IN THIS ISSUE
From Our CEO | From Transition to Construction | Jill Jacobson
Spotlight on Staff | Celebrating Behind-the-Scenes Heroes
Spotlight on Our Board | New Roles for Brian Evans & Marco Durazo
Highlight on Specialized Student Support Services | Honoring Our CyberPatriot XVIII Competitors
Highlight on Afterschool | Fun + Celebration = Joy
Highlight on ACE | It's All About Positive Transformation (Melany's Story)
Highlight on ACE Initiative | Supporting Students in So Many Ways
Thank You for Your Dedication – and Your Generosity
Calendar | Upcoming Events
From Our CEO:
From Transition to Construction
Jill Jacobson
The new year is off to an enthusiastic and optimistic start for everyone at EduCare!
2025 was an important year of transition and evolution. In my first year as CEO, I worked closely with our Leadership, Extended Leadership, and Management teams, as well as our Board, to strengthen EduCare's structure by reworking, clarifying, and automating – with the goal of increasing efficiency and creating replicable programs, systems, and processes. An effective reorganization strengthened our Leadership and Extended Leadership teams.
Now, as 2026 gets underway, we are looking towards a year of construction and growth, by building on our existing programs, business models, and great relationships with new and current partners, vendors, and clients. With our goal of continuous improvement, we have been reviewing and reimagining our programs with a continuous eye on our strategic vision of 1,000,000 Bright Lights by 2030. It's an exciting time to be steering EduCare towards its vibrant future.
Elsewhere in this newsletter, you will read about two of our outstanding Board members who took on new roles during the fourth quarter of 2025 – Dr. Brian Evans, now our Board Chair, and Dr. Marco Durazo, in the newly-established position of Vice Chair. Our strong alignment of goals and vision creates a dynamic space for creativity and new ideas, and it is a real pleasure to work closely with both Bryan and Marco as we carefully strategize EduCare's growth and future.
I am also delighted to be highlighting our outstanding administrative staff in this issue of the newsletter. Each member of the Finance, Human Resources, Compliance, and Logistics teams diligently supports EduCare's mission, vision, and values. By doing so, they provide a strong infrastructure in which our school-site staff members can fully concentrate on the programs, services, and interactive supports they provide our students. Their commitment and devotion to the youth we serve make theman essential part of our organization. I could not do this work without them, and I am grateful for them every day.
I warmly wish every member of our extended EduCare family – students, schools, staff, community partners, and supporters – a very happy, healthy 2026. Thank you for standing with us as we continue to bring the power of Heartset® Education to our young people!
Spotlight on Staff:
Celebrating Behind-the-Scenes Heroes
In this issue of the newsletter, we are highlighting 16 dedicated administrative staff members, who work in the essential areas of Human Resources, Finance, Compliance, and Logistics. Because they are focused on keeping EduCare humming, our Afterschool, ACE, ACE Initiative, and Specialized Student Support Services team members can put all their energies into serving our students and school communities.
Valerie Ali, Human Resources Senior Manager
Joseph Montesdeoca, Human Resources Senior Coordinator
Arturo Cabral, Human Resources Associate
Arturo Garay, Compliance Manager
Esmeralda Serna, Compliance Assistant
Andre Yacapin, Compliance Assistant
Coila Romero, Senior Finance Manager
Edward Klein, Senior Staff Accountant
Howard Doria, Staff Accountant
Jennifer Rivas, Purchasing Assistant
Salvador Solorio, Financial Support (temporary)
Rocio Rodriguez, Program Manager
Zeltzin Baez-Luevano, Program Logistics and Event Coordinator
Louis Vargas, Logistics and Supplies Coordinator
Andres Sandoval, Logistics and Supplies Assistant
Jaycy Hernandez, Social Media Support | ACE Event Captain/Support Staff
A very Heartfelt thanks to each of you for the outstanding work you do, and for the love you have for the students we all serve!
Spotlight on Our Board:
New Roles for
Brian Evans, PhD
& Marco Durazo, PhD
Just as 2025 was a year of transition and reorganization for EduCare overall, it also featured significant changes for two members of our Board of Directors. Dr. Brian Evans has taken on the role of Chairman
(following the unfortunate loss of former Chairman Nicholas Brown in September of last year). And the Board has added the new position of Vice Chairman, held by Dr. Marco Durazo. Both Marco and Brian are working closely with CEO Jill Jacobson to provide ongoing oversight of the organization, and to ensure that EduCare's vision, as outlined in A Million Bright Lights, becomes a vibrant reality.
Brian Evans, PhD
Brian Evans, PhD | Chairman, EduCare Board of Directors
President, Brian Evans Coaching, Inc.; Strategist, Advisor, Author & Speaker; Creator of Metapossible
When asked what he enjoys about being on EduCare's Board, Dr. Brian Evans enthusiastically responds, "The people! Every single person who works there brings love into the room. EduCare is an important force in the world for good. So many people want to do something to make the world better; EduCare offers a way, by providing a container to step into."
Brian is still defining his new role as Chairman, and has begun by actively listening to both staff and leadership. He strongly feels the responsibility of having been called to serve, and looks forward to continuing to bring his big heart – and extensive strategic and coaching skills – to the service of EduCare and its mission.
When he's not chairing EduCare's Board, or working with his own clients, Brian loves to travel. In particular, he is enthusiastic learning about cultures unfamiliar to him: their history, how they evolved, what traditions have survived over time. For instance, he recently visited Norway, delving into a culture that has developed over millenia, including spending time with the native Sami people. An upcoming journey to Kyoto and Hakone will give him the opportunity to study the intersection of traditional spiritual and warrior cultures.
When Brian is at home, he recharges by spending quiet time engaged in meditation or martial arts.
Marco Durazo, PhD
Marco Durazo, PhD | Vice Chairman, EduCare Board of Directors
Professor of Politics, University of San Francisco
Dr. Marco Durazo has a natural love and affinity for young people. He loves being part of EduCare's Board because "EduCare moves the needle for so many students." He knows first-hand what it's like to find school challenging, especially when there is no afterschool support to provide targeted mentorship and guidance. He motivated himself, guided by the words, "Your calling will find you." That led to his job as the first Afterschool Site Coordinator at Sylmar High School – and, ultimately, to his joining EduCare's Board in 2023.
Marco wants to be part of the energy of EduCare, and to be an active participant in its growth. He strongly believes that the organization must not only maintain its outstanding student and professional programs, but ensure its solid future. He's excited about EduCare's expansion, while maintaining the quality "and the magic," that special quality that makes us unique. Marco is very focused on leveraging the outstanding skillsets brought by his fellow Board members, calibrating the Board so that it becomes an even more effective guiding body as EduCare continues to grow and thrive.
He is kept busy outside of his Board duties, not only by teaching and mentoring his own students, but as a regular Op-Ed contributor to the San Mateo Daily Journal and as the author of a forthcoming book. And he is a very actively engaged father of two young children.
Highlight on Specialized Student Support Services
Honoring Our CyberPatriot XVIII Competitors
EduCare’s Specialized Student Support Services focus on case management, English language learners support, and substance abuse prevention and intervention. Our programs include TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education), LAP (Language in Action Program), CyberPatriot, and Case Management.
What is CyberPatriot? It's the National Youth Cyber Education Program, created by the Air & Space Forces Association. It is designed to inspire K-12 students to seek careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, all critical to our nation's future.
At the center of CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, which puts teams of middle and high school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. Through a series of online competition rounds, teams are given a set of virtual operating systems and are tasked with finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services.
This year, 12 EduCare schools had students competing in CyberPatriot XVIII. With the support of EduCare's site coordinators, CyberPatriot coaches, and the students themselves, these teams have worked collaboratively to perform at a high level in cyber defense. Four EduCare schools – North Hollywood High School, San Fernando High School, Hamilton High School, and Van Nuys High School – advanced to the Semi-Final Competition! They have worked extremely hard throughout the year, and we are delighted to acknowledge their dedication and achievements.
Highlight on Afterschool
Fun + Celebration = Joy
Afterschool Programs are always in full swing, ready to make school even more engaging for our students. From science experiments to art projects, our students are given ample opportunities to enhance creativity, learning, and critical thinking.
Here's a small sampling of the variety of student-led, inventive afterschool activities that have been happening in the EduCare family of schools.
Downtown Magnets High School | Dance Club | Edgar Cortez
Students created and lead a performance dance club that introduces dancers at all levels of experience to dance fundamentals and choreography.
Close friendships are a wonderful bonus!
Locke High School | Winter Festival | Jessica Baldovinos
Locke HS presented their first collaboration with the school’s Saint Student Government (SSG) leadership team, and their partnership resulted in an amazing event. All students were excited to kick off winter break with a wide variety of activities, from dancing to game booths and decorating cookies.
San Fernando Institute for Applied Media (SFiAM) | Open Mic Nights | Robert Gonzalez
On selected Fridays, Open Mic Night showcases several daily school programs: Financial Literacy/EduBucks, Café, and Music. The SFiAM Team supports students by supervising the Café program and opening the café. Financial Literacy participants help fellow students with their EduBucks and bank accounts. The Music program has a series of scheduled performances. All other programs come and enjoy the open mic event.
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School (VAPA) | Theater Program | Edgar Cortez
The EduCare Theater Program gives students a creative, supportive space to explore performance, storytelling, and self-expression. Theater activities help students build confidence, learn collaborative skills, and develop appreciation for the performing arts. EduCare hosts special appreciation events at the opening and closing of each production; these allow us to recognize students' efforts, honor their commitment, and demonstrate our gratitude for the hard work, time, creativity, and passion they bring to the stage.
Washington Preparatory High School | Senior Sunrise | Jessica Baldovinos
Seniors had a fun time beginning their journey into the last year of high school. Bringing their inner artists to the fore, they crafted artistic banners – creating instant memories of their road to graduation. Sharing a delicious breakfast with each other and EduCare staff celebrated their new journey.
Vaughn MIT Middle School | Universal Studios Trip | Melizza Corral
EduCare recognized 50 students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher for their academic achievement by taking them to Universal Studios. It was a huge success! Students had a terrific time, and they were proud to be recognized for their hard work. It also provided motivation for their continued striving for success. Parents gave us positive feedback, as well, saying how grateful they were for the opportunity, and for the ongoing support EduCare staff members provide their children beyond the classroom.
Highlight on ACE
It’s All About Positive Transformation
(Melany’s Story)
During a recent ACE 3-Day Program at a Los Angeles Unified School District high school, our team worked closely with Melany, a Spanish-speaking student, who initially refused to participate. In fact, she stated that she “did not see the point” of the program, and wanted to leave.
Alison, one of our stellar ACE facilitators, spoke with Melany privately in Spanish, learning that she had attended four different schools in three years – a level of instability that clearly made it difficult for her to trust, connect, or form stable relationships. As they spoke, Melany realized that her resistance wasn’t about the ACE program, it was really about her fear of connection. With empathy, patience, and encouragement, Alison invited her to give the program a chance. By the end of Day 1, Melany had started participating.
By Day 3, that small shift had become a beautiful transformation!
Melany went from saying nothing to speaking confidently with the microphone, sharing all her answers in Spanish. Her courage inspired other Spanish-speaking students to follow her lead, creating a ripple effect of confidence and connection across the room. She even asked to speak at Family Night (the concluding event of our ACE Program), where she stood courageously before fellow students, attending parents, teachers, and the ACE team. She spoke about having wanted to leave the workshop at the beginning, and how the program made her feel seen, heard, and safe enough to open up and connect. It was an emotional moment for everyone present.
ACE staff members shared how much it meant to them to witness Melany’s transformation from disengaged to fully involved. Alison's intentional connection with Melany was a pivotal moment that set the tone for everyone who participated that week. Jahmie Hilecher, one of the facilitators, said that Melany's journey is an example of why we never give up on students, and that it changes everything when we reach out, meet them where they are, and stay calm and consistent.
Melany's story reminded us all of the purpose of ACE and EduCare: providing students with a space to feel safe, valued, and empowered to reach their highest potential. Stories like this exist because of the work we do.
Thank you to our outstanding ACE team for showing up each day with heart, intention, and commitment!
Highlight on ACE Initiative
Supporting Students in So Many Ways
During the 2025 Fall semester, ACE Initiative supported more than 3,500 students across nine Los Angeles schools. Our ACE Initiative Site Administrators create emotionally safe, fun, and engaging school environments throughout the school year – and they are eager to continue and expand this support in the upcoming Spring semester.
Community circles
Community circles help students build trust, strengthen social-emotional skills, create a sense of belonging, and work on EduCare's Heartset® skills. Each school determines how best to schedule circles, from weekly to a few times a month. Our ACE Initiative staff starts each circle with a fun game or icebreaker, then introduces guided questions to encourage students to discuss their experiences and thoughts on different topics (e.g., family, kindness, or gratitude). Community circle agreements keep conversations respectful and productive.
Fun Fridays
Lunchtime activities for all students are the basis for Fun Fridays. ACE Initiative staff host a wide range of entertaining activities – from bracelet making and board games, to sports tournaments and holiday-themed projects. Since new LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) guidelines disallow student cell phones during the school day, Fun Friday activities help keep students engaged by having fun.
Post-Graduation Planning
ACE Initiative staff are always on hand to assist students to build their resumes, prepare for interviews, and make a post-gradudation plan. They are also involved in college guidance, helping students both to choose colleges and then supporting them during the application and financial aid process.
Life Support
From practical support, like sourcing donations of clothing and personal care products, to inspirational support, by being positive adult role models, our staff go the extra mile for our students.
Thank you for Your Dedication – and Your Generosity!
Because of your generous support for EduCare, starting with Giving Tuesday and continuing through the end of the year, we are able to provide even more resources to underserved communities, grounded in Heartset® skills and principles. Your support truly means the world to us!
Thank you for your belief in our mission. Thanks to you, we are expanding our transformative programming to even more of the young people we serve.
We are truly grateful to have you alongside us; you are such an important part of our community. Please know that your generosity is making an impact!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Save a Sweetheart
February 9-13
Student-led activities to spread the word about the dangers of tobacco and vaping
EduCare Week
February 23-27
First annual celebration of EduCare programs on school campuses
BOOST Conference
March 28 - April 2
Premier annual event for nationwide afterschool, expanded learning, and in-school time professionals