With a new school year upon us, the Boothbay Region YMCA is seeking to expand offerings for its members, including middle and high school students enrolled in the after-school program.

“We wanted someone with a strong presence who could engage youth and young adults,” Executive Director Andy Hamblett said.

This led to the hiring of two brand-new Y staff members, Julian Jackson and Logahn Walker. Jackson, 22, is the new sports and recreation director, and his assistant is Walker, 26.

“We're part of a younger generation, someone to lean on and look up to, close to their own age,” Jackson said.

Walker, a native of Maine, attended the University of Maine at Orono and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition. She is a certified nutrition coach and will be focused on teaching the youth and teens about cooking. Born in Strong, her grandmother lives in the Boothbay region and she spent many summers here.

“I'll be making the Y Not Cafe their resource,” Walker said. “I'll teach them and send home recipes with the kids. I'm hoping they'll share what they learn with parents, because we can make healthy choices available here and up at the school, but in the evenings it's up to the parents, and sadly, sometimes parents don't know enough about nutrition.”

Jackson was born in the Netherlands to parents who are “nomad teachers,” which means they travel where they are needed (they currently are in China). His best friend grew up in Boothbay. When Jackson visited, he was intrigued by the community and was a big fan of the ocean.

“I imagine I can see my homeland on the other side of the water,” Jackson said.

He attended the University of Maine at Farmington. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in community health with a minor in nutrition. He is a certified Maine White Water Guide and personal trainer, and first met Hamblett at Fishermen's Festival 2013.

“We want to reach out to parents,” Jackson said. “In my education it was a really, really big subject that in the long run, to help families we couldn't just teach the kids. We have to teach the parents too.”

“We're trying to be thoughtful in what we offer for kids, and adults too,” Hamblett said. “In the next 18 months we are focused on expanding our programming by 30 percent by utilizing our new staff, our facility, and the resources available. We was to take bus trips to go rock climbing or canoeing.

“People think of the Y as 'gym and swim' and we can give so much more,” Hamblett said. “It's a social and fun place, not just in the summer, but in the winter as well. One of the core Y values is social responsibility, and we have a responsibility to meet the needs of this whole community. Bringing in Julian and Logahn is part of the solution.”

While Walker's primary focus is nutrition, she has a passion for sports. She said she wants to bring the girls in the after-school program into the gym for more activities.

“The group tends to divide, with the boys in the gym and the girls in the center. That's fine sometimes, but girls need physical activity and boys need to learn nutrition, so we need to make sure there is a healthy mix of both,” Walker said.

While Jackson will be focused on the Youth and Teen Center, he will also be actively involved with the Y as an instructor. Some of the classes he will be teaching include Cycle and TRX on Fridays from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., and cross-training from 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. On Thursday nights from 6 to 7 p.m. there will be “Got Game?” sessions for adults involving an hour of active fun including floor hockey or dodge-ball followed by a social hour at a local sponsoring restaurant.

Parents with questions about the after-school program can call Healthy Living Coordinator Abby Jones at 207-633-2855.