Verbum Dei High School – Charity Matters

Charity Matters Inspiration October 19, 2016

When two worlds collide

Don’t you love it when your worlds collide? As many of you know I have been a passionate supporter at an all boys school in Watts, called Verbum Dei, also referred to as “The Verb.” The Verb is a school where young men come from poverty, are given a white-collar job one day a week and attend school the remaining four days. One hundred percent of these amazing young men are accepted to four-year colleges.

Another school, that I am a passionate supporter of is Texas Christian University, also known as TCU. A school that has incredible connection culture and a spirit of kindness. The other day, it was brought to my attention that one of our Verb boys is at TCU playing football as a Quarter back, his name is Caylin Moore.

Caylin was raised in poverty by a loving single mother. He went to Verbum Dei High School, where he was a star student and athlete. This past week he was recognized for his community service work as the founder of SPARK, which stands for Strong Players Are Reaching Kids. A TCU Student organization whose mission is to, “Inspire the youth to rise above their circumstances, build bridges to success and ultimately spark a change in their communities.”

Caylin and his fellow TCU athletes are traveling around the Fort Worth community inspiring children to reach for their dreams, regardless of where they are starting. Caylin uses his own story to encourage others. As he said, “I’ve seen how important education is and how it can change a life.”

One amazing young man and two incredible institutions collide to create a SPARK of goodness for so many.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 1, 2015

Commitment Day

What is commitment day? It is one of the most important days in Watts all year. Commitment day is the day that the boys from Verbum Dei High School stand in front of their community and tell everyone where they will be attending college in the fall.

This might not seem like a big deal to many, but for these boys of South Central Los Angeles, this is a game changer. A moment that will alter their life course forever. These young men live in one of the most dangerous, poor and crime ridden neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Yet, 100% will be leaving because they are going to college, against all odds.

What makes their journey more unique than any other high school student? The obstacles that these young men must overcome are simply staggering. First, they must apply (if their parents allow them to or understand) to this amazing boy’s school and be accepted. Often times they are behind academically and students must catch up quickly. While other boys in these neighborhoods are joining gangs, the boys of Verbum Dei are putting on dress shirts and ties.

In addition to overcoming poverty, family issues, grades and gang pressures these young men are trained to work in corporate America. One day a week they board a van to their job where they work to help subsidize their education and more importantly see who they can become. After four years of studying, working, doing sports and becoming “Men for Others” these young men are proud to tell their family and friends that they are heading to a place most have never been, college.

Today is Commitment Day at Verbum Dei. These men will announce to their families, peers and school that they are on their way to schools such as Georgetown, USC and a host of others, all sharing bright future ahead.

The teachers, staff, parents and corporate sponsors have made commitments to these young men and now these young men are committing to the world that they are leaving the life they know and heading to incredible futures full of promise. This is Commitment day.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes January 30, 2015

Charity Matters Quotes: Evolution

“WHEN WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CHANGE A SITUATION, WE ARE CHALLENGED TO CHANGE OURSELVES.”

VIKTOR E FRANKL

The beauty of writing is each week, is that I try to pour my life experiences into a theme, something I’m not sure I would do without you here. As the week began with the movie Wild and the theme of loss, grief and taking on your fears, I realized that evolution was definitely this week’s theme.

The young men from Watts stood in my living room, this past weekend telling their stories of going from the streets of gang ridden Los Angeles into corporate America and then onto 4 year colleges, I realized their struggles originated from the same place….a place where they had no control of their situation. A similar theme from the movie Wild, which dealt with the loss of a parent. Neither had control, however, both had a choice.

It is only when the challenge becomes internal rather than external that the growth, change and evolution occurs. As Victor Frankl so beautifully said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Charity Matters.

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Education January 28, 2015

Cristo Rey

Last weekend I hosted an event for a board I am on and a cause that is near and dear to me. The cause is Verbum Dei High School which is a part of an incredible network of schools that is transforming urban America and our inner cities.

A few years ago I had the good fortune to have lunch the founder of Cristo Rey, Father John Foley. He is an amazing man and his story is remarkable and definitely worth re-telling.

In 1995, Father Foley was living in Peru working with the poor when he was asked to return home to Chicago by his Jesuit Provincial. The Provincial wanted Father Foley to use his 34 years experience educating the poor in Peru to help educate the underprivileged Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago. Their request was to create a college prep high school and the challenge was how and with what funds?

Not to be stopped by something like money, Father Foley met with an “out of the box guy” where they brainstormed solutions to what seemed like an impossible challenge. The result was simple and brilliant. The students would work one day a week in an entry-level job at a company that would basically underwrite their tuition costs.

After going door to door visiting old students and friends and asking them to sponsor a student with a job. Father Foley told me, ” I had more jobs than students and thought, I think this just might work.” The following year he opened the first Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.

In fact, the Corporate Work Study Program worked so well, that in 2001 Father Foley was approached by groups in Portland, Denver and Los Angeles about taking his business model and duplicating it in other disadvantaged communities across the country. The result was the creation of the Cristo Rey Network of Schools, which became a non-profit in 2003.

Father Foley’s mission has now educated over 7,400 students in 25 schools with 100% of the students going to college. Today, after seeing these amazing results of what a job and an education can do for a student, foundations and corporations are getting behind The Cristo Rey Network in the hopes of doubling their efforts with an additional 25 schools.

Did Father Foley ever dream that this brilliantly simple idea would positively impact thousands of students? His response, “No, I just did what I was asked to do.”

Charity Matters.

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Education May 5, 2014

The Verb

Last friday was Commitment Day at Verbum Dei High School in Watts. It is one of the most magical days of the year in South Central Los Angeles. It is a day of pride, accomplishment , celebration and pure joy. These young men, from one of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, beat the odds of most in their environment. They will not be going into gangs or to prison but rather 100% of these students will be going to college in the fall.

These young men come from poverty, they are often a behind national averages in school when they arrive at The Verb. In addition to overcoming poverty, family issues, grades and gang pressures these students are trained to work in corporate America. One day a week they board a van to their job, where they work to help subsidize their education and more importantly see who they can become. After four years of studying, working, doing sports and becoming “Men for Others” these students are proud to tell their family and friends that they are heading to a place most have never been, college.

Last friday as I watched the boy’s pride in themselves and in each other, as they announced where they would be going to college, tears streamed down my face with joy . Verbum Dei Class of 2014 students will be attending schools such as Stanford, Georgetown, UC Berkeley, USC, UCLA, and Cal States to name a few.

The Commitment and the day was theirs but the joy and pride belonged to all.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration August 9, 2013

The Cycle of Goodness

Have you ever done something good and then had it come back to you even greater? Some call it karma, I like to think its kindness but whatever you call it, it makes you think. I have had more than a handful of these experiences in my life but one that happened the other day that I thought was worth sharing.

I have a friend named John, from spin class, who writes for a big newspaper. A few months ago, I desperately wanted his paper to cover a cause I care deeply about. I harassed poor John for a few weeks and finally followed him out of spin class pleading for his help. He caved and called a new young writer to come to our event, which was now just hours away. The reporter’s name was Angel, by the way.

Well, Angel fell in love with our cause and spent a month down in Watts following the story. She submitted an amazing article to her editors and then nothing. I began to give up the idea that the story would ever appear.

In the meantime, my friend John lost his mother to cancer and his nephews were diagnosed with this horrible disease. John, decided to use one of his skills (cycling) to raise money for cancer. Well, last friday the long-awaited article appeared on the front page of the paper. I cried, John cried and if you read the article here, you will cry too.

On monday, back in spin class, I said that John deserved a round of applause for his upcoming ride and raising thousands of dollars for cancer. The next day he received a lovely donation from someone neither of us knows from class, saying what a beautiful thing he is doing in honor of his mother.

The man who sent me a reporter named Angel, continues the cycle of goodness. This weekend he will ride for all those who suffer from cancer. And so the cycle continues…..

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration January 9, 2013

Brotherhood

What is the measure of a life well lived? Is it how many lives you touched or impacted? Is it the number of people who come to your funeral or the number of people you leave behind that are lost without you? Is is what you have or what you give?

Last week I attended a memorial service for an amazing man named Victor McClinton. A man whose life was measured by the incredible impact he left on our community. Victor McClinton was a local hero in Pasadena and was tragically shot on Christmas Day. He was 49 and a leaves behind a wife and two teenage sons.

What made Victor a hero? What he gave, his commitment to his community and the underserved kids in it.

I know this because he directly impacted my family, teaching my son football, a passion that continues to be a driving force in his life today. Victor brought our city together regardless of address and taught our children as early as age 3 that we are one community regardless of circumstances.

He grew up without a father and attended Verbum Dei High School in Watts. It was there, that Victor started coaching as a Senior in high school and was hooked from that moment on. Twelve years ago he brought the Brotherhood Crusade program to Pasadena creating a youth sports league whose mission was to provide the children of the community with a quality youth sports program. His philosophy was everyone plays, everyone wins.

Victor had a full-time job, Brotherhood was what he did on the side. Every weekend, every night after his own long day he was there, waiting for a single mom to get off work to pick up her child from practice. He never stopped giving.

Victor’s life was a gift to all who knew him. I think the legacy he leaves is “everyone plays, everyone wins.” We were all winners for knowing Victor. The measure of a life well lived is the impact that you make while you are here, the lives you touch and what you give. Thank you Victor for reminding us all.

Charity Matters.

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Holidays and Holiday Giving January 2, 2013

Everyone loves a parade, even the day after

Being a Pasadena girl, I love a good parade as much as anyone, its part of my DNA. This year’s Rose Parade was especially meaningful for me for a handful of reasons.
For starters, a dear friend of mine’s daughter made the Rose Court and this year’s Rose Queen, Vanessa Manjarrez, is a senior at my alma mater Mayfield Senior School. A school thats motto “Actions Not Words,” has become a life mantra for us alums.

It was exactly that, action that I saw in the parade. No, not the horses and marching bands but rather a subtle call to action from service organizations such as the Shriners, the Rotary Club, Kiwanis International and the Lions Club. All organizations whose sole purpose is service to help another.

Not to mention floats from non-profit organizations such as the Salvation Army, the Aids Healthcare Foundation, City of Hope and Donate Life. 85 million people watching those colorful floats going down Colorado Blvd and yet, it’s somehow so much more than dried flowers on a float but rather the message of hope and service.

Wells Fargo made my day when they put boys from Verbum Dei High School in Watts inside their stage-coach. They could have chosen anyone and yet, Wells Fargo chose underserved boys who work to put themselves through high school….again the call to action and a personal highlight because I love this school.

The best part of the parade is right here, click for the most moving moment. http://nbclosangeles.com.

However, the real star of this year’s parade was the Eric Pazz on the Canines with Courage float, which honored dogs who served in the military. It was the surprise reunion between this purple heart winner and his wife and son, that took the entire world audience’s breath away. A real moment of action and love that was palpable. At the end of the day and the beginning of a New Year, isn’t love for one another whats it’s all about?

Definitely a parade to remember….

Charity Matters.

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Education June 22, 2012

Graduation Day in Watts

I might have mentioned before that I am involved with an amazing boys high school in Watts called Verbum Dei. It is not like an average school for many reasons and my favorite reason is because 100% of the boys attending will go to college, for the 5th year in a row.

Verbum Dei is not a fancy boys prep school where you would expect that ratio, it is a school located in one of the poorest and most crime ridden neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Their goal is to “develop self-confident gentlemen who are intellectually motivated, spiritually rooted, contemplative and courageous in their pursuit of a more humane and just world.”

As the mother of three sons, I realize that this is a lofty goal in the best of circumstances and near impossible while trapped in a cycle of poverty and yet the “Verb”, as its called, accomplishes this year after year.

Please click here to see this inspirational place and their story.video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=7375926

There are many things that set this school apart from others but one that truly stands out is their Corporate Work Study Program. This is where students work five days per month to help cover the cost of their education, to apply what they are learning in class, and to realize their own career possibilities, as well as learn skills that set them up for lifelong success. They are earning their education and realize that it is worth working for.

This years graduates of Verbum Dei are work experienced, self-confident gentlemen who are ready for college and to make a difference in the world. Congrats Class of 2012! Charity Matters.

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