On March 6^th LACF hosted a learning disability workshop for the parents of STARS.  Learning disabilities are not well known or understood in urban communities so the STARS staff was excited for this opportunity to build awareness among the parents.  I was uneasy at first thinking that I might not get a good turnout just because some parents are not comfortable with this topic, but I was excited to see twenty parents attend!  It was great to see these parents come eager to hear about and understand learning disabilities.

We had the honor of having Lisseth Rojas-Flores, Director of Clinical Training in the department of Marriage and Family Therapy and Associate Professor of Psychology at Fuller Seminary, teach the workshop in Spanish.  The workshop covered what learning disabilities are, how to identify them, and how to help your child if he/she is diagnosed with one. These things were such great information for the parents. Lisseth was that she was able to get the parents to talk about this issue without shame or uncomfortableness.  She was able to get them to understand that diagnosing is actually a good thing because the child can then get the appropriate help that he/she needs in school and at home.  They felt very comfortable with her and stayed afterwards for an extended discussion time until 10pm, where Lisseth was able to talk to each individual family about particular questions they had. It was such an inspiring thing to see!

I asked one of our moms, Lily Cardenas, what she thought of the workshop and she said “The workshop was great.  It was very informative and Ms. Lisseth was very easy to understand and get along with.  Everyone felt very comfortable sharing with her.”  We have had many workshops for the parents throughout the years but have not seen such interest in the parents like we saw in this one.  It is great to see the parents so involved. Thank you, Lisseth, for a great learning experience! Click here to read more about Lisseth Rojas-Flores.

After hearing Pastor Waybright’s recent sermon series on time, talent and treasure, I am compelled to share the principles that we at Lake Avenue Community Foundation practice when we give to others.  As Pastor Waybright unpacked how Christians are to view themselves as stewards of the blessings God has given us, I realized that there are clear principles from scripture about how LACF is to engage and serve families in our community.

In II Thessalonians 3:10, the apostle Paul stated, “for even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’”  In his book, Giving Wisely, Jonathan Martin describes this principle well, “perhaps the most de-humanizing thing you can do to a person is take away his need to work.”

Years ago when I began working with low-income families, I had the privilege of listening to an interview with Christian Community Development Association board member Bob Lupton.  I gleaned from his interview three concepts to use as a basis for making decisions as I engage with at-risk youth and low-income children and families, which are:

1. Don’t give anything away for free
2. Don’t do anything for someone they can do for themselves
3. When you practice charity, don’t do it in a way that robs a person of their dignity

LACF strives to put this theology of work into practice  as we roll out our programs in the community.  A few examples of this would be …

• LACF parents pay a small registration fee to enroll in our after-school program.  In addition, the participating family is given a minimum number of volunteer hours they must serve (many exceed the minimum).  If you were to drive by Villa 500 and see someone mowing the lawn or bringing in snacks, it more than likely would be a parent of a student in our program.

• In order for a student to participate in a trip with us, we’ve decided that the first trip is a gift so that they can just come and see what we’re about.  For participation in all future trips, students must do community service hours and pay a portion of the trip tuition; the investment increases with each trip.

Matthew 25:40 says “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”. When I read this scripture through the lens of these three principles, my desire for programs is that we work toward developing families to be self-sustaining, and giving back to us so that we all experience mutuality.  Together we are creating the Beloved Community.  So when you give to the Foundation (financially or through your skills and time), understand how thoughtfully and prayerfully we utilize your gifts in both relief and development work.

On January 5-8, 2012, Adolfo Moreno (10th grade) and Emiliano Tellez (8th grade) travelled to San Francisco to tour colleges and see the sights.  I interviewed Adolfo and Emiliano about the trip and their amazing discoveries.

Brenda Lovera: Who did you guys go to San Francisco with?

Emiliano Tellez: We went with Curt Gibson and his wife Kathy.

Adolfo Moreno: It was just the four of us cruising through San Francisco.

Brenda: What colleges did you visit?

Adolfo: UC Berkeley also known as Cal. It was a really good college! Good quality and a great environment. I felt like I was in the woods and everything.

Emiliano: We visited Stanford which was kind of far away from San Francisco. We had to take three trains and a bus to get there. We weren’t able to take the paid tour so we got a map and toured the campus on our own. Stanford was cool!

Brenda: Where are the colleges located?

Adolfo: UC Berkeley is in the city of Berkeley overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Emiliano: Stanford is in the city of Palo Alto between San Francisco and San Jose.

Brenda: What college did you like the most?

Adolfo: Well, I liked Cal because it provides opportunities for all students, not just residents or citizens of the U.S. Anyone basically can go. It’s the top public university in America.

Emiliano: I think I liked Stanford because the campus was more private. Plus, they have an acting program!

Brenda: What are the requirements for each college?

Adolfo: The requirements were pretty basic, have a 3.0 grade point average.

Emiliano: Stanford had higher requirements, a 3.5 grade point average, which is why I think I liked it more. It’s more challenging to get into which I think will make a better experience. No offense UC Berkeley! I loved that school too!

Brenda: How would you describe each college?

Adolfo: Stanford is a really out-going smart school. You don’t just need brains or brawn to go there, you need both, you need to be well rounded.

Emiliano: Berkeley was very liberal. What I mean by that is the word to describe the overall atmosphere was “freedom”; seeing all races and ethnicities mix together was liberal, very free.

Brenda: Did you learn something from the trip?

Adolfo: Yes! I learned that you can’t just go to any college, it depends on what you want to be in life, what career you want. For that, you want to go to a special college that is good in what you want to be.

Emiliano: I learned how to experience life in San Francisco and that I like shrimp. I thought I hated seafood. Also, I learned the benefits of going to UC Berkeley or Stanford. They both guarantee a good future. I’m considering those schools for college now.

Brenda: What were the highlights of your trip?

Adolfo: The highlights for me was seeing Emiliano’s face in the seafood restaurant when the cook smashed a live crab to cook the meal, and when he (Emiliano) found his true love and sharing the room with my best friend! We had a blast and everything was so much fun! I got in trouble though. When we rode a trolley I pulled the trolley bell. I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to. It’s okay, we didn’t get in that much trouble.

Emiliano: I think one of the best highlights was being able to travel in an airplane again! I hadn’t gone on a plane in 5 years when I first came here and it was fun! Also, getting in trouble with Adolfo in the hotel, just seeing San Francisco and being away from home!

Brenda: Do you think the trip was worth it? Explain why you feel that way.

Adolfo: I believe it was worth it because it was my first time being on an airplane! I didn’t know what to expect. It was a great experience. And also, learning that colleges are like people; all people are not the same, some are good at one thing and some are good at another. We all have different stuff that we’re good at and colleges are like that too. They’re all not the same, each one has different things that they’re good at.

Emiliano: It was worth it just to see what life would be like away from home going to college. I also learned a lot about San Francisco in particular and how to navigate the city. It was fun, I’m planning to go back.

Brenda Lovera is an 8^th grade student at McKinley School in Pasadena. She is an aspiring writer and journalist.

I am thrilled that President Barack Obama understands the importance of mentoring, and has given mentoring the national prominence it deserves by declaring January 2012 as National Mentoring Month.

He has issued a proclamation saying, “Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood. By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation’s youth for a bright future. During National Mentoring Month, we celebrate the contributions of all those who cultivate a supportive environment for the next generation, and we recommit to expanding mentorship opportunities across our country.”
 (You can read the rest of his speech by clicking here.)

LACF Mentoring began in October 2002, building relationships between students in our neighborhood and available, caring adults.  Since then, the program has grown to 65 mentor/student pairs.  One of our LACF values is the idea of mutuality, and we see the willingness of mentors to learn from students (and vice versa) as mutuality in action.  The LACF Mentor Coaches have the privilege of supporting and encouraging mentors through this process.  We truly count it a privilege to work with the fabulous mentors in our program, and get to see the transforming nature of mentoring relationships first-hand.

Thank you, LACF Mentors, for making a difference in the life of your students, and for seeing their God-given potential! If you are not currently a mentor and would like to become a mentor, please contact Beth at bethw@lakeave.org.

- By Nancy Stiles, Mentor Coach

Summer for Literacy Elementary Program – 45 low income, under-resourced students entering grades 1-5 participated in the summer program.  The goal was to enrich and enhance each youth’s cognitive, social, athletic and leadership abilities, with special focuses on academic enhancement in Math and Reading, and offers a soccer/athletics program.

SKILLZ (School Kredit in Learning Life Zones) – 150 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students, who had multiple F grades and are at risk of being transferred out of regular high school to alternative schools, and students with high truancy and discipline reports were offered six weeks of summer school.  Our goal was to build the confidence, motivation, social skills and academic competence of students who are struggling or not engaged in their education.

Summer Camps – More than 90 students participated in 4 Summer Camp Opportunities

• Jr. High Adventure Road Trip to Lone Tree Bible Ranch
• High School Leadership Development Trip to Lone Tree Bible Ranch
• Katrina Building Project, New Orleans
• Forest Home Camp for both Elementary and High School

LACF would like to mention the partners and contributors who also helped to make our summer programs the success they were:

• Lone Tree Bible Ranch
• Pasadena Outlook
• Forest Home
• Madison Elementary School
• Northwest Neighbors
• Mi Piace Restaurant
• Point Loma Guidance Counselors
• AIDS Service Center
• Amer-I-Can
• Asian Youth Center
• Children of Destiny International
• City of Pasadena
• Crown Cities Community Development Corporation
• Day One
• Flintridge Center
• Haven House
• Maps 4 College
• Mentoring & Partnership for Youth Development
• Neighborhood Connections
• Pasadena Development Corporation
• Pasadena Federal Credit Union
• Pasadena Police Department
• PCC Foster Care
• Peace Over Violence
• San Gabriel Valley Volunteer Center
• Teen Futures
• Western Justice Center
• Women at Work

Please go to www.lakeavefoundation.org/donate/ if you would like to help cover the remaining summer expenses. Lake Avenue Community Foundation gives God the glory and LAC our heartfelt gratitude.  Thank you!!

Why did you decide to become a mentor?

I became interested in mentoring while I was working at a transition center for foster youth. I was working in the administrative department and really longed to have more face to face interaction with the youth. I looked up mentoring programs in the area and Lake Avenue Community Foundation was listed. I had visited Lake Avenue Church several times, so I was really excited to become a mentor through their program.

What, if any, were your fears about becoming a mentor?

The biggest fear in the beginning was just the unknowns. I had to completely put my trust and confidence in God, because I did not know where this mentoring relationship would lead.

What were you hoping for?

I was hoping for an opportunity to see God work through me and in my mentee. I also was hoping it would be a learning experience, which it definitely has been.

What do you do with your student?

In the beginning I had to do on campus visits at the group home where she stays. Once my mentee and I felt comfortable together we began doing short one-to-two hour outings in downtown Pasadena. We went to books stores, Target, Starbucks, gardens and enjoyed just walking around and talking. We began to attend the Saturday service at Lake Avenue Church and that has turned out to be an amazing experience for the both of us. The group home also had “family nights,” which I went to and we also enjoyed going to the Legacy event through Lake Avenue Community Foundation. My mentee is moving soon, so we recently did a fun photo shoot and I’m going to make an album as a going away gift.

What do you struggle with as a mentor?

The biggest thing I struggle with is feeling inadequate. I have asked myself several times why I’m doing this. Am I really the best person to be mentoring this child? My Coach helped me so much with these doubts. She reminded me that my role is to be available. I need to step back and just be a witness of what God is going to do in her life.

Are there times with your student that give you hope?

Our relationship has had its up’s and down’s. For about two weeks my mentee didn’t want to see me. There were some behavior issues that were addressed and that was difficult for her. Coming through that trial, though, my mentee showed great maturity in apologizing and wanting to continue our mentoring sessions.

Providing a faith based experience for my mentee has been the best use of our time. My mentee has developed healthy positive relationships with the teachers and other kids in the class at Lake Avenue Church. Sometimes my mentee has asked questions that reveal God is indeed at work in her heart. Again, I had no part in that. I was just available and God used the opportunity to work in my mentee’s life.

Have you seen positive changes in yourself?

This definitely has been a challenging experience, but it has taught me so much about relying on God. I have also been able to just watch in amazement and be a witness to God’s working. That truly is the best part.

Do you have a story you would like to share?

Sometimes the simplest things have been the most fun for me and my mentee. She loves chili cheese fries. I don’t have to always plan a big exciting adventure. Going to church and getting chili cheese fries after has been “our” thing. I think it has been fun and helpful to develop a couple favorite things to do. I know that when my mentee moves she will remember our time together and our talks over a plate of cheesy fries.

If you had the chance, what would you tell someone who is considering becoming a mentor?

If someone is considering becoming a mentor I would just remind them that it will not be their influence that makes the biggest impact. It’s all about being a tool for God to use. Even when I didn’t feel like doing my weekly visit, God used my obedience and commitment. Your mentee will value your commitment more than anything.

Charles and Pat Del Pino served with us as tutors and Thursday readers for over 5 years. They attended most of our events and were always reliable. I asked them a few questions about their experience with us. Click the link to see their interview.

Why did you start volunteering with STARS?

Charles: ” I had been an elementary public school teacher for 37 years and had co-led a small tutoring and homework program for 8 years. I wanted to serve the Lord and help to make a difference in the lives of others in some way.

Pat: “I wanted to be useful after retiring and had prior experience in a church-based tutoring program. I wanted to be able to help kids spiritually and as well as academically.”

What did you learn from your time with STARS?

Charles: “I’ve become aware of the hardships that some of our children and families deal with.”

Pat: “Like Charles, I’ve learned that some of our children and their families deal with very difficult life situations and that at the same time they have a strong sense of family which sustains them. The children can be very caring – for example helping me get through a crowd with the walker or carrying something for me.”

How were you blessed while serving with STARS?

Charles: “I’m blessed with the knowledge that my first STARS student has continued in the program for these several years, even though the two of us experienced some conflicts. I’m also blessed with the knowledge that the child who I helped for four years has become a strong and engaged student and is doing well in school.”

Pat: “Seeing students grow and mature physically, academically and even spiritually has been a blessing – especially when they take pride in their accomplishments. One student I’ve worked with lacks confidence in her abilities and it’s a joy to see her smile when she ‘gets’ something.”

If you could do it again, would you do anything differently?

Pat and Charles: “We wish we had made more of an effort to know the families better.”

What advice do you have for the other tutors?

Charles: “Have a number of educational activities for kids to do when their school work is finished.”

Pat: “Praise your students whenever you can and don’t become frustrated with the short time you have with them – believe that you are making a difference in their lives, and fight any temptation to be judgmental about their families.”

Pasadena Outlook 11-25-10

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, where you are from, your family, and your hobbies.

I am a SoCal native, born in Los Angeles and moved to Pasadena when I was 6. I have been here ever since. I am a product of Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) and Pasadena City College (PCC). I’ve been married to my wife, Ana Maria, for 22 years and we have a 19-year-old daughter, Daniella, who is currently attending PCC.

I love creating! Everything about me ties into creativity. I love cooking because it is creative. I love to shop. Have you seen what I wear? Creative. I love to write. My friends and I have a trans-media company, Pitch Block, creating motion pictures, television, motion comics, animation and video games. I love storytelling and the power of media and have loved comics, film and television since I was a child. I truly believe Christ would use these mediums if He was walking the Earth today!

2. What are your life passions? What journey does God have you on?

I believe the journey God has me on is one of hope, to be a source of hope and comfort to others. A friend once said to me, “Eric, you’re an anchor for others. But the funny thing about anchors is that they get dragged through the mud.” That is the story of my life.

I come from such an unusual family. While my father was running from God, his mother was a deaconess and Sunday School teacher and his brothers were some of the original members of the legendary Mighty Clouds of Joy (a gospel group). While my mother was running to God, her father practiced witchcraft and her mother was into new age practices way before it was popularized in the 80′s. Both of my parents come from divorced homes. My dad had to experience the painful divulgence that his father was a polygamist and later, a childhood with an abusive step-father. My parents met in high school; my mom became pregnant with me and my folks got married. I was born and then it seems all Hell broke loose.

My father, at the time a law enforcement officer, was verbally and physically abusive at home. I was told I was an accident, retarded and would never amount to anything. I was beaten with a police baton and metal shoe stretchers. I can so relate to the movie “Precious.” My life wasn’t far from that. I was frail and looked so different from everyone else. I longed to be “normal.” I was molested by another man as a teenager. And yet in spite of all that, here I am, a living example of what God, his Word and His loving people can bring you through.

3. Do you have a word for the mentors?

If there is a scripture that sums up my life, its 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

Because people comforted me in my sufferings I am compelled by God to do the same for others. I have dedicated the past 32 years of my life to doing just that. Which is why I am at LACF, working with teens others would normally give up on. I owe a wonderful debt to God and the people he used to reach me: my mother, my grandmother, Nellie Proctor – my Sunday School teacher, Beth Wells – my 5th grade math teacher, Pastor James Henry, Tommy McMullins, Phil Madden, Dover McCoy, Del Yarbrough. These are the mentors who saw the diamond in the coal, who loved me when I saw myself as hopeless and worthless.

Mentors made the difference in my life. I hope that every mentor would let those Scriptures become their anthem – Comfort others in the same way you were comforted by God through others. Let that comfort overflow onto the kids you engage. Don’t be moved by the exterior. Ask God to help you see His value, His purpose and destiny in that child. Sometimes it can be thankless, after all, you’re dealing with kids who live in the now. The light doesn’t come until later.

I recently had the opportunity to run into one of those men who did this for me all those decades ago. I grabbed him, held him for the longest time and tearfully told him, “You saved my life! I want you to know that the thousands of teens and people I’ve reached, the man that I am, the husband and father I’ve become, you did that!”

So mentors, please, don’t give up! Those kids need you. I need you. This city needs you. I currently sit on the PUSD Drop-Out Task Force and everyone at that table agrees that mentors, quality people like yourselves, are a huge part of the solution!

I encourage you to fight the good fight and finish the course. You never know how many Eric Johnsons your kindness, compassion and long-suffering will produce.

From the Thursday, January 28th issue of the La Cañada Flintridge Outlook:

By JOYCE LOVELACE
The Outlook

One of the most rewarding associations of Dwight Tudor’s life began with a bus ride.

While at a wedding a few years ago, Tudor, a retired food-industry executive and longtime La Cañada Flintridge resident, boarded a guest shuttle and took a seat next to Barbara Wilson, a family friend. The two chatted all the way from church to reception, mostly about her volunteer work with the Lake Avenue Community Foundation — a nonprofit, faith-based outreach organization directed by her son, John.

“She was so eloquent about what she was doing,” Tudor recalled. Her enthusiasm for the foundation was so infectious, he said, that it inspired him to get involved.

Ever since, Tudor has been a devoted and effective champion of LACF, which was founded in 2001 with a mission “to unleash the Godgiven potential of at-risk youth, providing the tools necessary to thrive academically, emotionally, economically, and spiritually.”

He has given his time, regularly tutoring children in the after-school program at LACF headquarters in Pasadena. He has played a leadership role on its board of directors, and he has helped expand local support for LACF’s good works, fostering connections between the foundation and the La Cañada Presbyterian Church, where he is a parishioner.

Though Tudor downplays his contribution, he’s happy if his example shines a spotlight on the foundation. Those at LACF, meanwhile, praise his rare dedication.

“Dwight is a stand-up man, a great man of God who puts his words into action, both here at the foundation and at his own church,” said Greg Helton, development director of LACF, whose board members recently held a get-together to honor Tudor as he stepped down after several terms of distinguished board service.

“He has made a great impact in the lives of children through his sincerity and the credibility he brings to them,” Helton said. “He’s been a blessing; a great leader on the board and an advocate for what the foundation has been doing to make a bigger impact in the community.”

Tudor grew up in Glendale and graduated from USC. He and his wife, Sylvia, have lived in La Cañada Flintridge for 47 years, and their four children attended local schools.

“My conviction is, we need to spend money, time, effort and talent in our local community, and I consider northwest Pasadena part of our community,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to isolate a need and develop the programs to fit that need.”

At its facility on East Villa Street, LACF serves nearly 100 neighborhood children from kindergarten to middle-school age, who find a haven there in the afternoon hours when their parents are at work.

A network of volunteers, from teens to senior citizens, offer help with homework as well as guidance and mentoring, with emphasis on Christian values as a foundation for success in life. This is no drop-in center for babysitting, Helton stressed, but rather “a genuine investment of energy and time in these kids.”

Tudor’s pupils, Helton noted, have come to regard him as a wise and kindly grandfather figure, a positive role model and consistent, caring presence in their lives.

For his part, Tudor has enjoyed seeing the kids grow and thrive along with LACF’s tutoring and mentoring initiatives. “The program has evolved to where there are specific needs and objectives for each child, from general to more individualized tutoring,” he observed.

While financial donations are welcome and essential to the success of any outreach effort, Tudor urges us all to also discover the joys of donating our time and talents in hands-on, personal ways.

There is, he reflected, “a great reward in doing that,” a deep and wonderful sense of gratification that builds slowly but surely over time as tangible results emerge.

“It’s very subtle,” Tudor said. “I’m not sure it’s overt. But it reinforces your Christian values, and shows you that you can make a difference.”

To learn more about the Lake Avenue Community Foundation, visit www.lakeavenuefoundation.org.

You may also view a PDF of the article.