More than 100 second‑graders from Immokalee’s Guadalupe Center traded their classrooms for sand and seashells during the nonprofit’s annual Buddy Day in mide-February. The long-running tradition pairs students with adult mentors for a day of outdoor learning at Marco Island’s Hideaway Beach Club.
For more than 25 years, the event has brought students and volunteer “Big Buddies” together for hands-on lessons along the shoreline.
The kids rotated through activities led by Big Cypress National Preserve staff, the YMCA of Collier County, the Marco Island Shelling Club, Kids 2 Camp and the Marco Island Fire Department – everything from wildlife observation to beach games.
The day is an extension of Guadalupe Center’s after-school tutoring program, which serves kindergarten through second-grade students in Immokalee. Program leaders say experiences outside the classroom help reinforce literacy and math skills by building confidence, curiosity and social-emotional development.
More than 100 Immokalee kids had ‘an absolute ball’
Hideaway Beach Club has hosted Buddy Day for years, providing space, staffing support and volunteers from the beachfront community. Guadalupe Center leaders say that partnership is essential to keeping the tradition going. Plus, the center’s Katie Valentin said, “The weather was great and they had an absolute ball.”
Beyond a day at the beach, the day is “about showing children that their community believes in them,” said Bill Dempsey, chair of the organization’s board of trustees. “The Hideaway Beach community’s long-standing partnership and hands-on involvement make this experience possible.”
Volunteers spent the morning guiding students through activities, answering questions about wildlife and local ecosystems and helping with crafts. For many of the children, the outing was a rare chance to explore the coast up close.
Lunch was donated by Boar’s Head, Sysco and Mr. Green’s Produce.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Guadalupe Center serves more than 2,000 students annually through early childhood education, after‑school tutoring, summer programs, and college and career readiness initiatives. The Immokalee-based nonprofit aims to help students build a strong academic foundation and expand opportunities beyond high school.
Learn more about the Guadalupe Center at GuadalupeCenter.org or by calling 239‑657‑7711.
This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: Guadalupe Center students spend a day in the sun on Marco Island
Reporting by Amy Bennett Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Marco Eagle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
