GIFFORD — At the end of an evening filled with swimming, games and pizza, children enrolled in the Youth Guidance program experienced the thrill of winning gold medals for educational performance at the annual Youth Guidance Good Grades Pool Party, held at the Gifford Aquatic Center.
Led by young Pamela Harris, who last year brought home straight A’s, students were given awards for high grades, improved grades, good conduct and good attendance.
Several children attended the event with their existing mentors, while others were quickly and efficiently partnered with adult volunteers by Barbara Schlitt Ford, Youth Guidance executive director.
The imminent threat of rain, which happily never materialized, may have kept some from attending, but the evening still drew approximately 100 children and 60 volunteers.
Lewana Dupree, Treasure Coast Exchange Club’s Youth Activities chairwoman and a first time pool party volunteer, flashed a smile and said, “I have two grown children – one in college and one a senior in high school – so they don’t need me anymore.”
Shy at first with their new volunteer buddies, delight quickly overcame unease as children excitedly splashed in the pool and took full advantage of all the evening’s activities, including games such as Noodle Croquet, Blindfold Soccer and Water Bucket Relay.
Many showed off their best dance moves, bopping away to recreation department coach turned evening DJ Libby Page. Attendees also made quick work of 40 boxes of pizza, numerous platters of fruit and cheese, and 10 donated cases of water from Gould Cooksey Fennell.
Longtime Youth Guidance volunteer Rebecca Hornbuckle watched over two little girls as they frolicked in the pool. Dripping wet and beaming, her charge Angalei proclaimed of the elaborate water slide, “I went on it 300 times!”
Watching it all with a contented smile, Schlitt Ford professed relief that they dodged a recent bullet when County Commissioners opted not to make additional cuts to their already reduced funding.
“We would have had to cut programs or staff, and staff run the programs, so…,” she said.
George Blythe, a perennial Santa at Youth Guidance events, and daughter Leah Blythe, a biology teacher at the Charter High School, spent the evening volunteering together.
They, too, were pleased that funding hadn’t been cut, commenting that there are numerous organizations too essential to the community to give up on – noting such groups continue to provide critical services that keep the community strong despite struggling to meet their own financial needs.
Two young ladies entering the 5th grade, Dakota at Osceola Elementary and Hannah at Citrus Elementary, spent some quality time with Sue Davis, who regularly mentors Dakota. Both excellent students, they have been coming to the event the last few years and were looking forward to heading back to school.
Members of the weekly Youth Guidance Teen Group, which meets Monday nights at the Community Church, gave a helping hand as volunteers with the littler kids.
“It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and learn new things,” said Bianca of the Teen Group. “It gives you social skills and helps you learn something new that you didn’t already know.”
“Finding qualified, decent mentors who fit with our kids continues to be our greatest challenge,” said Randy Tremblay, currently serving in his second term as chairman. “It’s always been what we struggle with.”
He stressed that volunteers need only to spend about two hours each week interacting with a child – taking them to the movies or dinner, helping with homework, or engaging in other activities.
Parents arrived for the last half-hour of the evening, invited to watch as their little super students received the recognition they worked so hard to obtain.
“We LOVE school!” said Schlitt Ford. “We are a group that’s all about positive things. This event is about celebrating all of the work you did last year. We believe that education is your ticket to get wherever you want to be in life.”
Guest speaker Sheriff Deryl Loar shared stories from his own childhood and stressed from personal experience the importance of a good education and encouragement from positive role models.
“In eight days, on August 20, you’re going to go back to school,” said Loar. “Be cautious and careful about what’s going on around you. You’re going to be forced with peer pressure and challenged. On August 20 you get to start brand new – new teachers, new environment and a whole new life.”
School Board member Claudia Jimenez commended the children as well as their parents who she said are “critical to your children’s success.”
“You live in a country where all of you have access to education,” she continued. “Each and every one of you has a gift; has a talent. And each one of you can do anything that you want. Congratulations – you’re off to a great start. The sky is the limit.”
