Escrito por Christina Mendoza
(Boyle Heights, California) — The Salesian Family Youth Center continues to empower local youth through leadership, service, education, and community-building initiatives, highlighted in its April programs focused on environmental stewardship, student achievement, sports, arts, and volunteerism.
Spreading Kindness in Our Community
We are grateful to the Boys & Girls Club for inviting our youth to participate in their Kindness Summit. Throughout the event, our youth learned how small acts of kindness can create a meaningful ripple effect in their communities and everyday lives. To make the day even more special, three of our youth won raffle prizes, adding to the excitement and creating lasting memories for everyone involved.
April Star Student
Congratulations to Janaeh for being named our Star Student of the Month! She recently received a Citizenship Award through her school while continuing to maintain excellent grades. Janaeh is also an active member of our Youth Center, participating in basketball, softball, and soccer. We are incredibly proud of her hard work, leadership, and positive attitude. This recognition is truly well deserved for an all-around outstanding student and role model in our community!
Girl Scouts Earn Entrepreneur Badges
This month, our Girl Scouts proudly earned their Entrepreneur badges! The girls designed and created handmade trinkets, learning important skills such as pricing, profit, and how to run a small business. They then sold their products to help fundraise for their upcoming camping trip. Through this experience, the troop demonstrated creativity, teamwork, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Building Community Through Sports
Our Youth Ministry continues to create meaningful sports experiences that bring young people together. This weekend, 25 youth participated in a soccer tournament at Club Don Bosco, while students from Bravo High School and other local youth joined our Open Gym for volleyball. Beyond the games, these experiences encourage young people to step outside their comfort zones, grow in confidence, and build a strong sense of belonging and community.
We Care Program Comes Together to Clean Up
Together with Vision y Compromiso, our We Care students from St. Isabel School came together to help clean up the area surrounding the Youth Center. Their hard work created a cleaner and more welcoming space for community members walking by while also helping keep our building looking beautiful. Most importantly, the students took initiative and showed pride in caring for both their community and a place that is special to them.
Celebrating Earth Day Through Leadership
In honor of Earth Day, our leadership theme for April focused on caring for and protecting our environment. Students attended Ascot Hills Park Annual Kite Festival, where they learned about local wildlife and native plants within our community.
With support from KYCC and City Plants, we received California poppy seeds, native plants, and shade trees to help begin our community garden project. To celebrate Earth Day, students also participated in a Garden Revitalizing Day, where they planted greenery, repotted plants, and helped beautify the space. These hands-on experiences encouraged teamwork, leadership, and environmental stewardship while creating something meaningful for our community.
Creativity in Bloom at We Care
Students in the We Care After School Program had a great time during April’s arts and crafts activity, creating colorful flowers using pipe cleaners and sporks. The students enjoyed expressing their creativity while making beautiful handmade gifts for their loved ones.
Bravo Podcast Club Finds Their Voice
Our Bravo Podcast Club has been hard at work developing their skills and preparing to create engaging, high-quality episodes. Students have been learning the fundamentals of podcasting, including setting up equipment, using the sound system, and managing recordings. Through consistent practice, they are also building confidence in leading meaningful conversations and creating a space where their voices and ideas can truly shine.
Caring for Our Common Home: A Salesian Youth Reflection
Young people gathered at the Salesian Youth Group to reflect on caring for our common home. Inspired by Salesian spirituality, they embraced this shared mission, committing to simple actions that build unity, responsibility, and hope for a better future.
Earth Day Arts & Crafts Celebration
Students from Roosevelt High School participated in a special Earth Day lunch event through the SHOUT After-School Program. During the celebration, the SHOUT Art Club created colorful flowers using pipe cleaners, bringing creativity and fun to the event. Students also received Earth Day-themed giveaways while learning about the importance of protecting and caring for our environment. The event served as a meaningful reminder of how everyone can play a role in supporting our planet.
Community Clean-Up on S. Boyle Ave
On April 25, youth from the Salesian Family Youth Center, St. Mary Parish, and St. Isabel School joined community partners including LASAN, Caltrans, Hollenbeck Palms, Promesa Boyle Heights, Skid Row Running Club, Alma Family Services, and Neighborhood Watch to help clean S. Boyle Ave.
Special thanks to Susana Betancourt for her leadership and coordination in making this impactful community effort possible.
Robotics Team Advances at Second Competition
The Robotics Team from Roosevelt High School recently participated in their second competition, where they performed well and gained valuable hands-on experience. The event helped students strengthen their technical skills, improve teamwork, and build confidence as they prepare for future challenges. The team also shared their gratitude for being part of the SHOUT After-School Program, which continues to provide strong support and meaningful opportunities for their growth and success.
From Vision to Leadership: Angela’s Impact
Angela, once a youth participant, has returned as a leader—now guiding 50 high school students in meaningful service. Her journey from idea to execution reflects growth, ownership, and purpose in action. It has been a privilege to accompany her process and witness her leadership take shape. This is youth empowerment in action: forming leaders who return to serve, uplift, and inspire others.
Summer is Here: Now Accepting Summer Camp Applications!
Our summer camp is now accepting applications for campers! We offer a variety of daily activities and exciting field trips designed to keep youth engaged, active, and having fun all summer long. Camp runs from June 15th through July 31st with extended care making our hours 7:30am-6:00pm. Perfect for any schedule!
For more information, please contact us at cmendoza@salesianclubs-la.org.
Thank you for your continued support in making these programs possible. If you would like to visit our youth center or donate materials you think we could use, please feel free to visit us at salesianclubs-la.org or call us at (323) 980-8551.