Mission Statement

 With over 50 different contributors,including public elected officials, that have experienced and specialize in almost every related situation, our mentoring program simply understands. We have people that listen and can provide insight on real life experiences. They can not only share stories of overcoming challenges but provide a plan and road map on how to get there.  

While the STP Foundation has been together, providing these services for years, 2020 is when our new flagship diversion program will officially launch. We are excited to share a combination of all of our previous successful experiences, rolled up into one all inclusive program.. With the support of the City of Los Angeles, the program officially launches out of its District 11 with the approval of councilman Mike Bonin and support of the greater community at large, we understand the importance of taking a more constructive approach and understanding on how to deal with these challenges, without just putting people in jails as the only solution. 

 Each year, the City of Los Angeles spends over 7 million dollars abating graffiti vandalism; and this doesn't even include the much larger cost to private citizens and businesses who spend their own funds to remove blight.  But no dollar amount can begin to confront the cost of losing countless lives of young people for whom vandalism is a gateway to much more serious and long term criminal behavior.  We must interdict the escalation of criminality in these young "gateway" offenders before it becomes embedded and the most successful and positive way to do so is by implementing  programs such as STP's Pre-Diversion education class. Growing up in Los Angeles... George Francisco VP Venice Neighborhood Council President Chamber of Commerce

This five-week program features a rotating curriculum with non-sequential lectures that engage students in exploring the historical aspects and understanding the core reasons that typically lead people to go down an ultimately destructive path. The difference with Be Creative is that it does not rely solely on statistics and scare tactics. We will provide creative and beneficial alternatives that invest into personal drives, energy, and talents.  Every week there will be an emphasis on a range of challenges facing today’s youth showcasing experts that will share stories on how to cope and avoid falling victim to these problems. Every lecture will feature a wide range of different speakers for mentoring ending with a “Q & A” session. These speakers, all having personal and intimate knowledge on challenging situations growing up, will share how they have overcome their experiences. These experts, from a wide range of industries, will narrate their personal success stories in their specific field. The program will additionally provide a free public art space (Venice Art Walls) where students can express themselves artistically for the painting portion of the program. Additionally, the STP Foundation provides an art gallery in where the graduates will be able to display their art publicly; thus providing an even more rewarding unique experience that fosters successful completion of the program. 

The STP Foundation, creator of Be Creative was honored at city hall in downtown Los Angeles for ten years of service to the community. By maintaining the Venice Art Wall program, it provides and gives the public a place to express themselves artistically, and explore a variety of community based programs.

A major part of our program is working in local neighborhoods providing street and beach clean ups, graffiti removal, and general community service. A huge portion of our program teaches accountability and labor intensive work.