When high school senior and KidWorks student Brenda R. was the victim of a recent hit-and-run traffic accident, Paige Larsh sprang into action.

Our September 2024 “Volunteer of the Month” had been mentoring Brenda since September 2023, before the accident occurred. While sitting bedside at a hospital is not the typical job description for a KidWorks mentor, Paige knew she could be a big part of Brenda’s recovery.

“Paige visited Brenda in the hospital and brought her snacks, flowers and encouragement,” says Clarisa Vargas, our College & Career Director. “She set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical and school expenses.”

Brenda is almost fully healed. “She still has a cast and sling on her arm but she is back to walking normally and remains in positive spirits,” Clarisa reports.

And she and Paige are regularly in contact as Brenda prepares to start her freshman year at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in the fall, majoring in child and adolescent studies.

Brenda has been enrolled in KidWorks programs since fifth grade and has volunteered in our classrooms helping students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

“Brenda has been one of our youth leaders and always brings with her a positive attitude, resilience and an infectious laugh,” Clarisa says. “Paige has those same personality traits.”

In addition to being a mentor to Brenda, Paige is also a strong role model. Our Volunteer of the Month is Senior Manager of Business Development at the World Surf League. 

The organization describe themselves as “the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing.”

Paige has passed on some of the life skills she uses in her professional career to Brenda, such as planning, meeting deadlines and maintaining a high energy level.

“Together, we’ve focused on a lot in our sessions on time management skills,” Paige says. “Procrastination is never something that helps stress levels. So, we’ve discussed ways to combat that.”

She adds, “We’ve talked about creating detailed outlines for her essays ahead of time before sitting down to write them. That way she can chip away at writing her papers in increments and not wait until the last minute to complete the bulk of her work.”

Brenda describes Paige as “incredible.”

“I am so thankful for the support Paige has given me and I look forward to seeing her on my journey to college,” Brenda says. “Paige is a very fun and welcoming person and I really respect and appreciate her. Seeing her passion encourages me to be the same.”

 Paige first heard about KidWorks from a colleague who also volunteered with us.

“We talked in depth about how rewarding it was to volunteer with KidWorks and how amazing the mentees were,” Paige says. “From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a part of the program.”

Paige’s focus now is helping Brenda transition to college.

“I’m a sounding board for Brenda as she goes through the next four years at the university,” Paige says. “In me, she’ll always have someone she can talk to. I believe having a mentor is extremely helpful. I wish I had one when I was going to college!”

As KidWorks has begun our fourth decade of service, Paige has big dreams for us.

“I hope to see the organization continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for countless children and families,” Paige says. “I dream of a future where KidWorks expands its reach, providing even more comprehensive support services that empower young people to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”

She adds, “I envision a day when every child in our community has access to the resources and mentoring that he or she needs to reach their full potential. Ultimately, I hope KidWorks will be recognized as a catalyst for transformative change, leaving an enduring legacy of success stories that inspire generations to come.”

Paige makes sure to enjoy her leisure time to the fullest.

“I love the beach, especially long walks and swimming,” she says. “For adventure, I head to Mammoth for hiking and camping. The outdoors is my escape. I also love traveling. Work has taken me to some amazing places and those trips are some of the highlights of the past decade of my life.”

Mentors like Paige have a profound and lasting positive impact on the lives of our students. We join Brenda in describing Paige as truly incredible!

By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer

Find out more about being a mentor to a KidWorks student at https://kidworksoc.org/volunteer/mentors/

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