Kids, action and a little sleep keep Mecca going

Mecca Hill, before-and-after-school director for the Anderson Family YMCA, has a long resume of child care and youth service experience. But, as a parent, I found her greatest qualification summed up in one statement she made to me when I visited her tiny office last week: I think kids are awesome.

Mecca, an eight-year veteran at the Anderson Y, assumed her newest duties in December but has worked in various youth and child service positions for 16 years. A native of New York City, Mecca always wanted to be a teacher, but spent six years in the U.S. Army. She completed her duty while living in Georgia, but her husband, Marvin, continues to serve.

Mecca took a civilian job as a site director in a before-and-after-school program in Georgia until her husband's career took them to Muncie, where Marvin served as an Army recruiter. Mecca worked for the YMCA in Muncie for a year, and then applied for the Anderson day camp director position. "And the rest is history," she joked.

A mother of two sons, aged 21 and 13, Mecca has been holding down the home front for the past three years while Marvin completes his Army career in Kansas. "It's harder on the boys than on me because I have my work," she said, but noted that they keep in daily contact. Youth-oriented jobs naturally involve nights and weekends, as well as long and active days. Mecca finds energy in her work.

"When kids are engaged and having fun you can spend a lot of time with them. It keeps you on your toes because they'll tell you a thing or two. They're my teachers." Her primary difficulty comes not from the kids, but from families that don't communicate. She explains that when youth workers don't have information about children's health and family situations, they can't be as effective.

The most difficult parts of Mecca's new role, which she assumed in December, are learning the paperwork involved in the before-and-after-school program and keeping tabs on the 11 sites. She proudly pointed to a map behind her on the wall with all the sites circled in black marker. "I try to visit one or two every day. They are 11 little ships and every one is unique. I'm learning the niches so I can see where we can learn from each other to improve the overall program," she said.

There are currently 371 children between the ages of 5 and 14 enrolled in the program and Mecca hopes to grow enrollment to 400 by the end of the school year. She is also working on enhancements to the program, including fitness activities, sports demonstrations and character development.

In addition to school-year duties, Mecca will continue to direct the YMCA's summer camp, which served 170 youth last year. "Summer camp is a blast," she exclaimed, describing activities and sharing plans for another great summer-end field trip. Amidst such enthusiasm in the face of so many activities, I had to ask what she did for relaxation. "Sleep!" she said with a laugh, then admitted to being an "action movie junkie."

Mecca Hill is a person who obviously loves her job and Y kids are fortunate to be the recipients of her avocation. "When kids see me at the store and wave or come up and hug me, that's the reward," she said.