Spark (www.sparkprogram.org) is an award-winning non-profit that places at-risk middle schoolers in apprenticeships with professionals from a wide range of fields. The organization has had a great track record with youth in the Bay Area and recently expanded to southern California.
Spark is currently looking for volunteers in a wide variety of professional fields to spend two hours per week this fall with a 7th or 8th grader. The students would come to your office or workplace once a week and learn about what it’s like to be a computer programmer, fashion designer, doctor… or you can fill-in-the-blank here! UCLA students and alums would make great apprentice teachers! In a previous semester, we had an apprenticeship in the UCLA Microbiology Lab, and we hope to expand our partnership with students, professors, and alums! We are happy to come to your office and make a presentation to introduce Spark and provide you with more information about our program.
If you — and/or your students and colleagues — would be interested in contributing to this very worthwhile cause, please contact Rebecca Velasco at 626-641-1815 or rvelasco@sparkprogram.org or Jahan Boulden at 310-291-3900 or nboulden@sparkprogram.org. And please feel free to spread the word to others who may be interested!
