Kitsap Cares Story #8
“When we see older kids mentoring younger children – that’s when magic happens!”
—Jim Pond, Kitsap Family YMCA
One small field trip – one big success. It was a fun filled afternoon with 16 children on a walking tour from YMCA, through downtown Bremerton, to the Evergreen Children’s Theatre and back. “But the children got so much more out of the experience because of the teens that helped!” explains Jim Pond of YMCA. “We had four ‘mentoring’ youth who used this afternoon to teach younger children everything from responsibility, to healthy living, to making a difference in the world around them.”
“This experience showed me that it doesn’t matter how old you are – you can make a difference in the lives of children. And your actions, small and large, may have more impact than you will ever know.”*
*Development Asset #8: “I am given useful roles in my community.”
The Search Institute has identified 40 Development Assets that help young people grow up to be health, caring and responsible.
