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Press Release
Jun 28 2010
Majestic Realty Foundation Honors At-Risk Students for Graduating from High School, Heading to College
In a ceremony that brought many audience members to tears, the Majestic Realty Foundation congratulated twenty-one inner-city students for graduating from high school this month despite their individual hardships. The graduates are all enrolled to attend college in the fall at various campuses, including University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica College, California State University, Northridge.
Many are the first in their family to earn a high school diploma and all plan to continue their education at a two-year or four-year college.
TRUE TO THEIR SCHOOLS—Students from the Los Angeles Youth Leadership Council (LAYLC), who come from youth centers in L.A.’s most at-risk communities, proudly display sweatshirts from the colleges they will attend in the fall. Many are the first in their family to earn a high school diploma. All received leadership training thanks to the LAYLC, an innovative program funded by the Majestic Realty Foundation.
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What the students have in common is their membership in the Los Angeles Youth Leadership Council, an informal coalition of six urban youth centers. As the flagship program of the Majestic Realty Foundation, the LAYLC provides leadership training, community service and college preparatory activities to enable young people to be active and engaged members of society.
“Throughout their membership in the LAYLC, these students learned to dream big,” said Fran Inman, president of the Majestic Realty Foundation. “The supportive peer culture that flourishes within the LAYLC helped them to reach their goals. With the encouragement of their families, their neighborhood youth centers, their mentors, and their friends, they achieved a milestone so many of their peers don’t – a high school diploma. Furthermore, they are all committed to pursuing higher education. They are a true L.A. success story.”
The LAYLC recent graduation dinner was held June 14 at the Salvation Army Los Angeles Red Shield Youth & Community Center. Again in 2010, all of the LAYLC seniors graduated.
2010 Graduates honored were:
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First
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Last
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Youth Center
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High School
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College
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Jennifer
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Lemus
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Bresee Foundation Community Center
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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East Los Angeles College
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Norma
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Melchor
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Bresee Foundation Community Center
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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East Los Angeles College
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Danny
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Perez
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Bresee Foundation Community Center
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Los Angeles Trade Tech
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Miguel
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Baez
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Cal State Dominguez Hills
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Ibrahim
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Bah
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Marietta College
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Edward
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Banks
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Humboldt State University
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Elvis
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Figueroa
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Santa Monica College
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Esther
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Park
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Belmont High School
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UCLA
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Ruben
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Ramirez
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
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Santa Monica College
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Benjamin
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Ryoo
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
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Van Nuys High School
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Santa Monica College
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Eunice
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Vasquez
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) / Salvation Army
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Sacred Heart High School
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Cal State Northridge
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Cristina
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Vasquez
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Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)/Salvation Army
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Sacred Heart High School
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Cal State Northridge
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Estefania
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Calderon
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Para Los Ninos
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Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School
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Los Angeles Trade Tech
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Juan
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Flores
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Para Los Ninos
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Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School
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University of California, Santa Cruz
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Marlene
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Guerrero
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Para Los Ninos
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Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School
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Cal State East Bay
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Irais
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Lamas
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Para Los Ninos
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Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School
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University of San Francisco
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Krystal
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Navarro
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Para Los Ninos
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Santee Education Complex
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El Camino College
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Jennifer
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Rodriguez
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Para Los Ninos
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Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School
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Santa Monica College
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Juan
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Vasquez
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Para Los Ninos
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Oscar de la Hoya Animo Charter High School
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Humboldt State University
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Ashley
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Barra
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Salvation Army Red Shield Youth & Community Center
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Sacred Heart High School
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Mount St. Mary's College
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Ruben
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Garcia, Jr.
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Salvation Army Red Shield Youth & Community Center
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Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School
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California College of Music / Santa Monica College
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Seven LAYLC Alumni returned to congratulate and encourage their younger peers. Christian Portillo, set to enter his senior year at the University of California, Santa Cruz echoed Mr. Conway’s message about the importance of discovering a personal passion and preparation, “Now that I am approaching the end of my time at UC Santa Cruz, I am spending time researching the best graduate schools. It is so important to learn about all the options and gather information to help make good choices. Other guests included Los Angeles Deputy City Controller Ben Golombek and Mario Fedelin, Program Director, City Year Los Angeles.
At the event, the youth center executive directors and community leaders joined the students and their youth center leaders in a rousing game of College Bingo, testing their knowledge of college mascots and other campus trivia. The guests also enjoyed a photo slideshow honoring each of the graduates and celebrating the events and accomplishments of the LAYLC throughout the past year.
California Assembly Speaker John Perez’s office prepared certificates of recognition for each graduate. Each graduate also received a college sweatshirt for their intended school and a $50 gift card to Target for the purchase of school and dorm supplies.
Founded and sponsored by the Majestic Realty Foundation, the LAYLC brings together 80 students annually from six urban youth centers in Los Angeles. The Majestic Realty Foundation strongly believes that youth centers have the power to curb youth violence, develop strong leaders and create safe communities.
The LAYLC offers its young members the chance to take part in college tours and visits from high-profile guest speakers, such as public officials, business leaders and other decision makers. In turn, students receive leadership training, including pointers on public speaking, economic literacy and civic affairs. The students are then encouraged to become active in their communities.
"Through the LAYLC, we like to say that we are investing in tomorrow's leaders today. We are hoping to help create a future generation that is active in the community," Inman said. "We want these students to know that their voices matter and that the issues that concern them concern us all."
Established in 2002, the Majestic Foundation provides grants and other support to various charitable community partners that work the areas of youth, family, education, health and violence prevention in the communities where Majestic Realty Co., one of the nation's leading private commercial real estate developers, does business.
Fran Inman
President, Majestic Realty Foundation
562-948-4375
finman@majesticrealty.com
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