Mayor Betsy Smigel Anderson read a City of Piedmont proclamation on Aug. 18 declaring Aug. 18, 2025, Teen Sidekick Day to recognize the Recreation Department’s volunteer program that helps neurodiverse children participate in camps and activities.

The proclamation and subsequent remarks emphasized the program’s role in inclusion and described how teen volunteers help campers build relationships and recreation skills. Recreation Supervisor Eva Phelan said the program started in fall 2021 with two after-school programs and has grown to include both school-year and summer programming designed for neurodiverse school-age children.

Phelan said the recreation department offered five adaptive camps this year solely for neurodiverse campers; "During these adaptive camps, 30 teen sidekicks assisted camp instructors with activities to provide an amazing camp experience for 30 campers," she said during the presentation. She added the department also offered three weeks of 1-on-1 "Sidekick" pairing during inclusive camps: "During these inclusive camps, 20 teen sidekicks were paired with 9 campers and attended 15 camps altogether," the proclamation text and staff remarks stated.

Natalie Gilmetti, a teen sidekick who volunteered at three adaptive camps and served as a 1-on-1 sidekick for the first time this summer, told the council the experience taught her patience and responsibility and gave her a sense of belonging. Parent and Piedmonters for Inclusive Education (PIE) board member Sarah Karlinsky described the program’s impact for families: "If I wanted to send Simon to a camp, I would often have to hire an aide and pay out of my own pocket. ... When the Sidekicks program started, it was really just so fantastic for us," she said, describing multiple camps her child attended this summer.

City staff and council members invited teen volunteers and families for a photo after the proclamation. Council members and staff praised the program’s expansion and noted other communities have begun to replicate it. The proclamation recognizes the role of teen volunteers and the Recreation Department in expanding access to inclusive recreation options for neurodiverse children.

No formal council action beyond the ceremonial proclamation was required or taken on the item.