REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Learning goes both ways in the team leadership program at the YMCA in Rehoboth Beach. In this week's "Thankful Tuesday" we see what the kids in the program and their counselors give each other to be thankful for and the skills they all walk away with.Â
Coach Devin and Mrs. Cordi Park help kids train their minds and bodies at the YMCA in Rehoboth Beach. It started out as a volunteer opportunity.
"The meeting turned into an interview and we were just supposed to meet Miss Shannon and next thing you know they asked us to help with all of the team programs and all of the different youth programs and the rest is history," Coach Devin says.
4 years later the dynamic duo is teaching 11 to 16-year-olds in the Youth Leadership Program. Coach Devin originally taught basketball camps at the Y and physical fitness is still in the Team Leadership program the Parks' teach.
"We've worked with kids our whole life, even through our ministry we started out doing youth leadership ministry and things like that, so we've always had an affinity in our heart for working with kids, and having the opportunity to be part leadership to them and help them go out and be successful in society is something we're passionate about," Mrs. Cordi says.
The kids in the program reflect that mission by demonstrating the skills they have learned. Summer 2021 was the first summer that the program had gone from two days a week to four and with that Mrs. Cordi and Coach Devin implemented a new curriculum to teach the kids a new leadership skills each week.
"From teamwork we went to character development and then we went to self care, fitness."
Coach Devin says another goal is for improvements in the Y classroom to lead to improvements in the school classrooms.
"When we first started, they were struggling in school and now that same kid yesterday, when they were at the beach, she got a letter from the school and she's an honor roll student," Devin says.
The pair of team leadership counselors is thankful to be learning through the program too.
"We are learning so much from these kids, so what I get out of it is it's fun and they keeping me young," Devin says. " I've got to stay in shape though. They've got energy!"
Mrs. Cordi says their team leadership program can take 25 kids at a time.
Click here for more information on the Youth Leadership program.
Click here for volunteer opportunities and programs at the YMCA.