Partnership Scholars Program

When Partnership Scholars Program was forming in 1996, Dr. Bruce McDaniel was entering his first year as the Superintendent of the Lennox School District. Along with then-Assistant Principal of Lennox Middle School and current PSP Board Chair Meg Sanchez, Bruce was approached by PSP’s founder, Dr. Glenn Langer, with an opportunity to support the creation of this new college-access program. While familiar with other mentorship programs, Bruce saw PSP as having the potential for an even greater impact on students. “The notion of pairing up scholars with mentors was something that I was strongly in favor of and that I knew was a successful way of assisting students,” says Bruce. “At that time we had a mentoring program at the middle school, but this was doing far more mentoring with far more resources and following it up through the end of high school.” The benefits were clear to Bruce and he sanctioned PSP’s formation.

Initially, Bruce’s involvement in the program was relatively limited. “Each year I would go to the induction and events like that, and provide my support [of PSP] continuing in Lennox,” says Bruce. It wasn’t until 2010 when Bruce retired that he became not only a supporter of the program, but a deeply involved volunteer and member of the organization’s leadership. After 15 years of working alongside PSP, he was asked to join the Board of Trustees. “I knew the program was highly successful and I felt I had some things to offer in terms of my background and the connections I had made as superintendent,” says Bruce. “As a person entering retirement it was a nice way of keeping involved in the community I had worked with for so many years.”
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Not many know the story of how Partnership Scholars Program spread from Lennox, California to the community of El Monte in the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles. But Arlene LeGaspe knows it well. A native to El Monte, Ms. LeGaspe helped lead the way in expanding the burgeoning college-access program, thanks to the advocacy of former Charles T. Kranz Intermediate School principal, Sal Gumina. Mr. Gumina was inspired to replicate the program after meeting PSP founder Glenn Langer at Lennox Middle School. He saw PSP’s growing success in a community he equated with El Monte and wanted to take the show on the road. In 1999, with the support of new funding, Partnership Scholars was launched at Kranz Intermediate with Arlene LeGaspe at the helm.

When approached with the prospect of a new mentorship program to support students in their pursuit of higher education, LeGaspe got right on board. “The principal [Les Mason] asked if I could do it,” says LeGaspe. “Anything I could do for the kids was fine by me.” She had been a teacher at Kranz since 1992 and saw a critical need for a college-access support for students at her school. She and five other mentors took on ten scholars and the program took off from there. Her initial involvement centered around bringing mentors on board and finding qualified students to receive scholarships. The program continued to grow under the leadership of the next principal and current Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services, Ray Andry, and today enjoys great support under the current principal, Sean Grycel. With the program’s expansion, LeGaspe has been instrumental in forging relationships with the El Monte high schools, coordinating between administration, mentors, students and the community.

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School is back in session and we’re looking forward to a year of learning and growing for all of our scholars. For rising freshman, the transition to high school can be challenging as students navigate a new school and more rigorous coursework. Many 9^th graders have been finding the leap from middle to high school less overwhelming thanks to preparation and advice from their PSP mentors.

Scholar Andy P. transitioned from Kranz Intermediate to South El Monte High School this year and says the transition was smooth for him. “At the start of the school year, I was confused about my classes,” says Andy. “PSP helped me get my classes sorted out and get my classes on time.” Lizeth V. is the lone PSP scholar at her new high school, Lawndale High, but has felt very supported by her mentor, Jessica Lawson, who helped her prepare, talking with her through the transition about what she needs to do in high school to apply for colleges in the coming years.

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Congratulations to our graduated seniors who are all starting college this fall! Our new Partnership Scholars Program alumni will be attending schools across California and across the country. Scholars will be attending almost every UC including Berkeley and UCLA, George Washington University in Washington, DC, De Paul University in Chicago and more. Read on for a full list.

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Congressman Jared Huffman with Partnership Scholars students and mentor, Larry Sawyer

Five years ago, Larry Sawyer heard about Partnership Scholars Program from a few friends who had been involved as mentors and he thought to himself, “Well, maybe I will do this later.” But there was an immediate need for new mentors to take on the growing number of students in the Fort Bragg area, and Larry decided not to put it off and stepped up to the plate. Larry was paired with one student that year, Damien, and two years later took on a second scholar, Ian.

Even though the boys were a year apart, Larry knew it was a good pairing. Larry has now seen Ian graduate, with Damien preparing for graduation in the coming year. What he’s gained from the two boys is immeasurable. “The one-on-one and one-on-two small group sharing, driving to and from places and the check-ins” are what have been most important to Larry. “It’s good to form relationships with people of other ages than ourselves,” says Larry. “I don’t have my own kids, so this gives me an experience I wouldn’t have otherwise.” Larry emphasizes the benefit of sharing experiences with those younger than himself, gaining their life perspective and giving back, imparting his own wisdom. “It’s healthy for them to have other older people in their lives,” says Larry, pointing out that mentors offer supplemental guidance to what they receive from their parents.

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Michelle Brantley and two of her scholars, Verenice and Kinza at an LA Dodgers game.

Being a new mentor can be as challenging as it is rewarding. Suddenly, you are responsible for having a profound impact on the trajectory of another person’s life. While people encounter mentorship opportunities in different ways throughout their lifetime, establishing a one-on-one mentor-scholar relationship creates a new kind of bond unlike any other.

In her first year working as a secretary at Lennox Middle School, Michelle Brantley felt compelled to finally find out what that special bond was all about. After a colleague of hers handed Michelle a pamphlet and gave her the run-down on why PSP was a mentorship program that really made a difference, Michelle was convinced. This was the year she was going to do it. This was her chance to be a mentor.

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