First published in the Grand Traverse Insider, 19 Dec 2010
My Y Experience
By Allison Knopp
YMCA Intern
I was an intern at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA for the past three months. I was pretty excited when I was asked to share what I had learned in my role as the Marketing and Media intern for the Y these past couple of months. My only dilemma was how to condense everything that I have learned into a single newspaper column. I decided to take a cue from one of my favorite authors who posts a Friday Five each week on her blog. As it is not Friday, I decided on the Sunday Six. So here they are, the six most important things I learned at the Y, in my own words:
1. The Y is Multidimensional – The Y is not just sports. Or just daycare. Or just camp. The Y is all of those, and a lot more. Believe me, I know, I put together the program brochure last month and it took me forever. Did you know the Y participates in Michigan Youth in Government? Or that there is a complete circuit training room upstairs? Or that not only is there a sport called pickleball, but you can come here to play it? I didn’t.
2. The Y Cares – I know that sounds corny, but it is true. Everyone that works for the Y or with the Y works for the members, the people that participate in the programs every day, not for the bottom line. Even as a lowly intern I was treated with respect, and everyone worked just as hard for me as I did for them. I was offered advice, trusted with responsibilities and I was taught skills that will help me later in my career.
3. The Y Teaches – Sure, you could just come in an hop on a treadmill or pick up a racquet, but what fun would that be? At the Y lessons aren’t just for kids. And the lessons (at any age) don’t just pertain to the sport. They teach the Y’s four core values – Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Caring – and also concentrate the Y’s areas of focus – Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. So you can have a lot of fun, and learn a little something extra.
4. The Y is for Everybody – As I sit at my desk throughout the day, I see everyone that comes in and out of the Y. In the early morning there are young moms coming in to do fitness classes, little kids in tow that get dropped off at child watch. A little bit later there are always a few from the retired set laughing and playing tennis. Lunchtime brings the businessmen for noon drop-in basketball, and in the late afternoon just as I am about to pack up and head out, the lobby floods with kids just out of school, ready for their sports lessons. There are fun nights for families, dances for teens… well, basically something for everyone.
5. The Y is Changing – And I’m not just talking about the logo. The Y changes as the community changes. As the popularity of a sport rises, they expand their programs. As needs, such as childcare, are expressed, the Y strives to meet them. More than once in the months of my internship I have had to go through and update links on the website because a 2nd grade section was added to a program, or a parent suggested a sport program the Y didn’t currently offer and the director thought it would be a good addition.
6. The Y Needs Your Help – They didn’t ask me to say that, I promise. Whether it is volunteering or giving, every member of the community can help. The team at the Y has big goals, and the more help they get the faster they can achieve them. The New Y isn’t just about getting a bigger, prettier building (although it will be pretty cool). It’s about having the space to do everything the Y is capable of doing, and impacting all the people that walk through the doors by giving them the best possible experience.
Most importantly, I have learned the Y is important to our community for all of these reasons. They don’t turn down anyone that would like to participate, whether they can afford it or not, with the help of scholarships. They help to combat youth obesity by partnering with Youth W.O.W. The Y helps keep people healthy, and families strong. The YMCA is truly a great organization, and I feel very lucky to have had such a great experience in an internship there.
