06/30/2026
Last night we had our SEALYS graduation dinner. Every seat was packed full to watch the team members give their presentations and discuss their month with SEALYS.
A special thank you has to be given to our team leader, Ayla Finch. From the day she accepted the job, she gave it everything she had. She created a program that was educational, fun, and rewarding. The team members this year had presentations from different affiliate organizations, education that will help them choose a career path, and custom created awards. Ayla worked hard every day to make sure this program ran smoothly. And, even when things didn't, she was calm under pressure and ensured everyone was taken care of.
Our team this year also had a returning crew lead in Hayley Montez. This is her third year with us and with the SEALYS program and each year she proves the she can lead with quiet grace, strength, and knowledge. She is an invaluable member of the team who worked hard to keep everyone on the right path.
The members of our program this year have been exceptionally hard-working, eager to learn, and willing to do what needed to be done. They've worked incredibly well with each other and with the organizations we partner with every summer.
SEALYS, or any program we run, cannot survive without the unending support of our community. As you can see, the parents of our team members were highly involved in the graduation. We are grateful to each young person that worked with us this year. We are equally grateful to all the young people that interviewed for SEALYS. We had a record turn-out this year. As a small nonprofit, we are incredibly indebted to our community for the support they give us each and every day. We also have to give thanks to the United Way of Graham & Greenlee Counties for their continual support of GWP and specifically for their support of this program! We couldn't do this without your support.
Please take a moment to congratulate all the members of our SEALYS team this summer!
