Sierra Cross the Jamestown Area YMCA’s day camp ChauTau camp director and standout YMCA youth worker is pictured here with a day camper, Aug 20. Cross, fills many roles at the YMCA and is a stand out youth worker.

YMCAs across the nation host resident camps, day camps and youth programing.

To run such high-quality, life-enriching programs the Y’s require a highly trained, dedicated staff, comprised of people who have a passion for teaching, caring for and leading America’s youth.

The Jamestown Area YMCA just happens to have a plethora of such staff on hand to man its many day camps and its stand out resident camp, YMCA Camp Onyahsa.

Standout is a neat word. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary describes stand out as: one that is prominent or conspicuous especially because of excellence.

Sierra Cross, a native of Leon, is one such person to receive the dubious distinction of being labeled a standout camp director, childcare worker and youth specialist at the Jamestown YMCA. Cross, received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from St. Bonaventure University, and is planning on perusing her Master’s Degree in Literacy from SUNY Fredonia.

Cross, started from the bottom and worked her way up the chain-of-command at the Y’s youth department.

“I started working at the Jamestown Y four years ago as a camp counselor,” stated Cross. “I’m now the Camp ChauTau Director.”

Not content to just work the YMCA day camps in the summer, Cross, works year-round at the Y.

“I’m privileged to work with the one and only ‘big man’ who visits from the North Pole at the Chautauqua Mall in December to take pictures with local-area children to raise money for YMCA youth programing as a fundraiser,” added Cross.

But what really makes Cross a standout is her absolute commitment and dedication to the youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, gravitas-filled origination.

“I love the Y because this place has a unique atmosphere,” stated Cross. “Everyone and anyone who walks through those front doors instantly becomes a part of a special community.

Cross is also very quick to give praise to her fellow staff members.

“The staff here at the Y are unlike anyone else,” said Cross. “They truly care about everyone who walks into the building and willing to give a helping hand.”

“She’s a dedicated and caring employee,” said Mark G. Eckendorf, Y CEO. “She runs a high-quality camp and ‘the big guy’ from the North Pole thinks she’s fantastic.”

“Sierra has shown extreme maturity and compassion for these campers. She is a great role model and she has already excelled as a Camp Director in her first week of camp,” stated Gina Bloomquist, the youth and family director for the Jamestown Area YMCA.

It would seem this combination of a caring youth leader, mixed with a Y camp director, has merged in perfect union with an organization whose character values aligned together to create a model standout staff person for the Y. Cross, because of her strength of character, dedication to children, and love for the Y and its’ mission has been knighted with the title “Y-Strong.”