College Bound Graduates, The Journey Continues

After fours years of high school, we said thank you and congratulations to our College Bound graduating seniors at the College Bound Celebration on May 29 at the Warner Grand Theatre.

Argelia Atilano addresses our graduating seniors.

For many of the students, going to college seems like a very difficult dream to accomplish. The rising cost of tuition, strict application requirements and distractions students face in high school push that dream further away. However, when students enter our College Bound centers at our San Pedro, Wilmington and Port of LA Clubs, they are provided with the resources and support they need to accomplish their dreams.

College Bound Celebration keynote speaker, Argelia Atilano of KLove Radio and Univision TV, has roots in our local community. She told attendees of seeing a young girl standing outside of an apartment building on Pacific Avenue in San Pedro near the apartment where she once lived. In that girl, Argelia said that she saw, "Argelia the dreamer," who had no idea that she would one day be awarded a scholarship to Loyola Marymount University and develop a successful career as a radio and TV personality. It was a great reminder to our youth of how far they have come and all they will soon accomplish.

Cathy Choi of the Eisner Foundation receives an

artistic token of appreciation from our youth.

Executive Director Mike Lansing started the College Bound program in 2002 and has watched it grow into the program it is today, with over 300 high school seniors being honored at this year's celebration. When addressing our graduating youth, he reminded them to "work harder and work smarter," as they enter the next stage of their lives.

Congratulations College Bound graduates, class of 2014!

College Bound volunteer Kathy Logan (far right) is honored by

Mike Lansing, Board President Yvonne Bogdanovich and
College Bound Director Yesenia Aguilar.

The College Bound Celebration also gives us the opportunity to thank supporters of the program. The Eisner Foundation which has provided funds essential to the expansion of College Bound through the years was given special recognition during the celebration. College Bound volunteer Kathy Logan was also honored for her dedication to our youth.

Thanks to our generous supporters, during the celebration we awarded $122,000 in scholarships to 46 graduating seniors making a significant impact in the lives of our graduates. Scholarships were donated by:

Charles Abbott Family Foundation

College Access Foundation

College Bound Alumni

Herb and Arlene Zimmer

Joe Rich Family Foundation

John Gogian Family Foundation

Palos Verdes Junior Women's Club

Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary Club 

San Pedro Rotary Club

Board member, Suzy Zimmerman of State Farm

Board member Suzy Zimmerman presented her own scholarship as well as scholarships from the 

Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary where she serves as president.

San Pedro Rotary incoming president Arlene Dickey presents a scholarship.

College Bound Director Yesenia Aguilar with one of our scholarship recipients.

Herb and Arlene Zimmer present their scholarship.

For the first time, two of our College Bound alumni raised funds for a scholarship. Christian Velasquez, currently attending LMU, and David Rosales, currently attending CSU Stanislaus, with their scholarship recipient.

PVG Group 4th Annual Bike Giveaway

Last month, Board member Alan Goldstein as well as Cengiz Volkan and Larry Prutch of the PVG Group, a wealth management advisory team based in Rolling Hills Estates, held their 4th annual bike giveaway event. They teamed up with Jay Wolff of Helen’s Cycles and Michael Shafer of The Depot Restaurant in Torrance to give new bicycles to 100 Boys & Girls Club youth.

The lucky youth from San Pedro, Wilmington and Carson who received new bikes participated in an essay competition hosted by our organization. Essay judges read works by children wanting to learn how to ride a bike, teens anticipating taking a bike to college and many youth hoping for a bike that would help their families with limited transportation options.

Former Los Angeles Lakers star, Rick Fox attended and shared what he told his son when he taught him how to ride a bike. “As long as you get up and try again, your journey continues.”

Actor Anthony LaPaglia was also in attendance and shared that, of the winning essays he read, his favorite was by a child hoping for a bicycle to help his family with chores and errands.

Executive Director Mike Lansing thanked the PVG Foundation for their generosity and explained that the Boys & Girls Club was selected for this opportunity because of its impact. He reminded the children that the programs offered at the Club help them mature into responsible, productive citizens so that they can one day take care of their communities.

Bicycles were handed out by members of the Torrance Fire Department and Torrance Police Department who taught some of the children how to safely ride and bike.

World Cup Championships at the Boys & Girls Club

Head Coach Thomas McKenzie with minor league all-star players.

The World Cup is in full swing in Brazil, but our Wilmington Club World Cup tournament just ended with a celebration for our athletes. This past season, our Wilmington Club soccer league program took inspiration from the World Cup for the biddy (ages 7 - 9) and minor (ages 10 - 13) leagues.

Over 100 young athletes participated and were assigned into different national teams. Greece won the biddy division and Holland won the minor division. On June 14, players and their families celebrated at an awards banquet where parent volunteers served lunch and all of our athletes received a trophy.

ILWU / PMA Luncheon 2014

Mike Lansing with ILWU Local 13 President Robert Olvera Jr. 

Our San Pedro Boys & Girls Club alumni, Harbor Commissioner

Anthony Pirozzi and Councilman Joe Buscaino.

On June 6, we held our 9th Annual ILWU / PMA Luncheon at our Port of LA Boys & Girls Club. Amidst current high-stakes contract negotiations between the two organizations, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) once again came together to break bread and raise funds for Los Angeles Harbor youth.

Our Arts Academy jazz band entertained guests in the lobby which had been turned into a fine arts gallery, showcasing some of our students' best work from the previous semester. The band from Harry Bridges Span School opened the luncheon for over 350 attendees. The band practices after school in our Club programming at that site thanks to a grant and brand new instruments from the ILWU Local 13.

Harbor Commissioner Anthony Pirozzi served as guest speaker and addressed the attendees about the importance of supporting Club youth. He reminded them that, "together we are their inspiration," and that the purpose of the luncheon is to, "take our kids to an even greater level than our own."

Executive Director Mike Lansing thanked the unions and the shippers for coming together every year and raising funds that allow the Club to serve even more community youth. "We need to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," he said in closing.

Thanks to our in-kind sponsors for serving up a delicious feast for our guests - Mike's BBQ and Ports O'Call Restaurant.

Mike Lansing presenting PMA Area Manager Ron Merical with a

token of appreciation from our youth. All sponsors of the

luncheon received a work of art from our Arts Academy.

Our Arts Academy jazz band entertaining the guests in our fine arts gallery.

Harry Bridges Span School Boys & Girls Club band.

Wilmington Club Teens Celebrate Mother's Day

Alma de Oro Ballet Folklorico of Carson which some of our younger

Club members are part of, performed at our Mother's Day Celebration.

We often have celebrations at our Clubs to honor the accomplishments of our youth, but it's a very special day when our youth honor the people who support them. On May 9, our Wilmington Club High School Center members, part of the Keystone leadership group, held their annual Mother's Day Celebration. They raised funds to host a special banquet and live show for their families including entertainment by Mariachi Mendez and Alma de Oro Ballet Folklorico.

Our Wilmington teens decided to extend Cinco de Mayo festivities with a "Fiesta" theme for this year's Mother's Day Celebration which 150 attended. When the live mariachi performers surprised the families midway through dinner, youth members approached their mothers with a rose to express their love and appreciation. Some youth, whose mothers could not attend, honored a mentor, friend or one of the staff members at our Club, like Director Hilda Chacon, who has made a difference in their lives.

One of our Wilmington Club teens presents her mother with a rose.

Our teens arranged for Mariachi Mendez to surprise their families midway through dinner.

Partner Spotlight - ILWU

From union executives to workers, all ILWU members help in developing our community for the next generation.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor has had a long standing partnership with the ILWU. Many union members who have grown up in the Harbor area attended our Club through the years and send their children to participate in enrichment programming in the same nurturing environment that they experienced. Together, our organizations work for a brighter future in the harbor area for our youth.

One such collaboration took place recently with the newest addition to our Club sites, Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington with a very generous grant from the ILWU. We coordinate after school programming at 11 school sites in San Pedro, Wilmington and Lomita and we are proud to add one of the newest schools in the Heart of the Harbor to that list. Our free programs for youth at Harry Bridges Span School, including music education, cheer team, drill team and College Bound, are made possible thanks to the ILWU.

ILWU and PMA leaders receive art work created by our youth at the 2013 ILWU / PMA Luncheon.

Palos Verdes Young Professionals Exposing our College Bound Teens to Career Paths

Every year, the Palos Verdes Young Professionals of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce select a Nonprofit of the Year from Chamber members. This year, we have the honor of being that nonprofit organization.

As their first project for our Clubs, the PVYP coordinated a career fair for our high school students at the Wilmington Boys & Girls Club on May 8 with close to 100 high school students attending.

Often when youth attend career fairs, they tend to gravitate toward just one industry without learning about the opportunities in a different field. The PVYP Committee planned for the event to expose youth to several different career paths. They recruited volunteers for a multi-panel event where high school students attended three panel sessions representing different industries. 

College Bound students at the Wilmington and San Pedro Clubs prepared with career assessment tests to alert them to different industries they should be exploring. The whole experience really opened our high school members' eyes to different career and educational opportunities as they enter the next stage of their lives.

Special thanks to our PVYP volunteers who helped the event run smoothly and volunteer panelists who shared their experiences in the fields of Business, Engineering, Health & Wellness, Hospitality, Entertainment and Film Production.

Jordan Baronfeld, Miyako Hybrid Hotel

College Bound youth speaking with an Engineering panelist

during the mixer of our PVYP Career Fair.

Deena Knight, Daily Breeze
Mark J. Doddy, RPVtv
Mike Merell, Disney/Pixar
Sinisa Straser, GlenAir
Deep Patel, GigaWatt
Robert Castellanos, Nano H2O
George Walker, Vistage
Lauren Spiglanin, The Remedy Pharm
Dr. Dave Pommerenck, Pommerenck Chiropractic


*Photos courtesy of PVYP.

PVYP Committee, PVYP volunteers and BGCLAH staff celebrating their collaboration for our youth.