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Latest Review
Reviewed by: sagelf1
on 09/29/09:
Mission
Spark provides life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities across the United States.
Key Facts
Geographic areas served:
San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, San Rafael, Redwood City), Los Angeles, Chicago
Target demographics:
Spark is the only youth empowerment program in the country that addresses the dropout crisis by re-engaging at-risk students through hands-on, individualized apprenticeships.
These workplace-based apprenticeships—in professions each student has identified as a “dream job”—are complemented by a leadership curriculum, workshops, and field trips. The Spark experience creates a powerful sense of relevance for students, while providing the skills and confidence necessary to find success in school and in life.
Spark offers this program to 7th and 8th grade students, through summer and after-school programs, in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, with plans to extend programs to Chicago for the 2011-2012 school year.
Results to date:
To date, Spark has created over 600 apprenticeships in four California cities, with plans to expand to Chicago for the 2011-2012 school year. In 2011, Spark will create more than 400 additional apprenticeships. Over 98% of Spark’s alumni are on track to graduate high school on time. This is true for only 50-60% of their non-Spark peers in a similar demographic.
Obstacles:
We have had tremendous difficulties securing transportation for the students in our program. Often times their parents are unavailable or unable to drive them to and from apprenticeships and programs. We have often had to pay drivers or rent vans to transport the children.
What your donation will allow us to do:
Ensure that all students, regardless of household income, have the opportunity to be inspired by an apprenticeship in a profession of their choice.
Board Members and Affiliation:
Raj Agrawal, Director, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
Chris Balme, Spark Co-Founder & Executive Director
Dana Bennis, Education Program Associate, Bay & Paul Foundations; Advisor, Calhoun School
Anne Marie Burgoyne, Portfolio Director, Draper Richards Foundation
Christian Cruz, Youth Advisor; Spark Graduate; High School Student at Sequoia High School
Holly Depatie, Philanthropist, Advocate and Activist, Writer
Sarah Friar, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Zia Khan, Vice President, Strategy, Rockefeller Foundation
Nir Margalit, General Counsel, AdFam
John McKee, Board Chairman, Dean of Development & College Relations, University of California - Berkeley
Rodney Prezeau, Vice President, Business Strategy, Charles Schwab
William Schawbel, CEO, Schawbel Corporation
Past and Current Funders:
Aidlin Foundation
All Stars Helping Kids Helping Hand Fund
Anonymous Fund
Anonymous Trust
Ashoka
Autodesk
Bank of America
Barber Family Foundation
Barulich Family Foundation
Bodri Foundation
C.M. Capital Foundation
Clorox Company Foundation Matching Gifts
David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Dean Witter Foundation
Draper Richards Foundation
Dreiseszun Foundation
Durfee Foundation
eBay GIVE Team
Enterprise Holdings
Farese Family Foundation
Franklin & Catherine Johnson Foundation
Frieda C. Fox Foundation
Gap Foundation Gift Matching Program
Genentech
Goldman Sachs Gives Fund
Irene S. Scully Foundation
J.M. Long Foundation
Kaiser Permanente
Kimball Foundation
Koret Foundation
Lincy Foundation
Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund
Louis R. Lurie Foundation
Mary A. Crocker Trust
Microsoft Unlimited Potential
Miranda Lux Foundation
Peery Foundation
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Peter Uccelli Foundation
Raymond & Joanne Lin Foundation
Recchiuti Confections
Robert J. & Paula B. Reynolds Fund
Safeco Agent Giving Program
SanDisk
S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
S.H. Cowell Foundation
Scandling Family Foundation
Schwab Charitable Fund
Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation
State Farm Insurance
Taproot Foundation
Thomas J. Long Foundation
TowerBrook Foundation
Union Bank
Wilsey Foundation
Yahoo! Employee Foundation
PAST FUNDERS
Applied Materials
Atkinson Foundation
Bay & Paul Foundations
Bothin Foundation
Charter Oak Foundation
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation
Dale & Helen Mersereau Fund
GGS Foundation
Gregory Family Fund
John & Marcia Goldman Foundation
Laura & Gary Lauder Philanthropic Fund
Merrill Lynch Matching Gifts
Morris Stulsaft Foundation
Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Northern California Grantmakers
Provident Credit Union
Rainbow Grocery Cooperative
Ramsay Family Foundation
San Francisco Foundation
Salesforce.com
San Mateo Credit Union
Scott Evans Foundation
Shutterfly Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Spansion Employee Giving Program
Staples Foundation for Learning
Symantec Foundation
TJX Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
Westly Foundation
Whole Foods Nickels for Non-Profits
Key Staff
Chris Balme, Executive Director
Jon Spack, Director of Growth
Julie McGuire, Development Director
Sarah Schramm, Development & Communications Manager
Katie Griffin, Grants Manager
Nathalie Wade, Apprenticeships Operations Specialist
Jen Bloomer, Program Director
Katie Krummeck, Program Operations Specialist
Abe Abullarade, Program Coordinator - Redwood City
Lupita Rodriguez, Program Coordinator - San Francisco
Ben Allen, LA Managing Director and General Counsel
Lauren Banister, Bay Area VISTA Outreach Coordinator
Sara Draffin, Bay Area VISTA Outreach Coordinator