SCMP Goes for a Dip in the Pool!

On Saturday, August 28th, Second Chances mentor Jennifer Moran graciously hosted this month's group outing at her condominium complex's clubhouse and pool! Mentors and mentees came armed with swimsuits, potluck dishes, and plenty of energy.

While most of the day was spent making cannonballs, playing tag variations, and teaching mentees how to properly float in the water, we made plenty of time to eat a lot of great food, dabble in some arts and crafts, and decorate some delicious cupcakes!

Thanks so much to our mentor, Jenn, for making this without a doubt one of our favorite outings yet!

Tavis Smiley and Second Chances Beautify New Designs!

On August 22nd, 2010, approximately 150 students, ages 13-18, representing the Tavis Smiley Foundation's Youth to Leaders program worked in partnership with Foundation for Second Chances to continue the agency's efforts to transform the campus of New Designs Charter School.

These students, hailing from all over the U.S., experienced a week-long Leadership Institute at the UCLA campus in order to empower them with essential skills to become effective leaders in impacting community change. After a series of workshops and exercises, this group of dynamic teens put theory into practice when they arrived at New Designs Charter School in downtown Los Angeles.

Students cycled through three stations, including planting a flower garden and rolling out new grass, reviving a dull hallway with beautiful new colors, and creating art in a poetry workshop led by spoken word artist Andre Ruiz. Some students were (literally) getting their hands dirty for the first time, but all were inspired to put ideas into action and make visions into reality.

Foundation for Second Chances is grateful to the Tavis Smiley Foundation for the opportunity to work with such a talented and passionate group of youth in serving the South Los Angeles community. We also extend our greatest thanks for the Tavis Smiley Foundation's sponsorship of one of Second Chances' own students in attending the leadership conference.

Below, find a selection of pictures from the day's activities! You can view the full gallery of the beautification project HERE and pictures from all aspects of the Institute HERE.

Mentor Mash Up at La Cienega Park!

It was a beautiful Saturday morning on July 31st at La Cienega Park in Beverly Hills, where Second Chances Mentoring Program launched its second round of 2010! From the Name Game to the Final Relay Race, teams got to know one another and work together in order to send their Mummies through the finish line, morph themselves into Rocks and Caterpillars, tie balloons in a line with one hand, and share a piece of themselves while munching on M&M's.

SCMP Kick Off Highlights








Hall of Fame

Mentors and mentees will meet one last time before finally being matched! We can't wait to see all of you at Chuck E. Cheese next Saturday, August 14th for our Speed Mentoring event!