Summer months often lead to idle time for young middle and high school students. And with budget cuts to summer school programs, and costly camps out of reach for many parents, too much free time can translate into trouble.

But for 250 kids, based in the Wilmington and Harbor Gateway areas, this summer could be the beginning of seeing a new, bright future. From July 7 – August 1, sponsored kids will storm the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills and attend sessions in fitness, academics, art, team-building, service and beyond, all courtesy of an instrumental nonprofit in the area known as Sharefest.

Sharefest, entering its 11^th year of existence under the leadership of Executive Director Chad Mayer, serves the community in many ways with a focus on mentoring youth, fostering volunteerism in the community, and establishing working coalitions made up of city leaders, schools, businesses and the faith community.

Sharefest launched their Youth Development Academy in 2007 with just 35 campers. Over the last seven years, the academy, which offers academic and extracurricular opportunities to underserved middle and high school students throughout the County, has grown to 250 kids.

The program is free, including bus transportation from the kids’ local schools, and it places them on a college campus for one of the two, two-week sessions.

“It’s a great environment to bring the kids,” said Mayer, who noted the campers not only get access to the campus, but are also able to interact with some of the professors and students as well.

“Sharefest definitely opened doors for me,” said Jose Sanchez, now a YDA counselor and full-time student at the University of California Santa Barbara. “Going into camp that first summer, I was not a talkative kid, but in just a few weeks I learned to ask questions, be open to meeting new people and the importance of being a leader by volunteering in your community.”

Sanchez, who fondly recalls spending time in the Cal State Dominguez pool racing against new friends, enjoyed two summers as a YDA camper, two more as a junior counselor, and now is a full-fledged counselor for the program.

The aspiring math teacher, on track to be the first college grad in his family, says the exposure to the college campus life in those formative years helped him see new possibilities for his future.

“All of the counselors were college students, and they were so great about encouraging us to look at schools and tell us about how fun and amazing college can be,” Sanchez says.

Mayer says he is firm believer in identifying the right resources to support the campers.

“We recruit the best talent to pour into these kids,” said Mayer. “They are surrounded by counselors who believe in them, encourage them, and are constantly delivering positive affirmations and high-fives.”

Steve Tedesco, the YDA Program Manager, added that in addition to the various sports and classes, high school students are able to make several college visits to local schools like UCLA, Pepperdine and Cal State Long Beach, and meet with admissions counselors. They additionally make some field trips to local city offices to learn about professional opportunities and life, and all kids will enjoy an Dodger game.

“In two weeks, lives are changed,” said Tedesco. “The feedback I hear from parents is that they cannot wait for their kids to attend this camp.”

Both of the summer sessions culminate with a community service project. This year, the kids will upgrade and clean the Toberman House, a neighborhood center for harbor-area families in need, painting murals and benches, helping out in the food pantry, creating a Welcome Center and packing backpacks for underserved kids.

“When these kids leave here, we want them not only to benefit from the leadership they received, but also know what it means to give back,” said Mayer. “We want them to see a bigger world, beyond just their current circumstances and neighborhood.”

Mayer says his goal is to continue to grow the number of camper slots each summer.

“I would take 1,000 campers if I could,” he said. “The Cal State Dominguez campus is certainly large enough, but we need the funding to offer more spots.”

To sponsor a camper or learn more about Sharefest’s volunteer opportunities, visit www.sharefestinc.org or email info@sharefestinc.org.

During a nationwide child sex trafficking sweep this weekend, 10 young girls were rescued and 12 pimps were arrested in the Los Angeles area. I am proud of the efforts by our local law enforcement agencies to crack down on the scumbags who buy and sell young girls for sex. During the operation, the Long Beach Police Department rescued two juvenile girls and arrested six pimps and traffickers who were sexually exploiting children for money. These girls were subjected to an endless cycle of brutal physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Now the healing process will begin, and they will both receive the services they need to turn their lives around and empower them to escape their life on the streets.

Child sex trafficking is a barbaric industry that festers in our cities and communities. We must continue to do everything we can to get these girls off the track and on a path to a better life ahead. Together we must say, “No more; not in our streets; not to our young girls.”

The Department of Regional Planning asked for my input, as well as the public’s, on the current state of the Marina—what is missing or should be improved in the Marina, what design changes might be made to make the Marina a more attractive place, and what uses or amenities could be provided to make the Marina a more desirable destination for visitors and more livable for residents.

At the Small Craft Harbor Commission meeting on May 26, 2014, one of these ideas was discussed at length—whether or not the public boat launch should be moved from its current location, which would allow for a reconfiguration of uses in the adjacent area. Let me be clear—that idea came from me.

I provided my input to the Department of Regional Planning for consideration and public discussion. For years, I’ve heard from numerous professional planners and developers about the need to consider a reconfiguration of the launch ramp to provide better opportunities to group uses to create a better sense of place in the Marina. It was prudent for the idea to be considered during the visioning process when the long term future of the Marina was being discussed.

After a study conducted by a consultant and reviewed by the U.S. Coast Guard deemed the move to be safe, I felt it was appropriate to introduce the idea into the visioning process for public discussion. It was meant as a point of departure for a broader discussion. It was not a direction and it was never a done deal. Somehow that got lost in translation.

Nevertheless, the idea was universally rejected at the Small Craft Harbor Commission meeting. I want the public to know that I’ve listened to you and I’m removing the idea of relocating the public boat launch from further consideration in the visioning process. The process itself will continue, and I encourage you to continue your involvement, because it does make a difference.

I am truly disappointed by the outcome of today’s vote on how best to protect the children of Los Angeles County.  Instead of focusing on our social workers on the ground, who face extreme challenges and pressure to keep children safe from neglect and abuse, we created more levels of bureaucracy that do nothing to support them.

We spent 18 months developing a strategic plan to protect our children, and before the ink even dried, we threw it all out the window and created the Blue Ribbon Commission. The Commission spent another eight months coming up with many of the same exact recommendations we were already in the midst of implementing.

Today, we could have continued our efforts to implement these recommendations. Instead we created new layers of unnecessary bureaucracy that will be telling our departments how to do their jobs, despite having no policy execution or operational experience.

Our decision today has done a true disservice to our social workers and to those who need us most: our vulnerable and at-risk children.

Tomorrow morning, the Board of Supervisors will discuss an extremely important issue: the welfare of children in Los Angeles County.

Last year, a Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Protection was established.  I opposed this commission for exactly the reasons I fear we will see tomorrow: a long discussion about a whole lot of recommendations we have heard before.

In fact, also last year, our Department of Children and Family Services underwent a massive strategic planning process to develop a plan to protect our most vulnerable children.  Everyone from case workers to managers, judges and external advocates had their input heard over an 18 month period.  Just when the Department started to execute the strategic plan, with barely an opportunity to implement the changes, along came the call for another commission.

The Commission reported back in April with a list of 55 new recommendations to implement, many of which were already being carried out before the Commission came together. They also recommended creating an Office of Child Protection and an up-to 19-member oversight team.

While no doubt good-intentioned, adding more bureaucracy will not do one bit of good to protect children in Los Angeles County.  We need to focus our attention and efforts on the people on the ground, our social workers, who face incredible challenges each day in trying to keep kids safe.  We need to give our people the tools and training they need to do their job.  And we must support the relatives who stand up and take abused and neglected children in.

As much as we would all like to see it, change does not happen overnight in any organization.  It takes commitment to a path, and the courage and diligence to stay the course. Let’s not add more bureaucracy and administration.  Let’s focus on the children who need us and the people who can truly help them most.