September 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 23

I'll push the
envelope-
I don't want to
leave any kids
behind.
-Willie sanchez,
hialeah Department of
Parks and Recreation.

and in-kind donations, particularly from local sports
teams. Through Sanchez's earnest persistence, donations have included classroom supplies, sports
tickets, t-shirts, and even the cake for the graduation banquet.
" I'll push the envelope-I don't want to leave
any kids behind, " Sanchez says. " I've got to do my
best to fi nd fi nancing somewhere and keep on expanding and growing. "
" Willie has worked very hard to improve this vital
citywide program, " says Manuel Ferrara, director of
Hialeah Parks and Recreation. " Through his well-developed skills in sponsorship acquisitions and grant
writing, combined with his strong relationships with
local and national businesses and our professional
and colligate teams, he has been able to not only improve EPI program but expand it as well. "
Another way Sanchez stretches his budget is
through the use of college interns to help manage
the program. Although most of the interns are from
local colleges, such as Florida International University and Nova Southeastern, some have come
from as far away as New England and Puerto Rico.
Sanchez estimates the value of the interns' hours at
$14,720 per eight-week session, while the participants themselves generate $23,846 worth of labor
per session. EPI graduates have gone on to become
college students, police officers, and even park department employees; while some former interns
now work for federal law enforcement or in the Department of Defense.
The program is so popular with the teens that many
re-enlist voluntarily for additional 8-week sessions of
community park service. Many graduates continue to

stay in touch with EPI staff
and have fond memories of
the experience. One participant wrote to Sanchez
from college to say they
wished they could go back
to EPI because it was " the
most fun times of my teenage life. "
Sanchez describes another EPI participant who
had been in trouble for
petty theft. " We had one
kid this last class where
the parents told me the kid
really changed at home-
he changed the way he
was acting and the way he
behaved with them. The
parent was actually crying at the graduation, " he
says. " He was very happy
with the turnaround. "
" We just try to show
them a little love, " Sanchez
says. " We show them how
things should be and they
catch onto it. A lot these
kids don't have love....We try to instill that with the
kids-give them a little friendship and love, and
show them that there's a better way out there. "
eLIzABetH BeARd is Managing Editor of Parks &

Recreation.

www.NRPA .ORG

SEPTEMBER 2011

Parks & Recreation

21



September 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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