- April 25, 2024
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Teachers Kelley Barrigar (left) and Lauren Green (right) with FIT Girls Cristal Delgado, Jayla Johnson, Abigail Perez, Angelina Suarez and Gabriella Schiavoni. Photo by Paige Wilson
Teachers Lauren Green (left) and Kelley Barrigar (right) with FIT Girls Marisol Blanco, Amanda Daley, Karlie DeJesus, Tatianua Nelson, Zionni Butler, Alexis White and Spirit Jackson. Photo by Paige Wilson
A display about the FIT Girls club. Photo by Paige Wilson
BTMS students listen to Wynn Newingham, the city of Palm Coast’s head of innovation and economic growth. Photo by Paige Wilson
There are Fantastic, Intelligent and Talented young ladies at Buddy Taylor Middle School. The FIT Girls meet twice a week with teachers Kelley Barrigar and Lauren Green to learn how to set goals, be better leaders and to encourage physical fitness.
“We love mentoring; that’s why we’re here,” Barrigar said.
For the after-school meeting on Monday, Nov. 26, a classroom full of mostly eighth-grade girls asked questions to Wynn Newingham, the city of Palm Coast’s head of innovation and economic growth.
Being in the city’s new position for less than a year, Newingham shared her excitement to create a future Palm Coast that’ll bring activities and fun for the local youth, which sparked interest among the middle-schoolers in the room, many of whom said they have to go to Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach or Orlando for weekend happenings.
“My goal and my hope is to have that ‘live, work, play’ area for our city,” Newingham told the students. “It’s not a matter of ‘if’; it’s a matter of ‘when.’”
The FIT girls queried Newingham about her job, how she got there, what obstacles she has overcome and what her plans are for youth entertainment in the city.
Newingham was encouraged by the girls’ intrigue as she responded with personal anecdotes about her former jobs at Publix, a farmer’s market and in several years in marketing before she became a government employee. She said the city wants to utilize Town Center as a future ‘live, work, play’ area.
“To me, there’s nothing more powerful than a group of girls like you, coming together to stand for something,” she said.
Green said the club, which started this school year, encourages other BTMS girls to join in on the FIT fun.
