10/16/2026
Meet our staff: Trinity Ahhaitty
From the time I was four years old, the YMCA has been part of my story. I took my first swimming lessons at the YMCA in Lawton, Oklahoma, and by age seven was swimming relay meets with the adult swim team. As a teenager, I helped an artist-in-residence paint a large mural of local sports figures on the YMCA wall, a landmark that remained part of the community for nearly twenty years.
As life unfolded, my involvement with the Y became more distant as school, sports, and other opportunities took center stage. Yet the YMCA never completely disappeared from my life. That mural stood as a reminder of my connection to it, greeting visitors entering downtown Lawton during community events like Arts for All, the International Festival, and holiday parades. It was a fixture in the city, just as the lessons I learned there remained woven into my own story.
When I moved to Lebanon in October of last year, I was rebuilding my life after a series of difficult and unexpected circumstances. My sister and I were looking for ways to focus on our health, so we stopped by the YMCA to ask about membership options and check out the indoor walking track. During that visit, I found myself talking with staff about my childhood swimming experiences and how much the YMCA had influenced my development growing up. In the middle of that conversation, they casually mentioned they needed a swim lessons instructor. Three weeks after arriving in town, I applied and was hired.
What began as a chance conversation quickly became something much more meaningful.
I started by teaching group swim lessons for young beginners, helping little ones discover confidence and comfort in the water. Soon afterward, I stepped into a lifeguarding role, something I had done previously and was excited to return to. A few months later, I was given the opportunity to become a Lifeguard Instructor, and since then I've had the privilege of training twelve new lifeguards across two communities. Along the way, I've also taught private and semi-private swim lessons, worked with neurodivergent children and adults, served as a Homeschool PE coach, and am currently pursuing YMCA Swim Team Coach certifications with the hope of helping build a Special Olympics swim program through our facility.
Today, I am thriving.
I have a job that I love so much that I often have to remind myself it's time to go home. I work alongside an incredible team, and more importantly, I get the opportunity every day to watch children and adults discover strengths they didn't know they had.
Some of my favorite moments happen when a swimmer realizes they've done something brave. Maybe it's putting their face in the water for the first time, swimming independently across the pool, or overcoming a fear that once felt impossible. Their successes, no matter how big or small, deserve to be celebrated. What makes it even more special is watching students learn not only swimming skills, but community, encouragement, resilience, and teamwork. They learn to support one another, cheer for one another, and grow together. In many ways, we're all co-learners in this great adventure called life.
The YMCA has also given me far more than a place to work. The community I've found here has strengthened my own ability to walk confidently through the world. My faith has deepened through the support of the people around me, not only the incredible teams I work with, but also the patrons who show up every day and remind me exactly why I love being here. They teach me just as much as I teach them. Through their stories, encouragement, perseverance, and friendship, they continue to shape me into a better instructor, a better leader, and a better person. It truly is a blessing and a win-win all the way around.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: "When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together." To me, that simple statement reflects many of the values we should all strive to live by. It's the spirit I try to bring into the water every day, whether I'm teaching a first-time swimmer, mentoring a new lifeguard, coaching students, or encouraging someone to believe in themselves just a little bit more.
The YMCA has truly come full circle in my life. It helped shape me as a child, welcomed me back when I was rebuilding my life, and gave me an opportunity to serve a community that now feels like family.
💙 The YMCA helped me find my footing when I was young. Today, I'm grateful to be part of a place where we continue helping one another move forward, learn together, and, as Mr. Fulghum reminds us, hold hands and stick together.
