Mythirdplace

Throwback to Study Hall during our After School Program! In this picture our Executive Director Adrian was helping then-7th grader Jasmin with some math homework while she munched on some M3P-provided snacks. Before Covid-19 hit, our teens were able to spend the first hour of our programming sitting, snacking, and doing homework in a peaceful environment designed for them. We've realized that we took a lot of things for granted - to be able to sit in a room and just be with people, not worrying about being six feet a part or having to wear a mask - and are grateful that despite everything going on right now, we've recently been able to start back with tutoring virtually. We value sitting with our teens and being alongside them in not only their academic journey but also through their personal growth. We're excited and looking forward to the (hopefully soon) day when we can see teens back at our in-person After-School Program, with social distancing norms instilled of course.

Throwback to Famsgiving last year! We have a tradition each year of bringing the M3P Fam together for a big potluck the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Last year we had an incredible time, and lots of memories (including knocking over an entire table of food - luckily all but the corn was saved! Haha.) While we're bummed to not be able to come together in the same way this year, we know it's worth it to stay safe and can't wait to celebrate next year. In the meantime we wish all of you in our greater M3P Fam a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Meet Trinity! Trinity has been volunteering with MYTHIRDPLACE through our after-school program for several years, ever since she was a freshman in college at APU. She is one of the most gentle and thoughtful people and mentors we know. She is a great listener and even better at giving advice, always able to help teens make good decisions and there to comfort them through a hard day. Every time she walks in the room, Trinity immediately engages the teens with a hug and a smile and love to hang out and play games with them. She is currently home in the Sacramento area due to the pandemic so it's been a long minute since we've been able to see her in person, but we never forget her amazing heart and impact on our teens. Trinity, we love that you wear your heart on your sleeve and are always willing to cultivate relationships with teens. We’re so blessed to have you as mentor at MYTHIRDPLACE and can't wait to see you again soon!

Throwback to FAMCAMP 2018 at Castaic Lake! FAMCAMP is a yearly trip we take with our teens and mentors to one of the several state parks, beaches, or forests, in partnership with California State Parks which provides us with all the necessities to go camping. At FAMCAMP, teens are challenged to step out of their comfort zones, fully engage in the camping experience, and engage in teambuilding and leadership development together. At this particular FAMCAMP, we discovered when we arrived that the kayaks and paddle boats that had been available to us in previous years wouldn't be available this year. We were all a little disappointed, to say the least. Luckily, one of our mentors Wendy was a total G.O.A.T, made several phone calls, and was able to get a water program outside of Castaic Lake to come provide us with kayaks and paddle boats. This picture shows Dae (front), Sydney (middle), and Jesse (back) out on the water enjoying themselves along with the rest of our crew thanks to Wendy's amazing determination. What could have been a disappointing trip ended up being a great memory and lots of fun for the M3P Fam.

Meet Ariana! She is currently in 10th grade but started coming when she was in 7th grade with her twin brother. Ariana is super sweet, loves to laugh (this photo actually shows her a second before she's about to crack up laughing), and is a great friend who is always down to hangout. We have seen her grow so much in the past three years, and we are especially proud of how she has grown in her desire to serve and love her community. We haven't been able to see her as much as we've wanted since she moved a bit further away, but we still keep in touch with her virtually and are always excited to see her when she comes around. Ariana, we love your bubbly personality and your heart to serve! You will always be a part of the M3P fam and we miss you very much.