“There’s nothing as exciting as a comeback—seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.” —Rachel Griffiths
I was honored to address 27 high school graduates of the Urban Corps Charter School last week. I shared my life story to help them realize that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Because of the dedicated teachers and staff at this organization, these young men and women were given a second chance at school, and many of them will be the first members of their families heading off to college. At a Sage Executive Group meeting this past Tuesday, I mentioned how eight of the students have received college scholarships this year and how it would be really special to give all 27 students a scholarship at their June 27, 2014 graduation. In the past several days, five of our generous Sage members have reached out to fund a scholarship. Now, nearly half the class will have scholarships. Only 14 students to go!
Urban Corps of San Diego is a San Diego-based nonprofit conservation corps that provides a high school education and green job training to young adults from ages 18 to 25. The majority of youth employed at Urban Corps did not succeed in a traditional high school setting and have little or no job training. Urban Corps offers them a second chance to go back to school and develop new skills, while contributing to the overall quality of life in the San Diego area. Their participation increases the connection these young people feel to their community, their environment  and to their own futures. When they care about all three, it benefits us all. Urban Corps is proud to have served more than 10,000 youth since 1989.
— Jerry Rollins, CEO of Sage Executive Group