Congratulations, Graduates!

In June, 48 Rancho Cielo graduates celebrated their achievements. Those who didn’t believe they would get their diplomas, did; those who were told they wouldn’t be able to, did. Some had dropped out because they needed to earn money to help their family (I recommend to you the PBS story on our website by young director Monika Navarro); some were previously incarcerated and thought they had missed their opportunity; some had been unsuccessful in the traditional educational model. Their diploma is their achievement and theirs alone; no one can take their education from them.

These faces- full of hope, plans for the future, self esteem- these faces are a result of your gifts and support. Your gifts pay for the salaries of our Licensed General Contractor, our Certified Executive Chef, and the Case Managers that help our students remove barriers to success. Your gifts pay for the maintenance of this 100-acre property that is a respite from overcrowded homes and dangerous neighborhoods. Your gifts ensure small class sizes, flexible teaching methods and mental health counseling. In short, your gifts ensure that 130 young people, aged 16-24, have this place to excel and our staff to nurture them on their path to self-sufficiency.

Poverty is not a lack of income, it’s a lack of opportunity. These young people demonstrate passion for their own growth. We – donors, volunteers and staff – we just facilitate their ability to grow.

In this issue, you see the photograph of parents and abuela caught watching their son, Juan Cervantes (the young poet featured in our last issue) and a glimpse of the faces full of hope for the future of our graduates. Enjoy.

Sincerely,

Susie Brusa

this issue Executive Director’s Message P.1

Academic Year Accomplishments P.1 2014 Family Fun Day P.2

Campus News P.3 Now Recruiting P.3

Save the Date! P.4

August 2014

48 High School diplomas awarded

22 Culinary certificates awarded

Employment placements for this year’s culinary graduates include: Roy’s at Spanish Bay, Sticks at Spanish Bay, From Scratch in Carmel, Cannery Row Brewing Company, and CSUMB

4 Silver Star students traveled to Daytona, Ohio as part of Sean Tucker’s “Every Kid Can Fly” program

Rancho Cielo earns the 2014 Business Excellence Award for Non-Profits/Organizations (Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce)

We begin to provide transportation to campus for South County students

2013-2014 Academic Year

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2014 FAMILY FUN DAY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014

Dodgeball Tournament: 9:30am

Booths & Activities: 10:30am to 2:30pm

visit www.ranchocieloyc.org for more information

Fishing

Archery

Ranch Dash

Live Music

Tractor Hay Rides

Cow Patty Bingo

Mo. Co. Sheriff Zip Line

Much, much, more!

Join us on Sunday, August 24th, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm

for Rancho Cielo’s 4th Annual Family Fun Day!

You might recall that last year we welcomed over 150

community volunteers and over 1,000 visitors from

all over the county. Guests enjoyed hiking scenic

Salinas Valley trails, climbing aboard a fire truck,

participating in campus sporting events, fishing in

the pond, learning from community booths, and

lunching on a delicious Bar-B-Que.

Building upon our success from the last three years,

we are thrilled to offer an exciting array of FREE

family-oriented activities yet again… from gardening

and face painting, to pony rides and a ranch-dash.

We are especially excited to host our Second Annu-

al Corporate Dodge Ball Tournament and our Best

of the Valley Salsa Contest. There will be sensation-

al raffle packages and much, much more!

Bring Your “D” Game!

To The 2nd Annual

Rancho Cielo -Duck, Dive, and Dip-

Dodgeball Tournament!

Cost is $600 Per Team

(Covers entry fee)

Grand Prize for 1st Prize- $1,000

2nd Place- $500

3rd Place- $300

Special Prize for Most Creative Team Uniform

Get Your Team Together and Register Now!

The Judge John Phillips Legacy Society

The Judge John Phillips Legacy Circle honors Judge

Phillips, founder of Rancho Cielo, and his vision to

end youth violence through education and job

training. Your legacy gift will ensure that the impact we have

today continues tomorrow and forever.

If you’re considering a gift to Rancho Cielo through your estate,

or have already done so, please let us know. For more

information contact Susie Brusa, Executive Director, at

831-444-3503 or susie@ranchocieloyc.org.

Independent Living Village In a typical year, Fall quarter represents many new beginnings for

Rancho Cielo: a new school year, a new group of students, the

re-opening of the Academy Dining Room after Summer recess, and

a new fiscal year. This particular Fall, we will also experience the

launch of Rancho Cielo’s

newest program, the

Independent Living Village.

Scheduled to open its doors

in October of 2014, RC’s

Independent Living Village

will provide temporary

housing for up to 25 young

men between the ages of 18-

24, who are homeless and/or at-risk in their current living

environments. Designed as a small residential village made up of 5

houses and a laundry room/storage unit and clustered around a

central courtyard suitable for BBQs or other informal gatherings,

this transitional housing project represents a new beginning for

some of our most vulnerable youth.

Although included in Rancho Cielo’s master plan created nearly 14

years ago, construction for this project began in 2011 through the

Department of Labor’s YouthBuild grant opportunity. Working in

partnership with Hartnell’s Green Construction program, over 75

Rancho Cielo participants have received construction training and

college credits through the construction of these homes. With

construction near completion and programming set to start, the

village now moves forward with new purpose, to provide a home

for those that are working on their future success but who lack the

necessary infrastructure for a successful transformation.

To the many volunteers, students, staff, businesses, foundations,

and individuals who have supported this project, we thank you. We

could not have done this without you.

CAMPUS NEWS

-Bubba Paris, former San Francisco 49er’s message to RC students

“IN THIS WORLD OF ME, ME, ME. CAN WE

START THINKING ABOUT WE, WE, WE?”

If you’d like to schedule a campus tour, please call

831-444-3530 or email mcflores@ranchocieloyc.org.

EVERY KID CAN FLY

SEAN T., HERIBERTO L., OCTAVIO O., ISAAC M., JENIVIE R.

Board of Directors

Rancho Cielo Officers John M. Phillips, President Don Chapin, Vice President

Robert V. Sanford III, Treasurer Dale Ellis, Secretary

Board Members

Ted Balestreri Pam Butler

Ricky Cabrera Karen Curtis

Pete Delgado Kelly McMillin Arlene Mead John Narigi

Jimmy Panetta Mike Zimmerman

Executive Director

Susie Brusa

Sarda Desmond 831.444.3521

sdesmond@ranchocieloyc.org

*Academy Dining Room Opens Oct. 17*

Development Director

-Construction Academy/ Youth Corps

Manny Aguilar 831.444.3525

maguilar@ranchocieloyc.org

Student Enrollment

-Drummond Culinary Academy

Mark Bruszer 831. 917.3982

mbruszer@ranchocieloyc.org

Save the Date!

PO BOX 6948

Salinas, CA 93912

831.444.3533 ph

831.444.3550 fax

www.ranchocieloyc.org

Vision: To transform the lives of at-risk youth and empower them to become accountable, competent, productive and responsible citizens

Event/Dining Room Reservations

Cecilia Flores 831.444.3530

mcflores@ranchocieloyc.org

6th Annual Culinary Round Up

Sunday, February 8, 2015

5-8pm

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

Featuring:

The Best Local Chefs and

The Finest of Monterey County Wines

For more information, please call:

831-444-3530

Volunteer Coordinator

Laura Nicola 831.444.3507

lnicola@ranchocieloyc.org