Changing and Saving Lives Since 1937

Great Futures Start HERE.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

15th District Councilman Joe Buscaino Celebrates the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor


"The Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor was founded in 1937 as the Need for Boys Club by the Civitan Club of San Pedro. Within two years time, the club, designed to assist boys living on the streets, was such a success that members had to be turned away due to a lack of facility space to meet demand.

By 1939, the re-titled Boys Club of San Pedro filed the Articles of Incorporation, and became the first nationally-affiliated Boys Club west of the Mississippi River, and by 1941 was recognized with contributing to a 30% drop in juvenile delinquency rates in the community.

The Boys Club of San Pedro changed its name to the Boys and Girls Club of San Pedro in 1994 to reflect the growing number of girls it counted among its ranks, and changed its name again in 2004 to the Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor following a merger with the Wilmington Boys and Girls Club.

The club moved to its current location at 1200 S Cabrillo Ave in San Pedro in 1965, and has since expanded to operate at this facility and 5 additional club locations, 10 school sites, and the Daniels Field Recreation Center." - 15th District Councilman Joe Buscaino

Monday, October 29, 2012

Boeing Employees Give to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor College Bound Program


The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor is pleased to announce the Employees Community Fund of Boeing California (“ECF CA”) has awarded the Clubs a $5000 grant. The ECF CA funds, which are 100% Boeing employee donations to the ECF CA, will be utilized for its College Bound program.
 
 

College Bound has increased the graduation rate of Club members from less than 50% in 2002 to an average of 94% over the last five years. College Bound introduces and exposes youth (4th to 12th grade) to the idea of college and prepares them for a successful experience. College Bound served 1,404 students (4th to 12th grade) in the 2011-2012 school year. There 318 were seniors in the program, 96% graduated. Of these graduates, 294 (96%) are going to a 4-year university or 2-year college.

The comprehensive program combines intensive academic case management with academic support, workshops to increase knowledge, skills building and test preparation activities, access to a plethora of resources, and college exposure. College Bound assists youth at each stage of their academic development with grade and age-appropriate activities, resources, and support. The most important thing we instill and develop is the belief that college is attainable. College Bound enables youth to set goals and provides them with the support, tools, and resources to achieve them.
College Bound's intensive and comprehensive one-on-one academic case management provides the guidance, support, and encouragement youth need to achieve success in school and attain their educational goals. All youth in College Bound receive academic case management. The intensity and frequency of case management sessions increase with each grade.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Boys & Girls Club of San Pedro Honored With a Plaque in the San Pedro Sports Walk

Local sports stars walk this way
By Forrest Lee, Correspondent  - The Daily Breeze

The seven new inductees into the Sportswalk to the Waterfront are, from left, Jim O'Brien, Joseph Bleymaier, Shannon Boxx, Jerry Rodich, Mike Gillespie, Steve Garvey and Gerald Zar. Mike Lansing, A representative of the Boys & Girls Club of San Pedro, is at right. (Steve McCrank, Staff Photographer)

The one-liners flew from Jerry Rodich as easy as the light ocean breeze blew through downtown San Pedro.
"This is a big deal for me because usually we were running from something," said Rodich, referring to youthful indiscretions.
No one could have been happier than Rodich. A former football and baseball star at San Pedro High and Harbor College, he was among the new additions to the city's Sportswalk to the Waterfront during induction ceremonies Monday.
Additional inductees included former Dodger Steve Garvey, three-time Olympic gold medalist soccer player Shannon Boxx, UC Irvine baseball coach Mike Gillespie, former Mary Star High football standout Joe Bleymaier, golfer Gerald Zar and ex-coach Jim O'Brien. In addition, Arizona baseball coach Andy Lopez, who grew up in the community, and the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club were honored.



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Friday, September 21, 2012

San Pedro Teen Center - A September to Remember - 9/11

The Club of San Pedro just recently completed a National Service & Remembrance Day for 9/11. In honor of the victims of 9/11, The San Pedro Keystone group made a pledge wall where they wrote pledges on how they will contribute to a positive change in the world. The teens also put together a short film where they recited the poem "What Happened?" These events were completely conceptualized and realized by the teens.
Great job everyone!
 
 
 
 
What Happened?
 
What happened that September Day?
We all struggle to understand.
With grief and anguish in our hearts,
Our country must take a stand.
Soon the Stars and Stripes appear
On every home and car,
A symbol of strength and hope,
As we prepare in war.
As the flags grow scare,
We search far and wide,
The need for "Old Glory"
To reflect our pride ...
... Times goes on, months have passed,

The families of September 11th
Seek normalcy, if any.
But wait ... what's this ... the Stars and Stripes,
That once flew far and wide,
Many ripped and torn and faded,
Have we forgotten our pride?
I wonder what the families think,
Old Glory now worn and tattered,
As they pass those familiar homes and cars,
The flag, once all that mattered
It makes me think about our nation,
When I see our flag so frayed.
How soon we all forget the pain
Of that tragic September day.
So let's think about those special heroes,
Who lost their lives that day,
And honor them with fitting flags
And for the families ... Pray!
© Gwen Loiacono

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Disney Comes to The Boys & Girls Clubs of The Los Angeles Harbor



DISNEY CHANNEL EVENTS - Stars from hit Disney Channel and Disney XD shows, including Zendaya ("Shake It Up"), Raini Rodriguez ("Austin & Ally"), Jake Short ("A.N.T. Farm"), Olivia Holt ("Kickin" It" and the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie "Girl Vs. Monster"), Billy Unger and Tyrel Jackson Williams ("Lab Rats"), participate in Radio Disney's "Back to School Drive." The popular young stars join Disney VoluntEARS to give backpacks loaded with school supplies to more than 200 kids from Boys & Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro, Calif. (August 25, 2012). (DISNEY CHANNEL/RICK ROWELL)




 

JAKE SHORT, TYREL JACKSON WILLIAMS, ZENDAYA, OLIVIA HOLT, RAINI RODRIGUEZ, BILLY UNGER, BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LOS ANGELES HARBOR

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Boys & Girls Clubs of of the Los Angeles Harbor Studio Program Helps Local School Win LAUSD Video Award

Justin Ezzi, a fifth grade teacher from Park Western Elementary teamed up with Alex Monita of the Boys & Girls Club of San Pedro to produce a 3 minute video entry for the 2012 VIC awards! This annual "Video in the Classroom" awards show is aired on KLCS Television network and showcases some of the best work created in schools all across the Los Angeles area.

Our entry Interview with the sun, won the award in the science category for elementary school and starred Joshua Alvarez and Teah LaGrande written by Justin Ezzi of Park Western Place Elementary School. The entire video was shot and edited at the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club Multimedia Studio.
Check out the KLCS website to watch the award ceremony in its entirety. (Interview with the Sun starts at 43:41)
http://www.klcs.org/vic_awards.asp

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Wilmington BGC Attends AC Green Basketball Leadership Camp


Last week the Wilmington Boys & Girls Club participated in the AC Green Annual Basketball Leadership Camp. The Club took 25 outstanding kids & it was a great experience for all of them. 200 total kids from all over Southern California participated in the camp and out of 16 Most Valuable Person awards, our club took home 7 trophies! Way to go Wilmington! Below is a write-up of the camp directly from the A.C. Green Foundation.

Leadership Camp

Every year we sponsor approximately 120 boys and girls, ages 9-15, to attend an all-expenses-paid summer camp. This unique annual Summer Leadership Camp features educational opportunities, career exploration, character building and basketball. Camps are held in Portland and Los Angeles. NBA Iron Man A.C. Green personally supervises each camp.
The goal of the camp is to identify and encourage leaders among children who might otherwise be forgotten -- those who lack positive role models, are physically and/or emotionally abused, economically disadvantaged or victims of homelessness.
 
While attending Summer Leadership Camp, our campers are challenged on, and off, the basketball court. While part of each day is spent learning basketball skills, practicing drills and improving techniques, campers also spend time learning about life. Guest speakers encourage them to set goals and work hard, explaining that the decisions we make today will directly impact our tomorrow. Through interaction with A.C. Green and other positive role models at Leadership Camp, campers learn that realizing their purpose in life can make the difference in achieving their true potential.
Program Objectives:

  • To expose children who would not otherwise have an opportunity to attend camp to a camp environment.
  • To engage youth in activities which encourage cooperation, sportsmanship and teamwork.
  • To expose youth to leadership figures and positive role models.
  • To offer a learning experience through career exploration field trips.
  • To teach athletic skills and character development while still providing fun experiences.
  • To acquaint youth with unique career opportunities and to bring these careers within their reach.
  • To discourage behavior which may continue the cycle of abuse, poverty, or homelessness.  

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

THANK YOU KKR!


This past spring the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor was asked to particapate in a bike essay contest sponsored by KKR & CO. L.P.. The club members were asked to write a short essay on "why they deserved a bike" and "why bikes were better for the environment." Originally, only 20 winners were suppose to be selected, but KKR was so moved by the essays that they collected donations from their employees and award bikes to all the kids that particapated in the contest. For the majority of the winners, this was the first bike they have ever owned. It is these types of generous gestures by great people, like those from KKR, that restore hope during these challenging times. So on behalf of the over 8,000 youth served annually in our organization, and the 70 club members that were awarded bicycles, I would like to say THANK YOU!

-Tony Tripp - Director of Operations

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Palos Verdes High School Teens Hold Ice Skating Event for Club Kids


Cheryl Douglas, a sophomore at Palos Verdes High School, teamed up with Tara Innab, a sophomore at Peninsula High School to sponsor a figure skating event for the "little ladies" of The Port Boys and Girls Club. Cheryl is a 3 time Junior National figure skater, and a 3 time member of the Senior National Championship Los Angeles Ice Theater team. Tara is also a 3 time member of the Senior National Champions Los Angeles Ice Theater team. Both girls share a love for the sport of figure skating and wanted to enable the little gals of The Port to be able to experience this joy. Cheryl and Tara solicited funds and donations and sold raffle tickets at the Farmers Market and around their neighborhood in order to raise $2000. This allowed them to privately rent out the Ice Chalet rink, buy dinner for all, and supply each little lady with a back pack and school supplies. All of the kids including Cheryl and Tara thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The two girls are already planning next years event! 

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Phillips 66 Gives Back by Providing Paid Interns to Community Non-profits

Phillips 66 Reps & BGC Volunteer Coordinator pose with 3 paid summer interns provided to the club through the LAR Summer High School Intern Program.

Thank you Phillips 66 for helping the community!

2012 Summer Internship Program

Phillips 66 rewarded the top students from around the area for their hard work and dedication by providing summer internships with local non-profits.

The LAR Summer High School Intern Program provided 15 internships to local high school students and LAR dependents. Each internship provided an opportunity for students to learn business, organizational, and program leadership skills.

Phillips 66 partnered with six local non-profits by providing funding to the organizations which served as compensation for each intern during their summer assignment. With the economic challenges facing these non-profits, the interns gain valuable work experience while providing assistance to the organizations during the busy summer months.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Great Fun at our Wilmington Club Site



On Sunday May 27th, 2012, the Pressfriends Newsletter collaboration had their Annual Conference at the Wilderness Dance Hall at Knott's Berry Farm. All of the newsletters where there for a meet and greet, buffet style lunch and plenty of entertainment and prizes. The members were given certificates for their participation and were rewarded with an extra special prize...Build A Bears!!! The entire day was fun and our members had a great time. They participated in a couple of games and when it was over got soaked on Bigfoot Rapids because the sun was shining brightly on us that day. Thank you to Pressfriends and congratulations to all of our members.


On Saturday, June 9th 2012, the Wilmington Branch got out and got active participating in a 5K Walk around the Wilmington Waterfront Park sponsored by Radio Disney. The walk was co-sponsored by the California Milk "Got Milk?" campaign. Walkers were given free milk (chocolate and white) during and after the walk to keep up their stamina and support healthy attitudes and bodies. Radio Disney provided great entertainment with games, prizes, dancing and so much more. There were booths to visit to get information and the guests were treated to a dance performance by the stars of the Disney Channel show "Shake It Up". Guests were also given an opportunity to get autographs and take pictures with the stars. Our members had a great time and were super excited to be able to take part in this fun and healthy day of walking, exercise and great sunshine.

Joshua Johnson - Wilmington BGC

Friday, June 8, 2012

Harbor Boys & Girls Club's College Bound program succeeds with at-risk youth

By Rob Kuznia Staff Writer for the Daily Breeze
The Boys and Girls Club of San Pedro's College Bound program, which aims to help enroll high school students in college, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of students enrolling in college. On Tuesday night, a ceremony was held for those students and scholarships were awarded at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro. All of the student who won scholarships pose for photos on stage. (Steve McCrank / Staff Photographer)

Tabitha Sanchez of San Pedro was born four months premature because her mother was a drug addict.

Fatima Salcido and her mother have lived in the tiny garage of a Carson relative for 12 years, ever since a divorce caused them to lose their home to foreclosure.

Juan Orantes of San Pedro easily could have followed in the footsteps of some of his family members, whose unfortunate choices led to jail time.

With the help of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor, all three high school seniors are headed to four-year universities. This week, they were among more than 300 at-risk students recognized for not only graduating high school, but doing so with the grades and credits necessary to head to college. 

Students high-five each other as they receive scholarships awarded at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro. (Steve McCrank / Staff Photographer)

The students are all beneficiaries of the local organization's College Bound program, a kind of after-school complement to the traditional high school academic counselor that is increasingly - during this time of evaporating school budgets - becoming a replacement. At San Pedro High School, for instance, budget cuts have gone so deep that the Boys & Girls Club for the past two years has provided a part-time academic counselor at the school - all on the club's dime.

The past two years have witnessed exponential success, so much so that the College Bound program - a local invention - is being replicated by 10 other Boys & Girls Clubs around Los Angeles and dozens more across the state and nation.

But now, it is struggling to avoid becoming a victim of its own success. Exploding demand has left the organization scrambling to find the donations to keep pace. Since its inception a decade ago, operating costs for College Bound have swelled from $60,000 to $1.2 million.

"That has become the good burden of our organization," said Mike Lansing, founder of the College Bound program and executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

The club charges its members a nominal $25-a-year fee, but that doesn't begin to cover the costs of about $1,000 per student.

The bulk of the money comes from donors - that is, from foundations, corporations and generous individuals from the South Bay and Harbor Area. On top of the increased demand, a two-year, $1 million grant will dry up in December, leaving a gaping hole in the budget.

Like all Girls & Boys Club programs, College Bound happens after school. It provides counselors, tutors and other staff members who work closely with disadvantaged youth every day to map out a four-year plan for finishing high school, as well as to guide them through the daunting rigors of finding a suitable college.

In addition to offering SAT prep courses, academic workshops, college-application assistance, tutoring sessions and low-cost transportation for college visits, the club - in this capacity - also assumes the role of a polite nag.

"If you haven't come by the club in a long time, they will call you at home or your cell, and talk to your parents as well, just to make sure that you can attend," Salcido said.

The College Bound program is a breakaway from Boys & Girls Club tradition. Historically, the club has been a place for at-risk students to gather after school, through activities such as athletics, dance and music - the fun stuff.

In the late 1990s, the club started building teen centers in San Pedro and Wilmington. By 2001, Lansing began to notice something that gave him pause. 

For the past 12 years, Fatima Salcido and her mother Guadalupe Raya have lived in the garage of Guadalupe's sister's home. Fatima graduates from Torrance High next week and then will be going to Tulane University on a full scholarship. (Scott Varley / Staff Photographer)

"I was seeing our kids walking to school at 10 or 11 in the morning," he said. "I said, `This is not good."'

He asked a staff member how many high school seniors from the club's San Pedro teen center would be graduating on time that spring. The answer: fewer than half.

Lansing launched the College Bound program the following year. Thirty students signed up; only one went on to college. The program was a little slow to take off, but has mushroomed over the past two years. Last year, 234 students went on to two- or four-year colleges. This year, the number rose to 318.

Among them is Tabitha Sanchez, who is proud to say that her mother quit drugs cold turkey the day she was born prematurely 18 years ago.

On Tuesday night, Tabitha and her mother, Lisa Sanchez, were among the hundreds of students and family members who packed into the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, where the students were recognized for their academic achievements. Also that night, students were called to the stage in front of a cheering crowd to accept scholarships from generous local donors; about $80,000 was distributed in total.

Tabitha took home an $11,000 award from Taco Bell and an additional $1,000 from Kiwanis Club of Rolling Hills Estates. She will use the money to pay for tuition and expenses at California State University, Northridge, where she plans to major in communications.

"From Day One, there has been dysfunction," said Tabitha, a petite young woman whose elegant outfit at the event belied the difficulty of her upbringing. "I was just trying to maintain my grades and follow my heart's desires."

She and her mother have always been chums. But home life has still been turbulent. Tabitha's two older siblings also abused drugs, and frequently clashed with their mom. In 2005, Lisa's fiance - who was like a father to Tabitha - died of a drug overdose.

And then there was that unforgettable day when Tabitha came into the world. Lisa, addled on speed, had already lost a son in a premature birth, also due to her drug use. She had recently done a stint in jail. In fact, she was a fugitive. The authorities had let her out to bury her son and she had escaped, only to find herself back at the hospital in the same situation more than a year later, while still on the lam. She was feeling guilt-ridden and hopeless.

"I just wanted to die," Lisa said. And indeed she nearly did.

"It was like a black hole," she said. "I was on my way out: dead. I had a spiritual experience. God said, `Are you sure this is what you want?"'

Lisa says it was at that moment, while still unconscious, that she decided to live, and to be sober.

"My brain clicked over and I thought: `My kids are never going to know I loved them,"' said. "At that point, I said `I can't go out like that."'

Today, things are looking up. Lisa recently purchased her first home, has a good-paying sales job at ITD Print Solutions and is engaged again.

Fatima Salcido, the student who lives in a garage with her mother, is headed to the private Tulane University in New Orleans, where she plans to study medicine. Like Tabitha, Fatima gets along well with her mother.

This is good, given their cramped quarters, which has space only for two twin beds. To use the restroom or the kitchen, they must walk into her aunt's house.

"I see how, as a single parent, she's been struggling to raise me," Fatima said. "She wasn't able to have the same education as I do now. She only went to seventh grade. I know since I have the opportunity to go to school, I should take it. Everything I'm doing is for her."

Her scholarship to Tulane covers the $42,000-a-year tuition. She received it only because the Boys & Girls Club nominated her for what is called the Posse Scholarship. After a rigorous series of interviews, she was among the 10 winners of 130 applicants. Fatima learned the good news by cellphone. In April, she was in a classroom at Torrance High when she broke school rules and used her phone to return the call to the Posse Foundation.

"I just couldn't help myself - I was too excited," she said.

Soon, her classmates were surprised to see their mild-mannered classmate jumping up and down. "At first I didn't know what to say. I feel like these kinds of opportunities don't really happen to me."
rob.kuznia@dailybreeze.com

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Join us at our 2012 College Bound Graduation

We invite you to join us as we celebrate College Bound Graduation 2012!
The Boys & Girls Clubs
of the
Los Angeles Harbor
Request your presence
At a Graduation Celebration
In honor of our
2012 College Bound Graduates
Tuesday June 5, 2012
6:00 PM
At the
Warner Grand Theater
478 W 6th Street, San Pedro
Please RSVP to our Development Office
(310) 833-1322 ext 230 or 242
"The Warner Grand Theatre is a facility of the City of Los Angeles, operated by the Department of Cultural Affairs"

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor's College Bound Program has brought hope, commitment, and expertise to youth throughout the communities of the Los Angeles Harbor. College Bound has brought student achievement far above the area average and college acceptance for students who traditionally did not have that hope and opportunity in the past. Youth are not only graduating, they are going to college. Since the Club began implementing the program at our San Pedro Teen Center in 2002, the graduation rate of Club members increased from less than 50% to an average of 90% over the past five years! In the 2011 College Bound program, 98% of all seniors graduated in June 

In 1996, the Club established Education 1st! within the organization, prioritizing education throughout all of our daily programming. This began the focus of resources, both human and financial, into education activities and services that eventually lead the creation of our College Bound Program in 2002. College Bound was created to address the alarming graduation rate (less than 50%) of our San Pedro Club members. We realized that just providing a safe space and tutoring was not meeting the needs of our youth, and that a much more comprehensive education assistance program was needed to assure that they were graduating and going on to college.

College Bound provides youth (4th thru 12th grades) throughout the Los Angeles Harbor with the guidance, support, and resources they need to reach their academic and personal goals - resources that are not readily available or even accessible to the majority of our youth. The intensive and comprehensive one-on-one academic case management is the heart of the program. Daily academic assistance and tutoring ensures that all youth focus on academics for at least one hour each day. Resources include free Princeton Review SAT prep classes, intensive scholarship and financial aid application workshops, and college credit courses. These resources can make the difference between community college and a university for many youth. Weekly College Bound activities provide youth with knowledge and information. Field trips to universities, mentors, and speakers provide youth with the confidence and belief that college is attainable 


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

"Pressfriends" at the Wilmington Site

Pressfriends Newsletter Class
Over the last two months a select number of members of the Wilmington Branch have been working on a big project...the Harbor Times Newsletter. With the help of the PressFriends and their mentors, we were able to put out a stellar newsletter with articles written by our members. The members ranged from grades third to fifth worked diligently on their articles and were finally able to put out a finished product. For their reward on Sunday, May 27th, the PressFriends is holding their annual conference where the Harbor Times staff and all the other newsletter groups will exchange newsletters and make new friends. Congratulations Harbor Times newsletter staff for your hard work and dedication.

Joshua Johnson
Computer Center Coordinator
Boys & Girls Clubs of L.A. Harbor - Wilmington Branch




Monday, May 7, 2012

2012 BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame

A Lasting Legacy

Since its inception more than 100 years ago, the Boys & Girls Club Movement has provided children of all backgrounds with the opportunity to grow and realize their dreams. To celebrate the accomplishments of former Boys & Girls Club members, BGCA annually recognizes distinguished alumni during the organization’s National Conference.
The event honors alumni who have gone on to make major contributions in their fields, from sports and entertainment to business and medicine, from politics and justice to art and education. Their stories are very different, but all start out the same: with the life-changing programs, caring and attentive staff, and fun and safety of a local Boys & Girls Club.
This year's outstanding inductees are:

Boothe
"When you're a kid, you just want to be a kid. (The Club) was that home away from home that all kids need."
 

Powers BootheSnyder, Texas
It was 1959, and it was the beginning of five formative years for 9-year-old Powers Boothe when he walked through the door of the Snyder Boys Club. Playing on the Club football and basketball teams taught him to work hard and to treat others with respect. After graduating from college, Boothe pursued acting in earnest. He joined the Oregon Shakespeare Company in 1972 and made his New York stage debut at Lincoln Center in Richard III. Boothe won the 1980 Emmy for Best Actor in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones. He also starred in the FOX TV series 24 and the HBO series Deadwood.
Copeland
"Coming from a single parent family  ... I can't think of a better place to go. Thank you for opening up so many doors for me."
 


Misty Copeland
Los Angeles
When Misty Copeland encountered her first ballet class at 13, she was too shy to participate. The volunteer instructor took her by the hand and drew her in – and Misty began dancing in the gym of the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club. She quickly made up for her late start, joining the American Ballet Theatre just four years later. Now the prestigious company’s first African-American soloist in two decades, Misty is committed to opening the door for more girls, no matter their age or background, to discover ballet. She participated in the "Great Futures Start Here" PSA and works with local Clubs in the New York area.
Ervin
"I know Clubs save lives, because they teach kids to swim. It's a big deal."
 


Anthony Lee Ervin
Valencia, Calif.
Olympic gold medal swimmer Anthony Ervin got his first chance to be a role model as a teen member of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley in southern California. At the Club, he helped other members refine critical swimming skills such as hand placement and breathing technique. Before winning gold and silver medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Ervin claimed seven NCAA swimming titles at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2011, he returned to swimming after a short break and is preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He’s also pursuing a master’s degree at Berkeley and coaches a children’s swim team.

Gooding
"The boys ... we were thugs back then. Thank you for dealing with the frustrations of kids. Thank you for your service."
 


Cuba Gooding Jr.
Tustin, Calif.
The director of the Boys & Girls Club in Tustin, Calif., made Cuba Gooding Jr. and his friends an offer they couldn’t refuse – practice break-dancing in the gym with music as loud as they’d like, as long as they did their homework first. This bargain kept Cuba off the streets and on track to succeed in school. Later, he channeled his creative talents into acting, starring in such major films as Boyz n the Hood, A Few Good Men and the critically acclaimed Jerry Maguire, for which he won an Academy Award. A longtime Club supporter, Gooding is one of 21 celebrity alumni in the "Great Futures Start Here" PSA.
Abaire
"They saw something in me and said what can we do for this kid.  And they did everything. Amazing things have happened to me because of what they did."
 

David Lindsay-Abaire
Boston
Playwright and lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire began writing – quite literally banging out poems on a typewriter – at the Boys & Girls Club of South Boston. When he was in seventh grade, the Club awarded him a full scholarship to Milton Academy, an opportunity that changed his life. Lindsay-Abaire hasn’t stopped writing since. In 2007, his play Rabbit Hole won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He later adapted it for a movie version starring Nicole Kidman. His recent projects include Shrek the Musical and the play Good People. He also volunteers with various youth theatre and arts programs in New York City, where he lives with his wife and two children.
McDew
"It's not about where you come from; it is about where you are determined to go. I stand before you with a grateful and humble heart."
 


Maj. Gen. Darren W. McDew
Hampton, Va.
Darren McDew and his three brothers attended the Boys & Girls Club for five years while their father was stationed at Langley Air Force Base. It was at the Club, interacting with other youth, that Darren overcame his shyness and discovered his talent for leadership. Today, he commands the Air Force District of Washington at Andrews Air Force Base. He is a general and a pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours in a variety of aircraft. McDew often speaks to young people across the country about achieving success and becoming leaders.
NeYo
"The music business is not easy. I heard "no'"and "can't" a lot. If not for that basketball coach (at the Club) eradicating that word "can't," I probably wouldn't be here."
 


Ne-Yo
Las Vegas
The streets of Las Vegas were decidedly not kid-friendly when Ne-Yo was growing up. But the young man found safety and guidance at his Boys & Girls Club, where the coach always put him in the game, even though basketball was not his greatest talent. The experience taught him to reach for his dreams. A Grammy winner, Ne-Yo has penned hit songs for performers like BeyoncĂ© and Rihanna. He also recorded three platinum albums of his own. Ne-Yo has given back generously to Club youth, personally delivering toys, electronics, bicycles – and hugs – at Clubhouses around the country. He also appears in the "Great Futures Start Here" PSA.
Sabathia
"Because of the Boys Club, CC is at Yankee Stadium."
Margie SabathiaMother of CC Sabathia
 


CC Sabathia
Vallejo, Calif.
For seven years, the Continentals of Omega Boys & Girls Club offered CC Sabathia a safe place to go after school. The Club also provided his first chance to attend a Major League Baseball game and to meet his hero, Oakland A’s pitcher Dave Stewart. Mr. Graham, the Club director and mentor to young CC, always found time to help with homework or offer advice. Sabathia is now the New York Yankees’ top pitcher. He and his wife, Amber, run a charitable foundation whose beneficiaries have included Omega Club, the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark and other youth-serving organizations.
Stevens
"You have saved lives; you have made lives. And you have made America and Indian Country a better place."

Ernest Stevens Jr.
Oneida, Wis.
At age 15, Ernie Stevens drove a car, worked full-time and considered himself a grown man. His mentors at the Oneida Boys Club taught him how to be a kid again, he says. Club staff provided Ernie with much-needed male role models. They also gave him the chance to compete in sports, helped him develop self-discipline – and convinced him to return to school. Stevens has served as councilman for the Oneida Nation and a leader for the National Congress of American Indians. He is now chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association and a respected Native American civil rights advocate who supports local Clubs.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

SAVE THE DATE: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor Open House


It's National Boys & Girls Club Week, April 15-21 and we're hosting an Open House and tour at each of the four locations listed below on Thursday April 19 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. We are rolling out the blue carpet and inviting the entire community to experience the magic that happens inside our doors.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angels Harbor create great futures by providing caring guidance and fun, engaging programs that encourage kids to do well in school, give back to their communities, and choose healthy lifestyles.
 
We hope you can participate in our event. We appreciate your consideration, and we look forward to seeing you soon at one of the following Clubs:

San Pedro: 1200 S Cabrillo Ave, San Pedro
Port: 100 W 5TH Street, San Pedro
Wilmington: 1444 "Q" Street, Wilmington
Dana Strand: 470 N. Hawaiian Ave, Wilmington

SAVE these Dates- Help us Celebrate
May 11: 75TH Anniversary ILWU/PMA Luncheon
June 5: College Bound Graduation at Warner Grand
July 26: 75TH Anniversary Annual Golf Tournament
October 5-8: 75TH Anniversary Alumni Weekend Celebration
November 16: 75TH Anniversary Bids for Kids
For more information contact our Development Department at (310) 833-1322 ext 230 or 242....

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

BGCLAH Teens & Mark Walhberg Shoot PSA for Tacobell


Taco Bell PSA Shoot Mark Wahlburg

On March 16th 2012, Jeremy Diaz, Jackelyn Dorado, Eric Chhea, Danielle Johnson, and Tabitha Sanchez were invited to participate in a public service announcement produced by the Taco Bell foundation for the Graduate to Go programs.

After a short ride to Hollywood, the teens were registered and pulled into the library where they were greeted by Sally George, a Graduate to Go representative. They then met the director of the production and were placed in the first scene for the PSA. The teens were later joined by Mona Dixon, the Boys & Girls Clubs National Youth of the Year, Mona will appear in the majority of the PSA alongside Mark Wahlberg.












In this library scene, the teens portray a video class in session as Mark Wahlberg shows Tabitha how to edit her video, Jeremy, Jackelyn, Chhea, and Ella work on their video projects in the background. The PSA will cover programs run by the Taco Bell foundation and this particular scene falls into the new Graduate to Go Studios section.



One great thing about a genuine production is the catering! Everyone involved in the shoot were well fed throughout the day.



Another great experience made possible by the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and the Taco Bell Graduate to Go studio program, we hope to be a part of many more projects in the near future!



-Alex Monita - San Pedro, Graduate to Go Studio Director



www.tacobellfoundationforteens.org