Changing the Odds: A Transformative Leadership Model for First-Gen Youth

K-12 STEAM education

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

In Los Angeles, zip code still predicts opportunity. First-generation youth from under-resourced communities face intersecting challenges—academic inequity, mental health distress, and limited exposure to outdoor access, leadership, and college or career pathways. Only 52% of LAUSD students meet A-G college requirements; just 20% of first-gen students earn a degree, compared to 49% of their peers. These disparities are compounded by pandemic-era learning loss and rising adolescent mental health crises. Without early, sustained intervention, too many students fall behind before high school. At C5LA, we start early, invest deeply, and evolve with our youth. Our multi-year model delivers mentorship, access, and opportunity—ensuring youth don’t just get into college, but are prepared to lead in life. LA2050 funding will help scale our proven impact and transform possibility into reality for hundreds more first-gen Angelenos.

C5LA’s multi-year leadership journey for first-generation students begins the summer after 8th grade and spans high school through college. Each cohort of 72 Leaders participates in a structured program integrating:
Outdoor Adventure & Leadership Training: High-impact summer experiences where students build trust, confidence, and problem-solving skills—many have never left their neighborhoods or experienced ropes courses and campfires.
Cohort-Based Mentorship: Consistent peer groups and dedicated staff support build belonging, resilience, and lifelong leadership capacity.
College Access & Academic Support: Comprehensive guidance includes test prep, application coaching, financial aid navigation, and targeted academic interventions to combat pandemic-related learning loss.
Career Exposure & Leadership Development: Our “Career Crews” model introduces job shadowing, resume building, interview coaching, and professional networking.
Wellness & Mental Health: Integrated wellness check-ins, workshops, and referrals address urgent youth mental health needs.
The synergy of these components makes C5LA unique—outdoor adventure fosters confidence and purpose foundational to academic and career success, while our cohort model nurtures peer support and leadership growth.

If C5LA is successful, Los Angeles County will be home to a generation of first-generation college graduates who become first-generation professionals, civic leaders, changemakers, and mentors. Our Leaders—once 8th graders from under-resourced communities—will be thriving in careers that reflect their potential, not limited by their zip code.
This success will ripple outward—families lifted out of poverty, neighborhoods strengthened by educated, empowered residents, and institutions transformed by the inclusion of diverse voices who were once excluded. Schools will see higher engagement, colleges will see higher persistence, and industries will see a more representative, innovative workforce.
By scaling our model, we will shift the narrative for what success looks like in Los Angeles—where outdoor access, leadership training, and long-term mentorship are not privileges, but standards. In short, a successful C5LA means a stronger, more equitable Los Angeles for all.