Being a part of the YMCA summer program means the world to me. Seeing the smiles of the children who I passed on my knowledge to deeply warms my soul. For majority of my childhood, I was very much involved in the YMCA basketball and swimming summer programs. As a young student being raised in the program, I was hesitant, and I did not know what to expect. Fortunately as the days went by, I felt more at home, thanks to Ms. Cuellar and the fine instructors that were there to aid me in learning the techniques. They displayed great amounts of patience and dedication in their work. This assisted me in grasping the concept of the different skills being thought very quickly. Ironically, several years down the road, who would have thought that I would have followed in their footsteps and become a YMCA instructor myself. It is a great honor and privilege to offer my services back to a program that shaped me into the fine young man I am today. As a student I had extreme respect for my instructors, and now, I’m the one relaying valuable information thought to me by past YMCA instructors.
Living both lives of the YMCA program, once as a student, twice as an instructor, gives me the experience and abilities needed to teach the upcoming students.

By: Kirk Brown