PS I Love You Foundation's 11th Annual Day at the Beach!

On Saturday, July 23rd, Second Chances Mentoring Program attended PS I Love You Foundation's 11th Annual Day at the Beach! This special mentoring event was a blast for our mentors and mentees to attend, and is so grateful for being able to participate for its third year in a row.

Children received free beach gear (including boogie boards!), toys, and a pizza-and-ice cream lunch! Free surf lessons, face painting, game booths, and--of course--the most epic of relay races were among the activities for the day. Our group did it all and then some, burying each other in the sand, playing in the water, and catching some rays on a beautiful day in Manhattan Beach.

We already can't wait until next year's Day at the Beach! Special thanks to Patricia Jones for putting on such an awesome program for at-risk youth in Los Angeles.

FFSC Mentoring Launches Its Second Round!

Over 40 youth and volunteers gathered at New Designs Charter School on Saturday, June 11th for Second Chances Mentoring Program's second round of mentorship this year! Despite a gloomy morning, eventually the sun came out and teams of mentors and mentees engaged in a little healthy competition.

From he 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 with one hand, and share pieces of themselves while munching on M&M's. Check out some of the action below!

2011 Round 2 Mentor Mash Up!

Second Chances Kick Off Hall of Fame!

Destiny, Natalie, Marilyn, Nala, Vanessa, Kubrat, & Mindy

Karim, Sinque, Chad, Drew, & Jesse

Isaiah, Eddy, Davontre, Richard, Benjamin, Maurice, & Jeremiah

Essence, Kelly, Dayjah, Tanisha, Katherine, Beth, Caroline, & Princess

Breana, Danielle, Claudia, Brenda, Crystal, & Ashley

We can't wait to see everyone again at Chuck E. Cheese on the 25th for our 3 rounds of Speed Mentoring!

SCMP Gives Back to the Community

On Saturday May 21, Second Chances Mentoring Program provided an opportunity for mentors and mentees to engage in community service together, imparting the importance of civic engagement and leadership to our youth. In collaboration with the Dream Center, a non-profit outreach committed to helping inner cities, mentoring couples volunteered for the day in the housing projects.

Delivering food, cleaning up the grounds, taking requests from residents, and spending time playing with the neighborhood kids were just some of the ways our youth were able to give back to our community alongside their mentors. Being able to see the effect that they can have on others made this a particularly memorable and impacting group outing; some of our mentoring couples even intend to return to the Dream Center on their own.

Second Chances is grateful for the opportunity volunteer with the Dream Center, and continues to encourage and support all of its mentoring couples to give back to the community in any small way they can, from picking up trash on the beach to volunteering at a local animal shelter, every effort counts!

FFSC Mentoring Does Discovery Scuba with Eco Dive Center!

Myesha and Ana Give the "OK"!

On Saturday April 30, 2011, Eco Dive Center sponsored the Second Chances Mentoring Program for its Discovery Scuba program! Seven of our mentoring couples had the incredible opportunity to participate in a 1-hour pool session that introduced them to scuba diving. Mentees geared up, buddied up with their mentors, and learned how to breathe through a regulator, clear their mask underwater, and swim through a hula hoop! 

Check out some of the action below:

Reviewing Gear at the Surface with Beth

 

Finding Just the Right Fit

Ny'Breya & Sara,  All Geared Up

Preparing to Descend!

 

Jonathan & Daniel Wave Hello!

  

Mentee Anotnio Swims Straight Through the Middle!

Foundation for Second Chances is incredibly grateful to Eco Dive Center for such an amazing day! Our youth don't get much exposure to life outside their homes and schools, and Eco Dive Center definitely went above and beyond in providing a unique experience for our youth that also helped them build trust, gain confidence, and expand their worldview.

Special thanks goes to Beth Beltramo, co-owner of Eco Dive Center and our fabulous instructor for the day! Thanks also go out to Carlos Linares for snapping the underwater photos of our group :o)

2010's Round 1 Mentors Celebrate One Year with their Mentees!

On Saturday, May 7, Second Chances Mentoring Program held a Closure Celebration for mentoring couples who recently reached the end of their year together. Lots of laughs were shared during our Mentorship Pictionary & Charades, and lots of great Mexican food was enjoyed! At the heart of the event, mentors and mentees reflected on their year in SCMP by creating and sharing art projects featuring photographs, hand-drawn pictures of their favorite outing, and wishes for their new friend.

Cory shares with Jesse how much he appreciates his friendship

Joe and Francisco

Sheryl stands to share with her mentee Savannah

Jorge and Carlos

While mentors from this round completed their first year, over 70% are continuing on in their mentoring relationships for a second year with Second Chances. It has been an incredible year for all of our mentors and mentees, and we are so grateful for our mentors' time and talents and so proud of the tremendous growth in our youth! Without our incredible volunteers, SCMP would simply not exist, so to you we are always indebted. Thank you.

Joe Weiner & Francisco

Juan Dotson & Seth

Laura Kratochvil & Rachel

Stephanie Kwong & Stephanie

Chad Bowman & Jaireese

Laura Krank & Psalms

Rudy Flores & Antonio

Valerie Esquivel & Mercedes

Caitlyn Brisbin & Valerie

Laura Petry & Taylor

Sheryl Marx & Savannah

Cory Livingston & Jesse

Patrick Bliesener & Brandon

Jorge Alanso & Carlos

Jennifer Thompson & Michelle

Matt Trandall & Eli

Jennifer Moran & Salimah

Much thanks also goes to the Cheviot Hills Park Recreation Center for hosting our organization for this incredible event for our mentoring couples!

SCMP Hits the Trail!

On Saturday, March 26, Second Chances hosted its monthly group outing as a hike at Eaton Canyon in Pasadena! After a week of heavy rainfall, the usually mild creek crossings became more akin to rivers, but mentors and mentees worked together in order to make it across.

While conditions didn't permit us to make it all the way to the waterfall, we had a great (and certainly memorable!) time even though there wasn't a dry foot in the bunch by the time we returned to our starting point. Check out some of the action below!

Thanks so much to all of those who came out to brave the elements; we can't wait to see you again next month!