A joyful milestone from Friends of the Children–SF Bay Area!

On Saturday, June 7, we hosted our 4th annual Step-Up Celebration, a special event to honor the amazing youth we serve as they transition into middle school and high school. This celebration is more than just a promotion ceremony—it is a moment of reflection, pride, and recognition of each youth’s growth and journey with the support of their long-term Professional Mentor and the Friends–SF community. This year’s celebration marked a particularly meaningful moment: our very first 8th grade promotion ceremony.

It was powerful to reflect on how far these rising 8th graders have come—all of whom we’ve known since they were just 5 years old. Watching them step into this next chapter, surrounded by their families and long-term Professional Mentors, was both emotional and inspiring. At Friends-SF, our 12+ year commitment to youth and their families remains unwavering. We are honored to continue walking alongside them as they embark on the next phase of their academic journey—high school.

Our dedicated Professional Mentors imparted words of encouragement and expressed their pride in reaching this achievement during the ceremony. Deshon, one of our Professional Mentors, addressed his rising 8th grade youth, *Josiah, in front of all staff, youth, caregivers, and siblings:

“We’ve built a strong relationship over the years, and reaching this point together means so much. You’ve come such a long way, and I couldn’t be more proud of you. As you move on to high school, carry this same energy, drive, and confidence with you. Don’t let anything stand in the way of achieving your goals—because you are capable of amazing things.”

The Professional Mentors’ reflections were a powerful reminder of the deep, long-term bonds at the heart of our model, and the resilience, growth, and joy shared between youth and Mentors. Even more special, the celebration took place at our clubhouse, marking one of our final gatherings at our current location before we transition into our new, permanent home. It was a beautiful way to close a chapter and mark new beginnings, both for the youth we serve and for Friends–SF as we continue to grow. We are looking forward to deepening our impact by adding new partner schools to our network as we expand—building on the 31 school sites we currently serve.

Thank you for standing with resilient and inspiring youth like Josiah. Your partnership and belief in our mission continue to drive lasting change in the lives of the youth we support.

*Name has been changed for anonymity