Page 40 - 2022 May Report

By: David Blaikie
May Report 2022
Operation Jump Start report
On Monday, May 2, 2022, Bobby Krause, Susan Krause, and I had the pleasure of visiting an organization called Operation Jump Start (OJS) in Long Beach, California. (Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County with a population of about 500,000, making it the 42nd-most populous city in the United States. It is on the coast, 24 miles south of the city of Los Angeles.)
The mission of Operation Jump Start is to help economically-disadvantaged, first-generation students get into and graduate from a four-year college. Beginning in 8th grade, OJS students are supported by a team of mentors, tutors, and counselors to provide them with the support they need to make that educational journey. OJS serves between 250-350 students annually, all Long Beach Unified School District students, ranging in age from 13 to 23.
The day of our visit coincided with a yearly event celebrating the upcoming high school graduation of OJS students and their transition into post-secondary education. There were about a dozen students in attendance, some parents and an OJS board member, in addition to the OJS Executive Director and staff. It was a great opportunity for the JSF contingent to meet and talk with all these folks. A buffet meal was served, and there was a short ceremony in which the students were recognized for their achievements, and each was given a graduation scarf.
Before the event got underway, we met with Ms. Irene Quevedo, Executive Director and Ms. Rebecca Ridge, Community Outreach Supervisor, and talked about the organization. Ms. Quevedo has been with OJS since 2009 and has 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Ms. Ridge is a first-generation college graduate and started with OJS in 2020. Ms. Quevedo pointed out that OJS is just one of many similar organizations in the county, and that she attends an annual conference which brings them all together. Later at the event, I had a chance to talk to Mr. Kevin Melvin, Student Access Coordinator. His involvement with OJS began in 2016 when he worked in the student recruitment process. In my view, these are impressive individuals, very knowledgeable, experienced and committed.
We also had the opportunity to talk with a Board member, Mr. Mark Christoffels. He has practiced as a civil engineer for about 40 years. He is a mentor in the
OJS program as well. He talked about how rooted
OJS is in the community. He is a strong supporter
of the program and spoke highly of the staff. He emphasized how rewarding it has been to mentor students, to meet them in 8th grade, and see them graduate from high school and college.
The most interesting part of the day was a chance to chit chat with the students. I asked them about their educational and career plans and about how OJS has helped them achieve their goals. Each had a mature grasp of their futures, and were well informed about the road ahead, a fact that they attributed to the work of OJS. They praised the mentoring support received over the years, the visits to college campuses arranged by OJS and the camaraderie that developed among their cohort.
JSF recently approved a $15,000 grant (with 1:1 matching) in support of OJS’ College Access and Success Program.
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