JCC to Offer Two Life Skills Classes This Spring

Heather Lavin Program Director

As children grow up and become pre-teens and teenagers, they are often faced with the challenge of finding new opportunities to develop their skills and build their independence. One area where this is especially relevant is in the realm of babysitting and lifeguarding. Offering babysitting safe sitter courses and lifeguarding courses to pre-teens and teenagers can have numerous benefits, both for the individual and for the communities they serve. For preteens and teenagers, these courses can provide valuable opportunities to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities.

By learning about child safety and CPR, for example, young people can gain a deeper understanding of the importance of caring for children and be equipped with the tools they need to provide safe and responsible babysitting services.

Meanwhile, lifeguarding courses can teach young people how to keep themselves and others safe in and around the water, as well as provide a valuable introduction to the skills required for careers in water safety and rescue. Beyond the individual benefits, providing these courses can also have positive impacts on the wider community. Teaching young people with these skills will better prepare them to help in everyday and emergency situation from child safety to a drowning situation. This, in turn, can help to create a safer and more supportive community, where people of all ages feel confident in their ability to respond to emergencies and help those in need. Furthermore, offering these courses can also help to support the development of future leaders in the areas of child-care and water safety. By encouraging young people to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills, we can help to foster a sense of purpose and leadership in the next generation, preparing them to take on important roles in their communities and beyond. Equipping young people to provide safe and responsible care for others can help to build stronger and more supportive communities and support the development of future leaders in key areas of need.

The Babysitter’s Training Class will run Wednesday evenings from 6:00pm-8:00pm April 5 through April 26 and is open to teens ages 11-15. More more peers and bring Israeli culture into their home. information or to register, visit lvjcc.org/BabysitterTraining.

The Camp JCC community is looking forward to welcoming our new friends at the beginning of the summer. You can expect your Camp JCC campers to come home each day singing popular Israeli songs, sharing their new Hebrew vocabulary, and having built meaningful connections with new friends, which is what camp is all about!

For those looking to become a certified lifeguard, the Lifeguard Training Class runs Sundays 10:00am-2:00pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:00pm-8:00pm April 16 through April 27 and is open to anyone age 15 and older. For more information, visit lvjcc. org/LifeguardClass or contact Jodi Lovenwirth, Aquatics Director, at jlovenwirth@lvjcc.org.