The Heart of LA Scholarship Mentor Program is officially underway this week! Our amazing students are one step closer to making their college dreams a reality this Fall. From today through Spring, our dedicated mentors will be by their side as they apply for scholarships and get ready for their next big chapter.
Roberto Recinos, College and Career Success Director at Heart of Los Angeles, shares that the goal is not just getting students into college — it’s about ensuring they graduate and land careers in the fields they’ve spent years studying.
“The biggest thing to highlight with the Scholarship program here at Heart of LA is that we want to make sure that students have access to attend a college,” said Recinos.
Celebrating Our Alumni: The 2024 Winter Reunion
The Winter Reunion was one of our most anticipated end-of-year events at Heart of Los Angeles. It was a time for us to come together, celebrate the incredible achievements of our alumni, and reflect on their journey as they wrap up the fall term.
We were thrilled to welcome 120 alumni to the event, where we offered a variety of workshops focused on supporting their physical and mental health, as well as their professional development.
We want to extend a big thank you to our partners! This year, we were excited to collaborate with some amazing community partners who made the event even more impactful.
- LA Works led our Confidence Unlocked workshop, which focused on boosting alumni’s confidence in job interviews. With the help of 20 dedicated volunteers, this session helped our alumni practice vital interview skills and learn how to present themselves in the professional world.
- SoCal Gas also played a key role by sending 10 employee volunteers to provide one-on-one support they needed.
- In addition, 14 Heart of LA volunteers were present throughout the day, assisting students and ensuring a seamless experience while providing alumni with the resources they needed to succeed.
The LA Public Health Department led an important session titled Empowered Health, a sex education course aimed at reminding our college students about the importance of practicing safe sex. This workshop also encouraged open conversations about setting boundaries, something that’s critical as they navigate both their personal and academic lives.
As our students wrapped up finals, we wanted to offer them a chance to take a breather. Danilla Cervantes from the Visual Arts Department led our Dreams in Focus workshop.It was a perfect opportunity to recharge both mentally and creatively.
Many thanks to Spectrum News reporter Bobbi Eng covering the day’s event.
We are incredibly grateful for our continued partnership with Oaktree Capital Management Group, who generously donated over 150 HOLA-branded duffel bags filled with thoughtful holiday goodies. These gifts were not just a token of appreciation but also a practical support for our alumni as they head back to school after the holidays or hit the gym to stay active and healthy.
One of our shining alumni, Roland, Class of 2021, was also present at the Winter Reunion. Roland is currently a senior at USC, where he’s studying Mechanical Engineering. He began his journey with the SmartStart program and has since gone on to participate in every department at Heart of LA. Roland’s commitment to his academic and professional growth serves as a testament to the power of community and hard work, and we’re incredibly proud to see him thriving at USC.
