The University of California has named our two youth centers in East Los Angeles as Academic Centers of Excellence.

It's a partnership between Salesian Family Youth Center, Salesian Boys and Girls Club, and the University to get the kids thinking about and moving towards college. We want a culture of achievement. How will we do this?

• homework help
• tutoring
• meeting California grade-level standards
• computer and other technical skills
• an academic plan for each child
• parent/student workshops
• how to get money for college
• SAT prep

Cal and our staff are working with Breed St Elementary, Hollenbeck Middle School, Roosevelt High, and Los Angeles Unified School District.

Teachers and students at Breed St Elementary started with SOS ("Society of Students"). Our program is called CLUB AP ("Children Learning and Utilizing Best Advancement Practices"), and it's modeled on one pioneered at Roosevelt High by Mr Carlos Venegas. That one is called "Escalera", or "Staircase". It's also running at nearby Garfield and Wilson High Schools

The Jim Lehrer NewsHour televised a story on SOS in April, 2004.