savoring the final days of yda... so bittersweet

Blog Post by Megan Gomez, YDA Summer Counselor

The last week of camp has arrived. Can this really be!? The first three weeks flew by, but I'm hoping to savor every last bit of week four.

Sharefest Summer YDA has been one of the best experiences. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Today, we started off by sprinting across the gym as a warm-up lead by Anwar. Then, The Avengers headed to the pool while The Swag Dragons played baseball.

We had fun and practiced batting, throwing, and stealing the bases. At the end, we had two very special guests come speak to the kids. Maury Wills, who has the record for most stolen bases at 104 and holds the 1962 national league MVP, spoke to the kids about his life. This man is an inspiration to all. He grew up in the projects of Washington D.C and made it to the MLB through his hard work and dedication. We also had Councilman Buscaino talk about his passion for baseball. I am very grateful that these two speakers invested their time into our day by speaking to the students.               

After getting autographs and taking pictures, The swag dragons were ready for their turn in the pool. The instructors were generous enough to give everyone free time. We all had a lot of fun in the pool with a diving competition and other games. We have had many kids move up a swim level which makes me proud. 

After the activities, it was LUNCH TIME! YUM! At lunch, everyone enjoyed their Subway, then games of soccer, basketball, frisbee, and dodgeball were formed.  

Sadly, it was time to say our good byes and go.  I am looking forward to the rest of the week, but I know the last day will be bittersweet. 

The Past, Present and Future come together at Summer YDA

What an amazing day!  Retired Dodger Baseball player Maury Wills, shares his inspirational story of his triumph over circumstances, his dreams that became reality and his passion for the game of life!  It was a transformational experience for the students and counselors alike.  We are so grateful he stayed to watch us play, sign autographs and talk with us.

We were also fortunate enough to have Councilman Joe Buscaino join us and share his passion for baseball and the community.  A former Los Angeles Police Officer, Councilman Buscaino chose getting involved in his community at a deeper level to be a catalyst for change in the Watts, Wilmington and San Pedro communities. A ardant supporter of Sharefest, and our students, we are honored to have Councilman Buscaino visit us here at Summer YDA.

Our sincere thanks goes to Chad Mayer, the visionary and co-founder of Sharefest who provides us with the opportunity to come to summer YDA, learn about our community and how we can be the leaders of tomorrow.

I posted a photograph to captures these men...(left to right) Councilman Buscaino, Chad Mayer, Maury Wills.

It is an honor to be a junior counselor at Sharefest Summer Youth Development Academy.

playball!!!

Blog post by Graciela Zendejas, YDA Counselor

It’s finally Monday! After two weeks of sports and activities, I’ve grown really close to my group. Everyday, I learn more and more about the strengths and personalities of the individuals in my group. Every one of my team members is so different, but it’s because we’re all so different that we learn from each other.

During today’s activity, baseball, we had a mini game against Bridget and her group of kids. Because the kids had already practiced catching, throwing, and batting last week, this week they came in ready to play ball. We knew that going up against Bridget’s team was not going to be an easy task, so we put what we had learned last week to practice. The kids were batting with all their might, and although some kids did get strikes, they did not give up. Soon, they were all fired up and cheering for their teammates, “C’mon! You can do it!” In the end, I had no idea who had won, but I did know that both teams did an awesome job and had fun!

Today was an incredible experience for both the campers and the counselors. I was really happy to see my kids having a great time on the field. I was especially excited to see Karla help the team acquire two outs because she decided to come to camp on her birthday. Big thanks to the coaches who helped make this day possible! It’s amazing the way the groups at Sharefest can come together to play a clean, but competitive game. I can’t wait to see what else Sharefest has planned for these amazing kids!