Fall Academy and Tomorrow’s Leaders Program Highlights A Successful Fall

Posted: November 23, 2020

The six-week Fall Academy, using a hybrid model that incorporated online instruction with outdoor, socially-distanced team workouts, wrapped up this month after serving over 270 boys and girls. Noting an exciting increase in student participation and engagement, Beat the Streets Los Angeles plans to continue providing a fun and safe outlet for our youth in coming months.

“Fall outdoor workouts with Beat the Streets LA have provided my children with much needed social interaction and exercise. We have been adhering to the guidance that staying home and isolating is the most effective protection, but it has taken its toll on all of us. The kids were active in the wrestling program prior to the pandemic, it was difficult to go from very busy to a complete halt.

“Fall outdoor workouts have given them more structure and a closer to normal schedule. The workouts definitely changed their overall mood. The weeks that involved the exercise I noticed they fell asleep earlier and faster, were even up earlier the next morning.”

– Danielle Paschall, Mom to Brooklyn (7), Everett (8), and Maddison (13) at the Downtown Academy

A special thank you to our Fall Academy Finale virtual guest, Afsoon Johnston, the first U.S. woman to earn a World Championships medal – for taking time to speak with our boys and girls about her incredible journey on Thursday, November 19th.

The inaugural Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, designed for 17 special alumni and mature high school students, also concluded its initial phase this fall. Workshop seminars centered on topics such as college and career planning, finances, wrestling training and coaching tips, and much more. It came to a close on Thursday, November 12th when Beat the Streets LA Board Member and Retail Manager of Development at Apple, Brian Guerrero, hosted the closing seminar.

“The Tomorrow’s Leaders Program has not only offered me career opportunities, but also enlightened me on a more realistic and focused way of thinking. As the son of immigrants, I do not have too many professional mentors I can lean on when considering career choices, and the program has connected me to such mentors.

“As a direct result of Tomorrow’s Leaders, I will be starting an internship to learn more about the real estate industry, a field I had no previous knowledge or experience in prior to the program.”

– William Cha, high school senior and current Downtown Academy Coach & Mentor

As always, we extend our gratitude to all our coaches and mentors, families and supporters that help make these opportunities possible for the youth in our programs.

Stay up to date on our future programming by following our social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as well as our website btsla.org.