y and volunteered for us throughout his teen years. What a a great leader!
The Ultimate Team
If you want to truly witness an inspiring moment, show up on July 12th for our Y Not Tri event. Little Noah will be pulling and pushing his brother Lucas, in a raft, on the bike, and on the run. Lucas has a rare disease which will eventually take his life. The love Noah and Lucas have for one another is heartwarming and watching them train together is moving. Come watch them in the Y Not.
The Swimming Family
Finally, I got to visit with Barbara and Pat Tate last week. Pat learned to swim at the old Downtown Boise Y in 1933! Barbara learned to swim at the Honolulu Y, their kids and grandkids learned to swim at the Y, and now they have great grandchildren learning to swim at the Y. Their grandchildren were top swimmers on the Boise Y team and went on to swim collegiately. Pat was involved in the building of the Downtown YMCA, forming Fundsy, selling the old Y camp, and the grand opening of the new Y Camp at Horsethief Reservoir. Barbara and Pat were some of the founding members of the Heritage Club/Endowment program at this Y. For 82 years, the Y has been a part of Pat’s life in one way or another.
The Y is the most inclusive organization in this valley and the positive impacts start early in life and are with people forever. I am so fortunate to have the privilege of working for the Y!