Students learn it pays to succeed

Michael Miller

Five hours a day, five days a week, Lucia Martin works as a secretary

in a tiny, cluttered building on Hamilton Avenue. The job is

technically a volunteer position, but thanks to an anonymous donor,

it’s helped to put her through high school.

And now, thanks to the same stranger in the community, it will

start her off in college.

Lucia, 18, a senior at Estancia High School, was one of 15

graduates this year in Save Our Youth, a nonprofit organization on

the Westside of Costa Mesa that serves low-income middle and high

school students.

At the group’s scholarship banquet last week, Lucia received

$3,062 to attend Cal State Dominguez Hills in the fall. During the

past six years, as a participant in Save Our Youth, she made exactly

the same amount.

“I never paid attention in terms of adding it up,” Lucia said.

Much of the money, she noted, had gone to purchase books for her

advanced placement classes at Estancia.

Members of Save Our Youth, which operates on the Rea Elementary

School campus, bring in progress reports from school every two weeks

to show the program’s directors how they are faring in class. The

center gives them checks in return, with the amount set according to

grades, teacher comments and other honors at school. When students

graduate, the center matches their total earnings for a college

scholarship.

Trevor Murphy, the executive director of Save Our Youth, would not

identify the program’s benefactor, but said the funding offered

valuable support for an often troubled neighborhood.

“Some of them use it to buy shoes,” he said. “Some give it to

their parents. It’s a short-term incentive to do well.”

This year, Save Our Youth gave out more than $23,000 in financial

aid for college. Along with Lucia, the winners were Jazmin Flores,

Imelda Pena, Okairy Lomeli, Jose Mendoza, Laysa Curiel, Karina

Madrigal, Sonia Rodriguez, Sandra Lopez, Ana Rodriguez, Rafael

Garcia, Alberto Najera and Raul Cruz of Estancia, and Freddy Arciga

and Sergio Salas of Newport Harbor High School.

Save Our Youth, the recipients said, provided the only support

system for many children in the neighborhood after school. The center

opened in 1993 to combat the gang problems that had plagued the west

side of Costa Mesa -- problems that many believe have decreased now,

thanks to the center.

“Unless you have something else to do, you end up going there,”

Imelda said.

Eight of the 15 scholarship winners planned to attend Orange Coast

College, with others headed to University of California and

California State University campuses. Imelda said she dreamed of

owning a basketball team after graduation, while Alberto dreamed of

running a computer business. Both Karina and Lucia expressed a desire

to teach elementary school.

“I think it’s giving back to the community, because they’ve given

me so much,” Lucia said.