Gavin’s Best of All!

At GiGi’s Playhouse, one of the many shared goals among volunteers, parents, and staff is to celebrate and encourage the idea of “Best of All.” This phrase isn’t just a slogan—it’s a mindset. It means striving to be a little better than you were yesterday, embracing growth, and celebrating progress, no matter how big or small. To truly understand what “Best of All” looks like in action, I want to share the story of one of our Teen Kitchen participants: Gavin.

Gavin is a young man who embodies the spirit of growth and determination. If anyone has shown me what it means to be “a little better than the ‘you’ of yesterday,” it’s Gavin. His journey in the Teen Kitchen program has been nothing short of inspiring, and watching his transformation over time has been one of the most rewarding parts of my experience as a volunteer. 

Teen Kitchen is a weekly program at GiGi’s Playhouse that teaches teens valuable life skills through cooking, teamwork, and social interaction. Gavin has been a part of this program longer than I’ve been volunteering, and from the very beginning, his enthusiasm has stood out. Every week, he arrives with a huge smile, ready to dive into whatever the day’s lesson holds. His excitement is infectious—he lifts the energy of the entire room just by being there. 

When Gavin first started, it was sometimes a challenge to keep him engaged in the kitchen activities. He was often more interested in exploring the Playhouse—playing instruments, flipping through books, or simply wandering around. Cooking didn’t seem to hold his attention for long. But over time, something shifted. Gavin began to show a genuine interest in the kitchen tasks, and his focus started to improve. Slowly but surely, he began participating more actively, and his skills started to blossom. 

Since the beginning of the Spring 2025 semester, Gavin has become one of our most dedicated helpers in the kitchen. He’s gone from needing hand-over-hand assistance with safety knives to confidently using sharp kitchen knives with minimal verbal guidance. He’s transitioned from being easily distracted to being one of the first to volunteer for tasks and answer questions during lessons. His growth has been remarkable. 

One moment that stands out happened a few weeks ago when we had two new volunteers join the Teen Kitchen program. Gavin was the first to wash his hands, then turned to the new volunteers and encouraged them to follow his lead. He was the first at the cutting board, ready to chop vegetables for the salad we were making, and he moved from station to station offering help wherever it was needed. He even helped with the dishes during cleanup—something he had never done willingly before. It was a beautiful example of leadership, initiative, and growth. 

Of course, Gavin still has moments when he needs a break or gets distracted, but those moments are fewer and shorter. He now returns to the task at hand with renewed focus and a desire to contribute. He sets the table independently and especially enjoys working with anything on the stove. His confidence has grown and so has his sense of responsibility. 

Being a close observer of Gavin’s journey has been a privilege. His progress is a testament to what happens when we create a space that nurtures growth, celebrates effort, and encourages each person to be their “Best of All.” Gavin reminds us that progress isn’t always linear, but it’s always worth celebrating. He is not only growing as a participant in Teen Kitchen—he’s growing as a person, and we are all better for having him in our community.