Katina Taylor has been giving back to the community and celebrated her 15th year of Camp Katina – Cartwheels to Character at West Broward Gymnastics Academy in Davie. (slrpicsphotography/courtesy )
For 15 years, Katina Taylor has been giving back to the community.
Taylor has run Camp Katina – Cartwheels to Character at West Broward Gymnastics Academy in Davie where gym owner Silvana Hude has opened her doors for a free, two-day gymnastics and life skills camp for around 60 underserved youth from South Florida.
Taylor founded Camp Katina in 2006 to motivate and inspire girls ages 6 to 14 to be their “best self” — mind, body and soul. The only year during that span that they did not hold a camp was in 2020 due to the pandemic. Last year, everyone wore masks and they adhered to COVID protocols.
“We started it 16 years ago and have had the camp for 15 years,” said Taylor, who got her start in gymnastics on a trampoline in Texas. That passion has carried over to this day. She said she was also inspired by her older brothers, Bart Thomas, who was a gymnast, and Zach Thomas, a former All-Pro linebacker with the Miami Dolphins.
“We couldn’t do it without Silvana Hude and her entire staff at West Broward Gymnastics Academy,” Taylor said. “They donate their gym, their facility and their staff and high-level gymnasts to teach the campers gymnastics, life skills and fun. We have the training staff from Nova Southeastern University and the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders who sign autographs and help with the routines.
The campers come from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, along with the Overtown Youth Center, the Urban League of Greater Miami and the Police Athletic League.
The campers rotate to different stations from the foam pit, trampoline and beam to the floor. They also heard inspirational talks from Taylor and others. Taylor said West Broward Gymnastics also provides awards and a one-year gymnastics scholarship. Publix provided lunches each day and a big Camp Katina cake.
Taylor, the founder and director, focuses on issues of self-esteem, confidence, body image, the importance of physical activity, positive thinking, self-love, self-acceptance, helping others, mental toughness and more.
“It is great to look back and see that we are 15 years strong,” she said. “This entire time I have also tried to teach my three children to give back and help the community. It is also wonderful to see all the high school kids donating their time and helping with the camp. Even though they get community service hours, they get so much more by volunteering.”
Zoe, a junior who plays for the varsity volleyball team and the beach volleyball team at St. Thomas Aquinas, was on hand to help at this year’s camp and her two brothers have helped in the past before going off to college.
Zoe recently committed to play beach volleyball at Louisiana State University; Mason, just started his freshman year at LSU where he will play football for the Tigers and Isaiah, a sophomore, plays football at the University of Arizona.
“We plan on starting free camps that they can run through my foundation,” said Taylor, 46, of Plantation, who for 24 years has been doing philanthropic efforts throughout Broward County. “They were little young kids watching me try to make a difference and now they will be doing the same thing in their sports.
“They come in excited to do the gymnastics, but at the same time we plant little seeds that help them grow as a person,” Taylor said. “I come in with the positivity and the energy to help these girls build their self-esteem, their character and give them confidence before they go back into the new school year, and we want them to love ourselves and learn to help others.”
Taylor said they also cover the importance of physical exercise and nutrition.
“We tell them to know your worth and believe in yourself and create your best life,” she said. “We want to teach love, care and respect to other people and make sure they are creating their best life.”