Community Outreach Ministry Cofounders Dr. Mona Salomo-Davies and her husband Coach Bob sponsored “Gearing Up for STEM: Mentor Protégé Workshop” another successful technology event on April 16 for children of incarcerated parents. The organization’s goal is to empower these youth socially, academically, and technologically through workshops which have become just one of the many venues the Davies help at-risk youth improve their social and academic skills. The 2022 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Technology Day Camp was held at the Murrieta Public Library in cooperation with Angel Tree A Program of Prison Fellowship; another organization dedicated to helping the children and families of incarcerated parents. The science kits for the youth were made possible through the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Special Fund Grant Program.
The funding is used to develop and maintain intervention programs that combat drug abuse and divert gang activity for high-risk elementary and secondary school age children. These children of incarcerated parents who are known as Angel Tree children were invited to the event by Community Outreach Ministry; an event in which youth can improve their STEM skills by building robots with both community mentors and older youth. Thank you to STEM volunteers Ankoma Hose, Realtor and USMC Veteran Menifee, Rolando Zeledon, Mission Increase Inland Valleys Area Director Eastvale, Tim and Hugh Carney, founders of Galleria Menifee, and Jacori Neal a college student from Lake Elsinore. Neal has benefited over the years from the programs and activities offered by Community Outreach Ministry and Angel Tree A Program of Prison Fellowship. Neal, a self-taught computer software technician enjoys building, programming, and demonstrating his robots at workshops. Children between eight and 18 are eligible to participate in the STEM mentor-protégé workshops; workshops designed to enhance reading, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a small group or team setting.
Another volunteer integral to the success of the technology camp was Janice Hare, Assistant Angel Tree Coordinator in Wildomar who was instrumental in bringing together the many children and families who attended the event. Hare summed up the event with a quote, “Fun in the sun, youth having fun, robots abuzz and food we love. This was the atmosphere at the Spring Technology Day Camp workshop sponsored by COM. The event included presentations, singing, robot demonstration, workshops, and booths for building mechanical robots, arts, and crafts (Prayer Flag), free summer camp sign ups, career navigation and paid job training for high schoolers. Thanks for the team effort and support from Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, Camp Agape, California Family Life Center – Planet Youth, Sewing Stories, IN-N-Out Burger, Caregivers and Youth. You provided all the ingredients needed in the recipe for another successful and fun filled day at Technology Day Camp!” Enjoy a recap of this fun-filled day at https://vimeo.com/705587474.
As a volunteer-operated 501C (3) organization, the Community Outreach Ministry welcomes donations by sending text message DONATE CHAMPIONS to 609-212-0627 or give online at www.communityoutreachministry.org or call the Davies’ at 951-698-7650.