MOSTe June 2023 Newsletter
Dear MOSTe Family,
What a busy month! After a delicious Mentor-Mentee Appreciation event, our scholars spent the next weekend in Malibu exploring the coast during our annual Retreat. We also kicked off the college application process for our Class of 2024, and celebrated all our 2023 graduates at our Culmination Ceremony at USC.
Now summer is here, even if the weather doesn’t quite know it yet. We look forward to evaluating our programming from the past year and planning for the one ahead, with the support of summer interns from the University of Chicago and Ready to Succeed.
Our 2023-2024 Mentor Application is now open! If you’re interested being a mentor, please join us for our Mentor Informational Mixer on July 15 in DTLA. You’ll learn more about our mentoring program and hear from our current mentors about their rewarding experience. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/HuKbnMPckQ5GJbLX8
Onward,
Amy Ludwig
Executive Director
MOSTe in Action
Mentor-Mentee Appreciation
On May 13, scholars and mentors shared gratitude for their developing relationships. Board member Loreal Harper created the menu and supervised the student chefs, and Volunteer Coordinator Maira Tejeda highlighted the importance of food in transmitting culture and connections. Many thanks to the Los Angeles Women’s Giving Circle for their support of our mentor & scholar shared spaces!
Annual Retreat
We celebrated the end of the academic year with our annual retreat! This year, our scholars spent a lovely weekend at Pepperdine University where we observed birds and tested water quality with the RCDSMM at Malibu Lagoon State Beach, participated in a dorm decorating contest, explored the Pepperdine campus, and had a relaxing sound bowl meditation with our amazing alumna Dominique Piñon.
Huge thanks to the California State Coastal Conservancy for making this exciting weekend of exploration possible!
Culmination
Last weekend we had the honor of celebrating our graduating 8th grade, 12th grade, and college scholars. It was definitely a heartfelt moment for all of us to witness our scholars (many of whom have been in MOSTe since 6th grade) walk on that stage. We are incredibly proud of our students and grateful for all that they have contributed to our community! Our deepest thanks to all the families and mentors who joined us for such a huge milestone in these students’ lives. Congratulations to our graduating class of 2023!
High School Highlights
College Essay Workshop
And so it begins for the Class of 2024! They joined us on June 3 for a workshop with college essay guru Kate Stone, who helped them recognize the powerful ideas and stories they have to share. Their next task is to research and make a list of the colleges where they intend to apply.
Mentor Moment
“Bianca told me that she wants to apply to Pepperdine while we were at the retreat! I think being on the campus and staying in the dorms was such an eye opening experience for her (and all the girls). I saw her asking one of the tour guides questions as we were walking and I’m so excited that she took so much from the visit.” -Mentor Tara R.
“Natalie sent me several photos during and after her graduation ceremony last Friday night, and I was so overjoyed (and a little emotional!) to see her looking so radiant in her gown and honor stoles. She looked so happy and proud. Seeing those photos made me think of all her hard work that got her to that moment. She is an exceptional young lady and I will be so excited to see what the next four years bring her.” -Mentor Sarah H.
“Lailane has grown a lot since our first year with the program, she’s more confident and ready to take on what is next.” -Mentor Carrie T.
“All of my three mentees got into college!” -Mentor Christa D.