A group of community members are working together to launch a
nonprofit called Standing in the Gap, which will allow them to
build what organizers are calling a
”
student success center
”
for teens ages 14-18.
A group of community members are working together to launch a nonprofit called Standing in the Gap, which will allow them to build what organizers are calling a “student success center” for teens ages 14-18. The idea of the nonprofit is to create a space where teens can go to work on their homework, interact with a mentor and increase their job skills while also increasing their confidence.
Martin Leon, the owner of Communications Unlimited, said he called up Mike Sanchez, the San Benito County superintendent of schools, more than a year ago to talk about ways to get involved.
“He gave me some insight,” Leon said. “Parents only know what they were brought up with” so it can be hard to break cycles within a family.
With the help of other community members, and nonprofit organizers from other cities, Leon has applied for a grant for Standing in the Gap that they should hear about in the coming weeks. They also have the Charity Golf Classic Aug. 28, which will benefit Standing in the Gap, Compassion Pregnancy and Emmaus House.
“We are in the grassroots of starting Standing in the Gap,” said Cynthia Smith, a manager at Communications Unlimited, who has been working closely on the project since moving to Hollister at the beginning of the year.
The first phase of the project, when funding is sought, will be to open the youth success center with at least 10 computer stations.
“We want to have a place for the kids who don’t have access,” Leon said. “We want to provide programs. There are only so many computers available at the high school and at the library.”
Smith said the ultimate goal is to have a business center on site as well, that would have fax and copy machines for the teens to use when preparing for job interviews.
See the complete story in the Friday edition of The Weekend Pinnacle, which will post online Friday evening at www.pinnaclenews.com
