Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Los Angeles Times - December 7, 2003
Lynne Barnes, Times Staff Writer
"I was heading in a bad direction," said Molina, now 18. "I was doing pretty bad, hanging out with the wrong crowd, trying to impress my friends."
He was ready for a change, though, so the summer after his freshman year in high school he headed to the police storefront in Oxnard's Colonia barrio, looking for information on the Police Department's Explorer program for youths interested in law enforcement.
Instead, a volunteer steered Molina to Breakthrough Youth for Success. He gave it a try, and five years later he is glad he did.
"I stuck to the program, and it kept me busy, off the streets," he said recently as he took a break from his job as an intern for El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, which runs Breakthrough.
This year, the program received $15,000 from the Los Angeles Times Holiday Campaign, which raises money for nonprofit agencies in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Breakthrough focuses on building self-esteem and preventing violence and teenage pregnancy, said Yvonne Gutierrez, executive director of El Concilio, Ventura County's biggest Latino advocacy group.
The yearlong program serves more than 100 youths, ages 13 through 18. Although they don't have to come from the juvenile justice system, Gutierrez said, all face some type of barrier.
The 8-year-old program offers weekly sessions for the youths on topics that change monthly--including study skills, tolerance, drug awareness, communications, HIV/AIDS and college. There are also field trips, camp-outs, weekend activities, a newsletter put out by the teens and a mentor program that matches community members with youths.
B.B. Zamudio joined another El Concilio youth program when she was 17. Now, at 27, she runs Breakthrough.
One measure of the program's success, Zamudio said, is that the teens invite their friends, and many return themselves.
"We have kids here who are already on their fifth year," she said.
She tells of one student who entered with less than a .666 GPA--all Fs except for one A in English. "Her thing was truancy," Zamudio said. "She hated school."
With the encouragement of Breakthrough staff members, she made a commitment to attend school daily.
"One day she brought in another report card and she had all A's and one B," Zamudio said. "I was so proud of her." Now, Zamudio said, the girl is on track for college scholarships.
No one is forced to join the program, and there is a dropout rate of about 50%, Zamudio said. But some of the dropouts have good reasons for leaving, such as sports or a job. And that is fine.
"We encourage them to get life skills," Zamudio said.
The program, which costs about $160,000 a year, is also funded through the United Way and the state's Department of Health Services.
In addition to his paid internship, Molina is taking classes at both Oxnard and Ventura colleges and is enrolled in the Oxnard Police Department's Explorer Program. Someday he hopes to become a youth-services officer for the Oxnard Police Department.
But while he is working toward that goal, he is happy that he is getting the chance to help other teens through El Concilio's youth programs. And he knows it all started with the Breakthrough program.
"I'm glad that I took that chance," he said. "It totally changed my life."
*
HOW TO GIVE
The annual Holiday Campaign is part of the Los Angeles Times Family Fund, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, which this year will match the first $800,000 raised at 50 cents on the dollar.
Donations (checks or money orders) supporting the Holiday Campaign should be sent to: L.A. Times Holiday Campaign, File 56986, Los Angeles, CA 90074-6986.
Do not send cash. Credit card donations can be made on the Web site: http://www.latimes.com/holidaycampaign .
All donations are tax-deductible. Contributions of $50 or more may be published in The Times unless a donor requests otherwise; acknowledgment cannot be guaranteed. For more information, call (800) LATIMES, Ext. 75771.
031207
LT031203
Copyright © 2003 - Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Los Angeles Times, Permissions, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. http://www.latimes.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .