LACF Blog

LACF STARS Students get Advice from experts (an article from the Pasadena Star-News, March 9, 2009)

Professional race drivers Erica Nocita, the 2006 Quick 16 National Hot Rod Association Eastern Division champion, and Lorenzo Rodriguez, winner of the Baja 1000 and a M.O.R.E. Off-road Championship Series winner in 2006 and 2008, took some time out of their schedules to speak to children at Lake Avenue Community Foundation’s after-school program.

The two drivers shared with students how they became race car drivers and their career goals.

Lake Avenue Community Foundation is a faith-based nonprofit organization that works with at-risk youth. It works with about 150 low-income students and their parents in Pasadena.

Below, race car driver Lorenzo Rodriguez, Baja 1000 Winner and SCORE Point Champion in 2002 left, with Curt Gibson, Associate Director Lake Avenue Community Foundation and Erica Nocita right, 2006 Quick 16 National Hot Rod Association Eastern Division, spoke about their experiences as race car drivers and their career goals to the youth of our STARS program at Vila 500 in Pasadena on Monday, March 9, 2009.

Nocita at STARS

Race car driver Lorenzo Rodriguez, Baja 1000 Winner and SCORE Point Champion in 2002 left, with Curt Gibson, Associate Director Lake Avenue Community Foundation and Erica Nocita right, 2006 Quick 16 National Hot Rod Association Eastern Division spoke about their experiences as race car drivers and their career goals to the youth of our STARS program at Vila 500 in Pasadena Monday, March 9, 2009. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Walt Mancini/SXCity)

One of our students/tutors was recently awarded a $1000 savings bond by ABC News. Click on the link below to see the video and story.

Cool Kid

 David Carillo & Cousin, Patricia Guzman

Last year, STARS co-founder, Jill Shook helped bring the Parent Project to Pasadena.  This 10 to 16-week parent training program teaches parents strategies to deal with the most basic to the most destructive of teen behaviors – from poor school attendance to drug use to gangs and violence.

LACF has witnessed first-hand, the undeniable benefit these classes bring. In a recent Pasadena Star News Article, Amy Cardenas, 16, whose mother, Alicia, now serves on our Parent Committee Board said she saw big changes at home after her mother went through a Parent Project training. Before the training, she said the two of them would argue “like sisters.” Now, she says they “sit down and discuss things.”

Two of Pasadena’s13 certified Parent Project teachers are also the mother of and cousin to David Carillo, 17, who has been a part of Lake Avenue Community Foundation’s STARS and Mentoring programs for over 10 years. Artemiza Carillo and Patricia Guzman originally attended the training themselves and found it so helpful they wanted to share it with others and become trainers themselves.

LACF is excited to see parents empowering parents.  Youth are most supported when their own parents are involved and we applaud and appreciate ones like Alicia Cardenas, Artemiza Carillo and Patricia Guzman that are taking an active approach in empowering themselves and others just like them to be successful.

For more information about the Parent Project and local classes visit www.parentproject.com or call (626) 585-3010. (Offered in Spanish and English).

To view the Pasadena Stars News Article sited in this blog, visit :
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_10694497?source=email

By Amy Cole, Mentor Coordinator & Operations Mgr.

Lake Avenue Community Foundation is continuously trying to build Assets within our young people.  As the Fall semester begins, we are urging mentors and tutors to actively assist young people in building two specific Assets; #17 & 18, where a young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons/practice in music, theater, other arts, sports, clubs at school and/or in the community. 

There are many low-cost and free opportunities for young people to get involved in and around Pasadena.  We are asking mentors and tutors to find out what the young people they work with are interested in and help sign them up.  Resources for these opportunities can be found at www.schoolsout.org. In addition, Pasadena publishes a quarterly booklet in which local opportunities for youth are listed.  Booklets can be obtained at Villa Parke Community Center and the Jackie Robinson Community Center.

We have also placed an “Asset Board” at the Villa 500 tutoring site to give easy access for tutors, mentors and students to view.  This board will be updated with the most current activities and opportunities for young people including local events, classes, volunteer positions and employment (when available).

It is vital for young people to build their creative side and get involved in productive activities to keep them off the street and engaged in positive settings.  Currently, we have young people who are engaging in community art classes and sports teams and we hope to expand this list as the semester goes on. 

By John Wilson – Executive Director

This past Saturday (9/6/2008) at our volunteer orientation meeting, Dwight Tudor was honored as LACF’s Volunteer of the Year. Dwight has been serving as a tutor with the STARS program for 3 years and has served on the Board of LACF for 1 1/2 years. In that time, Dwight has shown a deep commitment and passion for helping kids in NW Pasadena realize their God-given potential.

Dwight, a member of La Canada Presbyterian Church, also helped LACF and LCPC develop a ministry partnership. As a result, in the last year over 30 people from LCPC have begun volunteering in NW Pasadena through LACF.

Pictured left to right is Bruce Stone (LACF Board Chair), Dwight Tudor and John Wilson. Photo courtesy Outlook Newspaper.

tamera wolf -  leader of RFKC

I’m Tamara, and I just got back from camp. A special thank you for praying for and supporting year three of the Royal Family Kids Camp Aug 24-29. A special shout-out to several folks who either came to camp as counselors, or who helped throw a fabulous birthday carnival last Wednesday for the 29 foster kids who attended camp with booths, prizes and fresh energy. All in all, Mission accomplished – abused and neglected foster children ages 7-12 were treated like royalty for a week, shown God’s powerful love and got the chance to try new things and make lasting positive memories. Our camp verse was Romans 8:38 “Nothing can ever separate me from His love.”

What did I learn at camp this week? I was reminded God has a unique plan for each life (yours included)! It’s easy to miss in the chaos of each day, but there is deep meaning and immense joy in knowing we were created with a special plan and purpose. Are you living that out?

Please pray for the campers as they return to school, and for some, to their difficult home lives in group homes, foster families, or with extended family. Pray that mentoring relationships would be established and that they would cling to the promises they learned at camp.

Campers eagerly volunteer to lead the prayer before meal times. So, I leave you with this simple prayer offered daily from one of our more difficult campers, “Dear Lord, thank you for this day and for this camp. Thank you for all the counselors. I love you all. You guys are great. Amen.”

By John Wilson – Executive Director

Today I was a volunteer for Blair High School’s registration. Blair is one of the four public high schools in Pasadena. It was actually my second day working, but today was especially fun. I was the information counselor and the first of several stops for these 10th graders and their accompanying parent.

I met a ton of extremely quality kids today. They were bright, eager, and excited about learning. Each of the students I met with had college as a goal and seemed to be moving in the right direction. It was a hope-filled day for me. I was encouraged about the future. I am also excited that the kids in our STARS program have students like these as examples.

What’s more, as a part of Blair’s program, these 10th graders are required to complete 35 “service” hours. This is cool enough, but even better, two students indicated they want to work with our kids in STARS for their service! Whooo!!!

Something is going right at Blair. If you want to find out how you can get involved at Blair, visit www.adoptaschoolpasadena.org

By John Wilson – Executive Director

One of the bonuses of summer is that occasionally my family gets to join us on trips. This summer, Betsy, Kiley, Jack and Miles joined us on the Adventure Road Trip to Wyoming. It is so fun to see my kids getting to play like that. They got to ride horses, shoot .22 rifles, shoot bow and arrow, canoe, climb, play in the dirt and even play some pretty serious dodgeball.

The best part for me though is getting to see my kids LOVED by the students on the trip. Stereotypes would cause you to believe that my kids may not be safe or that they will hear and see things that may be harmful to them. But from my experience, this is opposite of the truth. My children were played with, hugged, carried, helped, encouraged, cheered for, supported and loved more by this group of students than any other similar setting I’ve been in. It is humbling to see.

The kids we work with have lots of obstacles that they have to overcome in life. They have a lot working against them. But give them a chance to thrive and you too will be humbled.

Thanks Eddie, David C, Alex, Jacory, Charlie, Victor, David H, Diana, Perla, Grace, Thomas, and the rest of the gang from Wyoming 08 for a great week!

Thoughts about Wyoming from a 14 year old girl

“On the Wyoming trip I experienced something I’ve never felt before.. God spoke to me and told me that he put me where I live right now for a reason. He put me here so I am able to control me, myself, and I and no other. Also on our last chapel at the Glendo Reservoir the wind blew on me and it dawned on me that God told me to keep faith in him and he will embrace me like the wind and protect me from evil.”

Photo taken just before the horse training

We did an activity where we rode horses… Mike, the wrangler, explained to us that riding a horse is like letting God take the reigns of your life… When I heard that fact, I realized that I need to let God take the reigns of my life.

By Curt Gibson – Associate DIrector

This years trip was so full of amazing experiences for our students; horseback riding across the planes of Wyoming, watching a student ride a BMX bike through the trees, or sleeping under the stars and hearing a 15yr old guy say”I’m running out of wishes because there are so many falling stars”.

Then there is the two day drive home.  Half of the students don’t want to go home… they are down right depressed. They ask if they could live in Wyoming or move in with me.  There are a few who can’t wait to get back to there loving family or there friends.  I also hear how they plan on making all of these changes in the way they live there life when they get home.  I know this is when the work begins. This is when the mentors need to step in, this week we will hope to get all the mentors to make a connection and unpack what has happened this summer.  Pray for them this week.