Immokalee kids and their big buddies spend day at Marco Island beach

Naples

Some have never been to the beach before, others maybe once or twice.

Needless to say, every child had a smile on his or her face and sand between their toes while exploring Marco Island's shoreline Saturday.

Mahayla Alday, center, moves her arms up and down to demonstrate one of the signals in a modified game of rock, paper, scissors during the Guadalupe Center Buddy Day at Hideaway Beach on Saturday, February 17, 2018 in Marco Island. Over 100 students with the after-school program were paired with volunteer big buddies for a day of activities.

More than 100 Immokalee second graders arrived in a fleet of buses after traveling nearly 60 miles from the low-income rural community to Hideaway Beach Club for Guadalupe Center’s 26th annual Buddy Day.

The sun was strong and the water was calm as children found seashells hiding in the sand, flapped their arms like migrating birds and hopped on golf carts traveling around nearby neighborhoods.

Read more about last year's Buddy Day:

More:Buddy Day at Hideaway Beach

Buddy Day is the Guadalupe Center’s annual celebration for second-grade students from Pine Crest, Village Oaks, Highlands and Lake Trafford elementary schools. They all participate in the center's many programs. Guadalupe provides early childhood education, after-school tutoring and a program called Tutor Corps, designed to help high school students attend college.

Each student was paired with one or two “big buddies,” mostly Hideaway Beach residents, and together they participated in a range of activities, including birding, shelling, a photo op, and arts and crafts.

Ketsia Shackleton looks back as she holds hands with her new buddy during the Guadalupe Center Buddy Day at Hideaway Beach on Saturday, February 17, 2018 in Marco Island. Over 100 students with the after-school program were paired with volunteer big buddies for a day of activities.

A golf cart ride, however, was Jayden Balleza's favorite part.

"We got to see all the beautiful houses," said the 7-year-old excitedly as she held a unicorn stuffed animal and wore a dress with designs of the mythical creature.

Jayden attends Lake Trafford. She's seen the beach maybe once or twice before, but given the distance, it's a rare visit for the second-grade student and her family.

Jayden quickly became friends with first-time buddy Diane Pearse, 66, from Isles of Capri.

She gave her buddy a tight hug in between activities, and Pearse gladly returned the gesture.

"I have two grown kids and five grandchildren so it's nice to spend time with little kids, especially someone like Jayden," Pearse said.

Grandparents Anne and Mark Nagan are longtime big buddies; the Naples residents have participated in Buddy Day for at least 10 years.

"We like it as much as the kids do," Mark Nagan said.

The Nagans were paired with Jazmine, 8, Jayden's older sister, who also attends Lake Trafford.

The trio had just identified every bird found in pictures along a trail called "birding lane" set up by volunteers with Big Cypress National Preserve.

Jazmine was proud to show off her list completed with the help of her buddies.

"They're nice," Jazmine said.

"We like her too," Anne Nagan said.

Linda Mitchell meets her buddy, Alicia, as she gets off of the bus during the Guadalupe Center Buddy Day at Hideaway Beach on Saturday, February 17, 2018 in Marco Island. Over 100 students with the after-school program were paired with volunteer big buddies for a day of activities.

The Marco Island YMCA was also on hand, putting on fun activities to give a much needed rest to buddies.

Buddy Day not only allows local residents to mentor younger children from Immokalee, but also exposes those children to a new world of possibilities.

“It allows them to have a day to explore different areas of the community they aren't aware of,” said Dawn Montecalvo, Guadalupe Center’s president. "To meet people that make them feel like kids. Living in Immokalee is their norm so we want to show them different opportunities."

Karina Lopez, 14, was only 7 when she went on her first Buddy Day trip. Saturday, she was a Guadalupe Center volunteer. She now tutors young children as part of the center's Tutor Corp program.

The straight-A student, who recently got onto her school's lacrosse team, said she wants to help give back and ensure the younger generation in Immokalee strives to make something of themselves, starting with getting the right education.

"I know my mom struggled and so I want to help other children whose parents can't necessarily help with their education," Karina said.

While Saturday was a fun day at the beach, Montecalvo did respond to a question about the center's security after the recent shooting in Parkland, one of the deadliest school shootings in modern American history. Montecalvo said the center's number one priority is keeping their children safe.

"We had a lock down drill after the shooting in Parkland as a refresher. We are also looking at better ways to secure doors into the classroom," she said. "But we already are secure, and people have to be let in to get inside, so we just keep improving on that."