I have watched the love shared between coaches and students at many practices and competitions, and I can attest to the fact that a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing an excited smile on the face of a student being hugged by a Christian coach is quite a picture as well as a statement. That coach and student both realized that a challenge had been overcome by hard work, discipline, and a focused commitment practiced for many hours in a loving and supportive environment. Many life lessons were learned. Aside from the pure joy experienced, that student was developing a healthy self-esteem and confidence that any dream is attainable, both in and out of the gym. I am thankful that Aim High Academy teaches its students that prayer and faith combined with effort and desire can result in spiritual and physical success that glorifies the Creator who has a plan for each student's life.
I feel strongly that Aim High is impacting not only individual lives, but the face and future of our community as a whole. Aim High is a safe place and there is a lot of love and laughter that accompanies the hard work and dedication of the young people that participate. It is a privilege to be involved with this organization.
As a volunteer for several years, I have watched as this organization has grown to where it currently serves around 300 children in one or more weekly classes. It has amazed me to see the development of such a quality program, which now offers homework help, mentoring, dance lessons, and fitness programs for the students and their extended families.
I have observed the enthusiasm of the children as they enter this place where they receive love and encouragement from their coaches and teachers. To watch them progress not only in their gymnastics skills but also in their confidence is heart-warming. The self-esteem the students gain from the sport of gymnastics is invaluable. I have watched joy as the children learn to set goals and reach them, and I have seen students learn a valuable lesson as they realize that hard work produces a great result. Discipline is another lesson that gymnastics teaches; I love to watch the two- and three-year-olds as they learn to sit on their star as they wait their turn (patience is such a hard thing for young ones).
Loving and caring about one another is modeled by the coaches and teachers as they seek to show God's love to each child. At Aim High Academy, each child learns that "God made him/her special."
Aim High is truly a God-send for the community! Jennifer and her team are incredible people who are focused on building character and athletic skills in the youth. I loved watching my daughter's grow their faith while learning to improve their abilities as gymnasts. As a former college athlete myself, I particularly appreciate the fact that Aim High does not sacrifice quality just because it's a non-profit organization. I highly recommend Aim High for anyone seeking to help their youth grow physically and spiritually!