PARENTS RELY ON THE Y LIKE EXTENDED FAMILY
Dave Sagafi and his wife Audra Stewart were not about to randomly choose a preschool for their first-born child Cameron, now 10. A friend’s recommendation, a meeting with Y preschool teacher Teri and information about the curriculum (including swim lessons!) sealed the deal: Cameron would be in the Y’s Rainbows room.
Fast forward eight years and you’ll find Cameron building a case for why he should be hired as a Y summer camp Counselor in Training before he turns 14, the age requirement. He’s wellknown around the Y and not only because of his signature baby Yoda hat.
“This is our community,” Dave says. “This is our only resource for child care.”
Cameron and his little sister Leila are growing up at the Y. Preschool, afterschool care, summer camps and winter break programming have all been the family’s go-to for their children. In fact, Leila attended kindergarten in the Y’s Pre-K Plus program during COVID, when Leila would have had to attend online kindergarten through her elementary school.
“It was such a rich experience for Leila despite COVID being somewhat scary for kids,” Audra says. “We are so grateful that the Y opened up this special program to serve kids entering kindergarten.”
The family also doesn’t miss big events such as Healthy Kids Day or the annual Halloween Party. “The Y feels like family and it’s easy,” Audra says. “The last thing you want to worry about as a parent is what is happening to your kid. When they are with Y people, I am not worried at all.”
It’s not just that Dave and Audra feel comfortable with the qualifications of Y staff, oversight from Y leaders and curriculum for each program. It’s also that their kids LOVE being at the Y. Cameron and Leila complain if their parents show up early to pick them up from summer camp. They know most of the Y staff by name. And Cameron regularly connects with Holly, Senior Director of Youth Programs, to make his case about why he should be allowed to work for the Y.
Perhaps next time you see Cameron at the Y, he’ll be wearing a Y staff t-shirt!
