Tree of Life is a site-based program located at the University of La Verne that provides one-to-one mentoring for children and youth (from grades 3rd -12th). University students serve as mentors to empower young lives to unveil their greatness. Through critical mentoring our undergraduates provide a positive influence that will inspire the lives of their mentees and normalizes the university atmosphere.

Empowering children & youth through mentoring partnerships with University of La Verne students and providing family educational programs.

Normalizing the university atmosphere for historically marginalized communities.

In the Summer of 2017, a group of University of La Verne students were able to serve at a youth center near the university through the summer service program. From their experience, they saw first hand how children from historically marginalized communities did not see much of a future in education for themselves. The university students worked diligently to instill an understanding of self-love and the importance of education. At the end of the summer service program, the university students worked to learn about critical youth mentoring and began to develop the Tree of Life Youth Mentoring Program. As the program began to develop, staff and faculty at the university began to form part of the program development process. In November of 2017 Tree of Life put on a Mentoring Conference for students at the university to understand the importance and power of mentoring as well as practical guidance on developing and maintain a mentoring partnership. Since then, the Tree of Life program has gained new members that are passionate about educational equity. As Tree of Life launches the Spring 2019 program, the goal is to support a small cohort of undergraduates, youth, and parents through healthy mentoring partnerships that motivate and educate on the importance of education as an act for liberation.