Being there during new phases of life.

Community Education has had a lasting impact and continuing support for a single mom and son. The mom at the front desk looked nervous and unsure of herself as she asked the Administrative Assistant at the Community Education desk about swim lessons through Community Education. The swim lesson levels and sessions being offered were shared while the young son played with toys from the toy basket provided in the front office. The mom was relieved to hear that lessons were provided at night as she worked during the day when her son was in Kindergarten. 

She asked about the fees and when they were due as she needed to wait for the next paycheck to pay for the lessons. The Administrative Assistant told her about the Fee Assistance program that our Community Education Department provides through a partnership with local service organizations. She explained that students on free and reduced lunch would qualify for half of the swim lesson fee being covered by the Fee Assistance program. The mom began to cry and then shared her story about being recently divorced, having to shift from part-time to full-time work, relocating and moving to a new community. 

She mentioned that she didn’t know many people yet in the new neighborhood but was hoping to meet people as they started their new life here. She signed up her son with the Fee Assistance and was very grateful for the support and was also given a Community Education Catalog and other resource pamphlets and brochures from the school district, city and county. She left the building with her son feeling hopeful and supported. 

As time moved forward, so did the student in his swim lesson classes, eventually enrolling in Youth Enrichment afterschool programming with some help from the fee assistance program.

Recently, the mom stopped into the Community Education office and wanted to thank everyone for the support over the years. Her son was graduating and she will always remember the friendly welcome she was given when she first joined this community. She said the swim lesson staff became mentors for her son over the years and that he found many new friends through the youth activities that he took part in through Community Education. She expressed her gratitude and still recommends Community Education programming to others she meets.