It's not too late to register for KidWorks programs and summer camps. Click here to sign-up and learn more!
Register Today
When she was five years old, Julie (Juliana) Villanueva first stepped into a KidWorks’ classroom as a preschool student. Now a freshman business major at Orange Coast College, Julie overflows… Continue Reading
Today is the start of KidWorks After School programs for students in grades K-12 at all three centers. To learn more about programs and register a student please visit kidworksoc.org/after-school
For many years during the 2000s, students at our Dan Donahue Center would eagerly await the arrival of Robert “Bob” White for his weekly tutoring sessions at our Dan Donahue Center.
“Mr. Bob! Mr. Bob!” they would shout, before running up to give him a hug, although many of the youngest were barely tall enough to reach his knees.
Mr. White recently passed away at the age of 93.
The entire KidWorks team mourns his passing. Many of our longtime staff members recall his warm presence and the way he always encouraged students to do their best.
Mr. White began volunteering in our after-school programs in 2003, making a connection with KidWorks through his attendance at Village Bible Church. He and his wife, Lydia were also donors over the years.
“Bob had the perfect blend of getting the students to laugh at his kidding around while also keeping them focused on their homework and completing school assignments to the best of their ability,” says David Benavides, KidWOrks Chief Executive Officer.
“Bob was also a role model, having served as a U.S. Marine and then having had a successful career working for Orange County government in finance capacities,” David adds.
Mr. White was especially adept at working with second graders during after-school homework sessions. The kids might cajole him to “please just give me the answer,” but this wise tutor would instead lead them through the steps to get to the answer themselves.
Mr. White also had a bit of a mischievous side. During snack time, he might hide an item behind his back and feign innocence before returning it to a laughing student who always pretended to be surprised no matter how many times Bob repeated the prank.
Many of the students Mr. Bob tutored are now young adults. He positively impacted their lives—and ours—forever. We miss our dear friend.
Leslie never viewed herself as creative, until enrolling in a digital photography class at KidWorks through KidWorks University. “Every assignment is a fun challenge,” she shared, “I love experimenting with my camera. Not every photo is perfect, but I keep playing.”
Photography is providing Leslie with a new outlook. It has also taught her patience and persistence. “I can shoot the same object several different ways, and every camera angle provides a different perspective. Life is a lot like that,” Leslie observes.
This is the first time KidWorks offered a digital photography class and the youth had a blast taking pictures around KidWorks.
Students learned basic digital photography concepts including the rule of 3rds, camera angles, depth perception and editing.
Leslie’s favorite assignment was photographing toys in the preschool classroom. “It made me feel like a big kid” she laughed.
Some students practiced on their phones while others preferred tablets. “There is so much to learn. I never knew my phone could take such amazing pictures,” commented Rodrigo.
The goal of the class was to teach students to help find beauty in the every day and to engage with the world around them.
Digital photography is just one of the KidWorks University workshops KidWorks students can participate in. It allows students to discover new talents and pursue their passions.
Kidworks University classes are led by volunteers and can be in a variety of fields including Arts, STEM, and sports.
Like many students enrolled in KidWorks’ programs, Cristian Vega knew he wanted to say “thanks” by serving here as a volunteer.
Cristian attended our programs from eighth grade through graduation from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. He joined KidWorks at the same time as his younger brother, Enrique.
Our March 2024 “Volunteer of the Month” is a senior at Orange Coast College; he’s about to earn his associate of arts degree in speech language pathology.
Cristian became a KidWorks volunteer in 2018 and continues to volunteer as he makes plans to attend a four-year college or university. So far, he’s logged over 150 volunteer hours.
“Cristian is a dedicated alumni who has remained committed to KidWorks and our students,” says Rachel Cervantes, Volunteer Coordinator.
“Cristian could easily get wrapped up in the busyness of college, work and family commitments, yet he chose to return to KidWorks and volunteer,” Rachel adds. “Cristian always shows up in a big way. He’s such a dependable person.”
“Cristian is an alumnus I can reach out to when we need volunteers, knowing that he will say yes,” says Brenda Trujillo Sanchez, our Senior College & Career Manager.
She adds, “Most recently, Cristian supported our annual Youth Lock-In, a once-a-year event for students in grades six through 12. It’s a night of fun, food, faith and fellowship.”
Cristian has also volunteered at our Festival of Chefs fundraising event, pickleball tournament, Noche de las Estrellas graduation celebration, after-school programs, set up/clean-up for events and at Campus Crash, where students visit college and university campuses to plant the seed of higher education after high school graduation.
Cristian has fond memories of his years as a KidWorks student.
“I was involved in pretty much everything KidWorks offered,” he says. “That included after school tutoring, summer and spring programs, youth groups and college preparation.”
In addition to Campus Crash, our College & Career preparedness programs at KidWorks include the College & Career Success Initiative™ (C&CSI). The initiative prepares first generation college students for higher education beyond high school. College preparedness also includes our College Apps Academy, our 25-week program for high school seniors that provides guidance through the college application process, including support with college and financial aid applications, scholarships, admissions essays and tips on how to have a successful transition into college.
After they start their higher education, our engagement continues with our college counselor, care packages for our college students and more.
KidWorks guided Cristian to apply and earn a scholarship to Mater Dei. After graduation, our college preparedness team assisted in his application and acceptance at Orange Coast College.
He is also one of our gap scholarship recipients. A gap scholarship provides financial assistance to students who for a variety of reasons and situations take a year or more after high school graduation before starting at a college or university.
KidWorks has also supported Cristian’s dream of becoming a licensed speech therapist.
We introduced him to Cindy Rodriguez, owner of Esperanza Speech Therapy. Cristian shadowed her for a class assignment. This January, we connected Cristian with Collaborative Therapies where he now works as a behavior interventionist, someone who guides clients to positive behaviors and actions.
Our March “Volunteer of the Month” wanted us to pass on his thanks to past KidWorks team members who worked with him over the years, along with current team members, including Lazaro Espinosa Bahena, Facilities Manager; Rachel Cervantes, Volunteer Coordinator; Jessica Ellis, Senior Site Supervisor, Dan Donahue Center; Vanessa Hernandez, Volunteer Manager and Brenda Trujillo Sanchez, Senior College & Career Manager.
In his spare time, Cristian enjoys working out at the gym, visiting the beach and attending Angels games with his brother, Enrique.
We are inspired by Cristian as he pursues a four-year degree and eventually begins a career in speech language pathology.
This is a young man who early in his youth demonstrated a heart to serve others. We see Cristian bettering the lives of others for decades to come.
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer
We invite high school and college/university students to learn more about how KidWorks can provide you with opportunities to earn service hours, intern and volunteer.
KidWorks closely collaborates with the business community to develop students who are prepared to enter the workforce and embark on meaningful careers.
A perfect example is Jesse Torres, a KidWorks student since second grade who is graduating this June from Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana with the goal of becoming a computer programmer.
Jesse plans to major in computer science when he starts at a college or university this August. He’s deciding between offers of acceptance he’s received from four universities and colleges.
College was not always in Jesse’s plans.
He credits KidWorks with giving him the confidence—and the motivation—to attend a college or university after high school.
“In my elementary and middle school years, I thought college was out of reach because it would be too expensive and also that I didn’t have what it takes,” Jesse says.
All that changed when KidWorks encouraged him to attend events such as our Campus Crash, where students in sixth through 12th grade get a firsthand taste of college and university life through in-person visits to a range of campuses.
Jesse participated in Campus Crash twice while in middle school, visiting campuses that included UCLA, USC, the University of California, Irvine and others.
Campus Crash is part KidWorks’ College & Career Success Initiative™ (C&CSI). The initiative prepares first generation college students for higher education beyond high school and includes our College Apps Academy, Campus Crash, engagement with our college counselor, care packages for our college students and more.
“KidWorks opened my eyes that if I tried hard enough, I’d have what it takes to be accepted at a college or university,” Jesse says.
“Math was one subject that was not my strong suit during my elementary school years,” Jesse recalls.
Teachers and volunteer tutors in KidWorks’ after school programs helped him gain confidence and proficiency in math, so much so that he’s been enrolled in honors math classes in the areas of algebra and pre-calculus since his sophomore year in high school.
“Math is an essential skill in computer programming and the tutoring help in this subject during KidWorks’ after school programs really set me on a path for success in a career I wasn’t even considering back then,” Jesse says.
Jesse has participated in KidWorks wherever possible, including:
Jesse may be one of the busiest youths you’ll ever meet.
“Jesse has a crazy academic, athletic and social calendar and also attends KidWorks programs weekly,” says Clarisa Vargas, our College & Career Readiness Coordinator.
She adds, “Jesse maintains the most positive attitude despite being extremely busy and at times exhausted. He’s always fully engaged.”
“Many of my KidWorks’ experiences—such as playing the flute in front of a crowd during a concert and presenting to elected officials—helped me gain confidence in public speaking and being a leader,” Jesse says.
In fact, from second through fifth grade, Jesse says he aspired to become president of the United States.
His main policy goal, he recalls, was “free candy for kids who can’t afford it.”
“I’ve seen Jesse grow into a very caring and confident young man; he is a natural-born leader,” says Maria Ruvalcaba, our Youth Leadership Development Coordinator.
She adds, “His faith and self-confidence have grown over the years. He’s always looking out for others and is not afraid to speak and voice his concerns. He embodies a humble leadership style that is very admirable for someone his age.”
Maria, Clarisa and other KidWorks staff members have worked alongside Jesse to help him complete college/university admissions applications, apply for scholarships and more.
Once he starts his higher education in August, Jesse says he plans to do much more than only attend classes.
“I want to be as much a part of that experience as possible,” he says.
A big influence on Jesse is Lance Lew, 26, an incoming medical student and future doctor, who is part of KidWorks’ mentor program. That program matches those with career and life experiences with our 12th grade students to help them navigate the challenges and decisions they face.
Jesse was so excited to meet Lance for their first introduction last year that he attempted to run the three miles from Segerstrom High School to KidWorks rather than be late (the KidWorks van came to the rescue and that’s where the two first shook hands).
Like other KidWorks’ mentors, Lance meets with Jesse at least once a month. But they connect whenever Jesse needs advice.
“The world needs more people like Jesse, who are positive, passionate and kind to the core,” Lance says. “When I sit down with Jesse, I’m immediately in a brighter mood. His strong sense of self and ability to enliven others is inspiring.”
“Lance is amazing,” Jesse says. “He gets me. He’s a key person in my life. If I need help, he’s there for me.”
As KidWorks celebrates our 30th anniversary, Jesse says he hopes to see KidWorks “become even bigger and touch more lives.”
Jesse’s entire family has been very involved with KidWorks over the years, including his parents, Jesus and Karina.
His five siblings have also called KidWorks home: Evelyn, 21, now attending Vanguard University; Ashley, 16, a high school student still enrolled in KidWorks and also a volunteer; Andrew, 14, a middle school and KidWorks student; Alex, 12, a middle school and KidWorks student and Stephany, nine, an elementary school and KidWorks student.
Jesse remains active at Segerstrom High School as he prepares to graduate. He’s part of their color guard and is a midfielder on the varsity lacrosse team.
His hobbies include video games, reading and a big emphasis on personal physical fitness.
We see a wonderful future ahead for Jesse and look forward to sharing his successes and achievements in the years and months ahead. We are also deeply grateful for the entire Torres family. They inspire us in our mission to serve even more students and families in Santa Ana.
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer
At KidWorks, reading week is a major celebration. Each year, the KidWorks after-school program team puts together a special program to celebrate National Reading Week, focusing on Dr. Seuss books and fun activities.
To get involved – contact noemi.juarez@kidworksoc.org
Hosted by our friends at R12 – this Thanksgiving festival is a highlight for students
From an early age Melisa Castillo had a passion for learning and her sights set on college. She joined KidWorks in seventh grade along with her brothers.
“While I always did well academically, KidWorks played a big role in my social and emotional growth,” Melisa says. “They also taught me to be a leader and to have a servant’s heart.”
KidWorks also helped Melisa develop confidence and a sense of self. Those are skills she needed while attending Duke University, where she graduated in 2020 with a double major in classical civilizations and history.
Our KidWorks alumni is now on a path to becoming an attorney specializing in trademark and intellectual property law. She’s subsequently taken law classes at Santa Ana college and has applied to law schools, planning to start at one of them next Fall.
“Melisa is unstoppable,” says Noemi Juarez, our Director of K-12 Programs. “She’s a determined and spirited young lady. There are no limits to her success in life and career.”
Melisa recently shared the story of her KidWorks’ journey with attendees at our recent fourth annual Rose’ on the Bay event led by our KidWorks Women (KWW) auxiliary service group.
“KidWorks believed in me and that I would go far in life,” Melisa told the attendees. “They’ve been such a big part of my life. During those years, more of my waking hours were probably spent at KidWorks than anywhere else, except home and school.”
Always an excellent student, Melisa thanks her parents and KidWorks for giving her the solid foundation upon which to build not only academically, but also spiritually, creatively and as a leader.
“From a very young age, my parents, Maria and Abel, told both me and my brothers, ‘You’re going to college; it’s just a matter of where,’” Melisa recalls.
Melisa says KidWorks’ faith-based approach helped her develop the desire to serve others that Jesus teaches.
“At KidWorks, I was part of the youth service club during my middle and high school years that focused on making Santa Ana better and serving members of the community,” Melisa said.
What was then known at KidWorks as the Youth Empowerment Network, focused on issues such as safe bike lanes, a community garden, healthy nutritional choices in school cafeterias, bike safety advocacy, the KidWorks’ Christmas toy drive and more.
“While our youth program operated under KidWorks’ umbrella, they really made sure it was youth-led in order to develop our leadership skills,” Melisa says.
That meant she and her youth colleagues participated in such activities as speaking before the Santa Ana City Council, legislators in Sacramento and other key influencers.
The youth also helped organize, promote and fundraise for local street fairs where valuable information was shared with neighborhood residents.
“We connected existing services and resources to people who did not know where to find them,” Melisa says.
“When the opportunity to attend Duke became available, I doubted myself and wondered if I really belonged there,” Melisa recalls. “Maybe one in 30 students looked like me.”
But KidWorks walked alongside Melisa and helped dispel that self-doubt.
Years before, Melisa was also encouraged to attend Mater Dei high school by Xitlaly Sanchez, another successful KidWorks and Mater Dei graduate, who is now a middle school history teacher in Anaheim.
“I met Xitlaly when I was in middle school and we both attended KidWorks summer camp in Yosemite,” Melisa says. “Xitlaly was older than me and saw that I was very uncertain about applying to Mater Dei. ‘It’s not a mistake; you are supposed to attend that high school; God is sending you there,’ Xitlally told me. I was motivated and graduated in 2016.”
As she awaits acceptance to law school, Melisa works 35 hours a week at PTS Marketing, a full-service printing and marketing group located in Tustin, California. They are a longtime KidWorks partner, who also employ two other KidWorks grads and founder Pat Merrell sits on our board.
Melisa says she’s attracted to a career in law because to succeed in that profession, a person must use skills such as creativity, intelligence, problem-solving, persuasion and understanding nuance.
She is particularly focused on the risks Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses to creative people and others if left unchecked.
“The law is not just black and white; I like the fact that you use persuasion and logical arguments within the context of rules,” she says. “KidWorks helped me develop a wide range of skills that I can apply to my chosen profession.”
At PTS Marketing, Melisa is an administrative assistant to Elizabeth Carroll, the company’s Director of Operations, and also helps support the finance team.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, acrylic painting, jigsaw puzzles and video games.
As KidWorks celebrates our 30-year anniversary, we are inspired that our vision—“We unleash youth potential”—is being realized in such inspiring examples as Melisa Castillo.
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer
Name: Hector Mora
City: Santa Ana
Role at KidWorks: KW Alum
How did you become involved with KidWorks?
I joined KidWorks as a preschool student and graduated high school in 2020. I am now enrolled in the OC Fire Authority academy and work part time at PTS marketing. My ultimate dream is to work for CalFire or the US Forest Service.
Share the most meaningful experiences you’ve had at KidWorks? What made them impactful to you?
Attending summer camp was life changing because I got to experience so many “firsts” like the climbing wall and the banana boat. These experiences challenged me to test my limits. I learned I am braver and stronger than I realized.
Can you talk about some of the biggest obstacles KidWorks’ programming overcame when you were involved?
There were times I wanted to quit but I’m thankful for the staff at KidWorks who kept me focused and on track with my career goals. Now that I’m working, I continue to benefit from KidWorks mentors who are walking alongside me as a young professional.
What does KidWorks mean to you? Looking back, how did KW help to shape your life? How did KW help to influence the person you are today?
Kidworks is all about people – I met so many friends and mentors that have shaped me into the person I am today. I want to give back to the next generation and my family. I recently represented PTS Marketing at the KidWorks career fair and it was rewarding to connect with younger students and help the next generation of KidWorks students.
What are your dreams for KidWorks over the next 10, 20, or 30 years?
I hope to see more students at KidWorks and more centers across Santa Ana.
Anything else you would like to share about KidWorks?
I am excited for the future of KidWorks.
