Mariah
Mariah is a senior attending St. Monica Catholic High School. Her first days at the Club coincided with her acceptance into a prestigious high school in Santa Monica, which differed greatly from the community where she grew up in Inglewood, CA. Raised as the only child of a single mother, Mariah grew accustomed to being independent and self-sufficient, but the transition to high school was especially difficult because she had a hard time fitting in. She looked forward to the end of the school day when she went to the Club, where everybody was on the same plane and opportunities were aplenty. Now, 4 years later, Mariah has become a recognized leader among her peers. An active member of multiple programs at the Club, Mariah aspires to graduate with a degree in International Relations and start her own non-profit for teenagers that need a place to fit in.
Gretchen
Gretchen is a senior attending Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy. In preparation for college, Gretchen’s commitment to excellence allowed her to start her senior year with a 3.8 cumulative GPA and apply to over 15 different colleges. As a student athlete, Vice-president of the Associated Student Body, and a community advocate, Gretchen’s 5 years at the Club lead her to realize her passion for community service. Her family’s military background also inspired her to major in International Relations. Gretchen hopes to join the Navy as a commissioned officer and one day open up a Boys & Girls Club Military Base Branch for kids whose families serve in the armed forces. These goals are a product of Gretchen’s turbulent past and promising future that continue to propel her life in the direction of service to those who need her most.
Julio
Julio is a Junior attending Santa Monica High School. Born in Mexico, Julio arrived in the United States as an only child at the age of 7. Now, Julio is an older brother and a Club member that leads by example. He attends the Pacific Branch, located inside of a Community Corp. building in Santa Monica. He enjoys volunteering his time at the Club, helping the staff and participating in the Leaders in Training program. Walk into the Club and you will not be surprised to find Julio in his black LIT shirt helping to lead Club activities or showing his competitive side playing table tennis. He aspires to be a graphic designer and lead people in his community to dream and share through art. Julio plans to attend a college for design to advance his skills and passion for drawing and sketching.
Evelyn
A senior at DaVinci Design Charter High School, Evelyn plans to attend San Diego State University and major in business. Evelyn grew up in a warm and loving 2-parent household, until her parents divorced when she was 5. Her father didn’t offer any financial support and her mother began working 10-hour days to take care of the family. That left Evelyn to take care of her little sister, – walking her to and from school, cooking, cleaning and helping with homework, not to mention doing her own. The Club was a place for Evelyn to be a kid! Through her participation in Smart Girls, Tech Club and Leaders in Training, Evelyn was able to get her first job at the Club when she was 15. Since then, she has taken on 2 jobs to help support her family while maintaining a high GPA average and participating in College Bound. Evelyn is a stand out Club kid, always willing to help, and be involved. She strives to be a role model for her younger sister and for all of the kids at the Club.