As Earth Day approaches, Great Opportunities make waves in the lives of young people by instilling a sense of environmental responsibility.
With more than 3000 participants, their program teaches swimming lessons, hosts beach clean ups, and hosts other environmental programs.
“Youth Advisory Board [YAB] is co-hosting the event with 3 other city non-profits: Great Opportunities, Goin Native, and the Rotary Club,” said the Chief Executive Officer for the Youth Advisory Board Gerald Muir.
According to Great Opportunities, “Our Vision is to eliminate drownings, and increase water safety competence in underserved lower income, high density communities by teaching their youth (ages 4-18) how to swim, be water safe, and environmentally water/ocean “wise” in all aquatic environments through a wide range of aquatic experiences available their own “back-yard”, all the while creating opportunities for its youth to build self-esteem, hone leadership and critical thinking skills that ultimately will serve their community, and beyond.”
On Earth Day, Great Opportunities and other programs share not only the importance of teaching kids to swim, but also the importance of preserving our planet for future generations.
“Budget cuts have devastated after school and summer programs, especially in underserved lower income, high density communities. Likewise, many of the children living in these areas don’t have the discretionary income available to participate in other organized leagues or athletic events. As a result, these children often spend their afternoons and summer vacation with minimal supervision, and limited positive outlets, making them susceptible to the influences of gangs. For over the last decade Great Opportunities has provided wholesome activities coupled with learning programs for children ages 5-18 in these underserved areas.” said Great Opportunities.
The organization provides not only recreational activities and learning opportunities but also educational programs for younger children.
These efforts reflect Great Opportunities’ ongoing dedication to developing positive change in underserved communities.
“YAB will be conducting sign-in of volunteers, assisting in distribution of clean-up aids, and participating in clean-up activities and Los Rios Park garden maintenance. The goal is to improve joint collaboration with local non-profits to keep our city beautiful, and improve community awareness of environmental consequences of trash entering our local waterways,” said Muir.
Great Opportunities members are actively involved in environmental stewardship through hands-on activities. Their efforts make a tangible difference in communities farther down the coast.
“It’s important for people to be involved in environmental events like Earth Day to bring awareness to the improving wellness of our community as a whole. And a lot of time people don’t realize how unhealthy our communities are with trash etc. Especially for YAB since we represent the youth of San Juan Capistrano, and we want to be role models for other kids,” said Muir.
Programs like the SJC Youth Advisory and Great Opportunities come together to benefit local communities with issues like pollution for Earth Day.
