Santa Maria Valley YMCA volunteers help students who don’t have internet in Guadalupe

GUADALUPE, Calif. - These days, many kindergartners and first graders enjoy their education online.

But that wasn’t the case at some schools in Guadalupe at the beginning of the pandemic.

“We were very worried because we started with the pandemic since March and so there could’ve been some learning loss there,” said principle Maria Gonzalez with Mary Buren Elementary School in Guadalupe.

“The Y has collaborated with United Way of Santa Barbara County to offer learning centers to the Guadalupe community. The Guadalupe community has welcomed the YMCA into their school to provide a safe learning center," said COO Krista Delia with Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Gonzalez said the majority of her students didn’t have internet access until now thanks to help from the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Right now the Y is providing learning centers for students grades kindergarten through fourth grade to help with distance learning.

“They are helping them with the assignments, logging in and other activities expected of the students,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez says so far everything is going smoothly.

“At first they were a little standoffish and nervous, but now they are excited to come in and they’re happy to see their teachers,” said Gonzalez.

Students attend the full-day program Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.