Project Special Opportunities

Project Special Opportunities is a one-on-one mentoring program that connects teenage boys who are having trouble in school with a graduate student mentor. Along with poor academic achievement, a number of the boys are involved with substance abuse and many are members of gangs.

The goal of the project is to educate, support, and provide friendship to the teens while at the same time providing service learning to the graduate students. The program consists of 15 mentoring sessions dispersed throughout the school year. In a typical session the boys participate in a group activity aimed at teaching them valuable life lessons such as teamwork, goal orientation, self esteem, and healthy living. Part of the time is allocated for more physical activities such as basketball, football, soccer, or frisbee.

We also run a weekend retreat with the kids and mentors. The events of this weekend stress teamwork, friendship, and responsibility. The program also involves a 24-hour overnight retreat up to Pine Springs Ranch with the kids and mentors from all of the Special Ops sites.

There are three sites – all meet on Friday afternoon on each week as schedule outlines.

• San Gorgonio high school - site meets from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (includes transit time)
• San Bernardino high school - site meets from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (includes transit time)
• Norton Neighborhoods - site meets from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (includes transit time)

The Norton site is an after school project and some of the mentees will be younger than high school age. The meetings will not take place at a high school but rather at Norton Gardens.

How you can get involved

As a student, faculty, or staff member:

Any LLU male student or resident is welcome to volunteer with Project Special Ops! Simply email Lucas King at lking@llu.edu and he will send you the rest of the details.

As a community partner or alumni:

We invite you to contribute in making a difference in the lives served by this program through a donation.

For more information, contact