The start of a new school year is always full of excitement and opportunity. For us, it’s also a chance to celebrate the ways our youth, families, mentors, and community partners come together to make sure every child is ready to succeed.

We kicked things off with Level Up, a back-to-school celebration that brought youth, families, and mentors together for a day of fun, goal-setting, and encouragement. From making friendship bracelets to sharing hopes for the year ahead, youth left feeling energized and supported. The day ended with a joyful career dress-up parade, where every child had the chance to strut their stuff as who they want to be when they grow up.

For our Community Care Day, our staff spent a day volunteering at the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, sorting school supplies for their backpack giveaway. Just as our mentors model kindness and generosity for youth, we know it’s important for us as an organization to embody those same values in our community. That same spirit of generosity is what we want our youth to experience in their own lives.

Finally, thanks to the incredible generosity of Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, the City of Coachella, Olive Crest, and Brian Jackson and his team at Palm Springs Unified School District, every child in our program started school with the supplies they need. Backpacks, notebooks, pencils, and more may seem small, but they make a world of difference in ensuring youth can focus on learning and growing without added stress for their families.

Back-to-school season is about more than supplies. It’s about building resilience, strengthening families, and ensuring that every child knows their community believes in them. With mentors by their side and families supported, our youth are stepping into the year prepared, confident, and ready to thrive.