HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Many kids around Hampton Roads are doing their virtual learning at the YMCA as their parents report to work.
The gym inside the Princess Anne Family YMCA is transformed every day into a big classroom.
“It’s definitely different than what we're used to,” said Jamie Childress, a YMCA V.P. of Youth Development.
There are 22 YMCA locations in the area and about 1,300 kids involved in the program.
“I’m really glad that we had the opportunity to kind of step up and answer this call if you will,” said Childress. “It makes me proud. The Y has a long history of supplementing our community needs all the way back to World War I and World War II, and how we pivoted and shifted our focus to help the community and I view this as being similar.”
He said the biggest challenge is dealing with all the student's different schedules. Most of the kids are in elementary school, but they also have a few middle school students.
Staff work to help kids with their virtual learning. They have been helping them with assignments, technical programs and making sure the kids stay on task.
Childress said they will need to make adjustments when kids head back to face to face learning in schools. He said they are happy to help.
