A grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) through the Riverside County Nonprofit Assistance Fund will allow Riverside Arts Academy (RAA) to expand its faculty. Executive and artistic director Adam Karelin said those resources come at a pivotal time as the academy continues to grow. 

“We’re able to now grow the size of our impact,” Karelin said. “We think of impact not just in terms of the raw number of students who are served, but how many hours a week are those students spending in our program. We have an average that’s higher than three hours a week per student receiving music instruction. So, we’re really looking at things like the quality of instructors.”

Since receiving the grant, the intrepid nonprofit was able to conduct broader searches for high-quality faculty members. To that end, it eventually hired a new director for its popular mariachi program, Alex Treviño II. 

“Alex comes to us with a background in professional mariachi and in music education where he has played with some of the best mariachi ensembles in the world,” Karelin said, noting that RAA was able to recruit the performer from Mariachi los Camperos, the Grammy Award-winning mariachi ensemble of which he was a valued member.

“He was able to fly out to the Latin Grammys to play there, then fly back to teach his class on Saturdays here at the Riverside Arts Academy,” Karelin added. “When we’re able to receive this kind of support from an organization like IECF, we’re able to invest in quality again, not just in the number of students served, but the quality of service that we’re able to provide.”

Those services are revered, in fact. Riverside Arts Academy has grown considerably over the years. At its core, it is a significant mentoring program in the region, providing inspirational and creative arts education to children and youth of Riverside as a tool for community transformation. 

Founding President Collette Lee remains a stronghold here, offering many hours of weekly instruction in arts classes that run the gamut from band and strings to mariachi. Orchestra and percussion. More than 2,000 students are served annually, with several standout groups emerging into the spotlight. 

Those include the following ensembles: the Riverside Youth Orchestra, the Riverside Honor Band, the Riverside Children’s Choir, and the Mariachi Juvenil de Riverside, all of which perform at regional events and shows. 

And while many locals may be aware of the organization’s flagship program in the Cesar Chavez Community Center, Karelin points out that the organization’s world is much broader than the well-known outpost.

“The majority of the 500 students in our program… we see them at their school sites in after-school programs that are partnerships with Riverside Unified, Alvord Unified, and the Jurupa Unified School District,” Karelin said. “We’ve served 15 public schools this year that way, again, at specific school sites. We love our Saturday program. Of course, that’s where everybody kind of comes together from all of our different sites, students from all across the region are able to convene. But again, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

This year, RAA will provide classes seven days a week to students ages 7 to 18.” We’ve got orchestra, choir, band, mariachi, and our new guitar program,” Karelin added.

On the horizon: A gala. The 2025 “Rising Stars” gala takes place on February 1. Visit the website for tickets and more information.

Learn more at riversideartsacademy.com.

This article originally appeared in the Press-Enterprise, January 2025.

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The post Grantee Spotlight: Riverside Arts Academy plans to increase its number of instructors with recent grant appeared first on IECF.

Youth Action Project (YAP) was launched in 1998 to create systems and programming that are led by youth voices. The organization creates opportunities for youth to develop new skills and habits that help them along the path to economic and social success. The organization works with over 1,500 young people annually through three major programs.

Young Scholars works with high school students in San Bernardino city and Rialto Unified School District. Afterschool programming pairs college students and recent college graduates with high-school students to provide mentorship, academic coaching and enrichment activities. Through the program, students identify their interests and strengths and build a path to future success. College-aged peers, who are often pursuing careers in teaching or social services, gain work experience while inspiring and guiding younger peers.

YAP recognizes that a lack of education and experience often hinders young people from pursuing careers and finding a well-paying job. Young Workers provides out-of-school opportunities to gain the skills and experience to enhance access to jobs with sustainable wages. The program provides case management that connects young people with work-readiness training, educational assistance and paid work experience. Alumni have secured jobs at nonprofits, government agencies, corporation and have also launched their own businesses.

“Our young people are amazing,” YAP’s co-founder and Executive Director Tremaine Mitchell said. “I am always enamored with the innovation, creativity and dedication that they have. Sometimes my job is just to get out of the way and let them lead me.”

YAP considers the overall needs of youth struggling to succeed and works with nonprofit partners to help them face the challenges. In addition to paid work experience, the organization helps with clothing, transportation and resources for housing if they are an obstacle.

For example, when YAP discovered that one of their volunteers, who had a bachelor’s degree, was living in her car with her children, they connected her with resources. A partner nonprofit organization assisted her with housing and hired her on staff. YAP was then able to secure a scholarship for her to continue her education and graduate with her master’s degree. Today, she stays connected with YAP and wants to help other youth overcome their challenges.

YAP’s third major program, Young Leaders Inc (YLinc), provides hands-on training in community outreach and digital marketing. YLinc is the organization’s issues advocacy and communication firm, supporting civic initiatives. Youth can receive free training in web design, social media, podcasting, and many other marketing skills.

Recently, YAP received a grant from the IE Black Equity Fund through the Inland Empire Community Foundation. While the organization has always focused on direct service, this grant will give YAP the foundation to enter the world of advocacy and create systemic change. Mitchell envisions working toward creating a future where students’ needs are met and organizations like YAP are not needed.

YAP depends on donations and grants to provide a full suite of services and welcomes donations. There is also a need for professionals interested in being guest speakers, mentors and offering job shadow opportunities. The organization is also always screening for additions to its board of directors.

YAP encourages the community to refer young people to their programming. Regardless of their starting point, YAP strives to match youth with a coach or mentor who will guide them through the journey to achieve economic sustainability.

“We meet youth wherever they are,” Mitchell said. “Whether it’s a high school student or a college grad, we put them on the path to goal attainment. I’m excited to see what this next generation of leaders is going to accomplish.”

More information: https://youthactionproject.org/ or (909) 381-1405

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