Pico Youth and Family Center Honors Commitment to Education

By Jason Islas
Special to The Lookout

June 14, 2011 – The Pico Youth and Family Center honored local education activists Shari Davis and Rebecca Kennerly at the community organization's 4th Annual Hope & Unity Awards gala Saturday.

“These are the individuals that embody the principle of service,” Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Founder and Director Oscar de la Torre said.

Award recipient Shari Davis and Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis at the gala Saturday (Photos by Jason Islas)

avis and Kennerly are co-chairs of Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), a grass roots organization which aims to help fund schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

Davis is also president of Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs, a position that Kennerly has held in the past.

Both have been committed to raising support for Santa Monica's public schools and have been driving forces behind school funding initiatives such as Propositions Y and YY and Measure R.

The PYFC honored Kennerly and Davis for their commitment to education. Between the two of them, they have helped raise “almost $24 million for our local schools,” de la Torre said.

Saturday's gala was also a fundraiser for the Center and included dinner, a silent auction and a live auction, with Recreation and Parks Commissioner Phil Brock playing auctioneer.

Many of Santa Monica's leading citizens turned out to support the two women and the Center, including City Manager Rod Gould.

“This is one of the things that makes Santa Monica special. Pico Youth and Family Center is part of a matrix of organizations working hard to give youth an alternative to a life in gangs,” said Gould.

Some of the founding members of the Pico Youth and Family Center pose with successful PYFC Alumni. Left to Right: Dr. Miguel Chavez, Ruben Pacheco, Johnny "Bear" Fragoso, Professor Jaime Cruz, Sal Galvan and Oscar de la Torre

Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries and Saturday's keynote speaker echoed Gould's sentiments. PYFC “creates a community. Community is the only way to bring hope to kids for whom hope is foreign,” Boyle said.

Ruben Pacheco, an associate producer at LATV, also received a Hope & Unity award Saturday night for his work with the Center, which he started after he got out of prison in 2004. He said that the Center was one place he could go and not feel judged. “I can go to Pico Youth and Family Center because I feel comfortable there,” he said.

Pacheco credits his time at the Center for his success, as did Angela Vargas, Saturday's fourth honoree.

The event ended with several performances by the PFYC's dance group and hip hop workshop.

The Center's fund raising goal for Saturday was $40,000 but de la Torre told the Lookout Monday that he estimated they may come up about $10,000 short.

Despite not meeting the goal, de la Torre is happy about how things turned out.

“PYFC's Annual gala is evidence that Santa Monica is a united community when it comes to supporting our youth and honoring the leaders who provide hope and opportunity for future generations,” he said.