Santa Ana, CA - Santa Ana College is proud to be working alongside Ambassadors of Compassion to host students from the Santa Ana Unified School District for a special kickoff event at SoFi Stadium on January 28, 2025. Geared towards empowering the mental health of the youth, this event will give SAUSD students the opportunity to hear from actors, business leaders, current and former NFL athletes, and others who will be sharing their testimony and thoughts about emotional resiliency.
As a partner of Ambassadors of Compassion, Santa Ana College will be waiving tuition and fees for all high school graduates who complete the Ambassadors program. Santa Ana College current students, staff, and faculty will attend the January 28th event as volunteers to show their support for the SAUSD students.
“Our school takes pride in being champions of mental health and emotional resiliency for our student body. We want to support their personal growth before they even step foot on a college campus," said SAC President Dr. Annebelle Nery. “We are excited to partner with Ambassadors of Compassion and SAUSD who have a proven track record in positive student outcomes and evidence of students coming out of the program with more confidence."
The Ambassadors of Compassion kickoff event will be hosted at SoFi Stadium
Ambassadors of Compassion is an Orange County-based organization that aims to teach emotional resiliency to the youth. In response to a Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the CDC that revealed alarming data about “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness" by high school students, Ambassadors of Compassion was founded in 2010 to help combat this issue and empower the future generation of teenagers.
Attendees of the SoFi Stadium kickoff event will hear from special speakers and connect with their peer groups. This event will precede the two-and-a-half month Ambassadors Program where students will begin their growth journeys like LIFE (Labor, Influence, Forgiveness, Experiences) and RISE (Responsibility, Initiative, Service, Expectations) with their peer groups.
“As the parents of a teenager, we share your desire to instill the essential life principles that help develop emotionally resilient youth who are both strong now and ready for the future," said Co-Founders of Ambassadors of Compassion Eric and Jodi Hannah. “This is why Ambassadors of Compassion exists."
Ambassadors of Compassion kickoff event in Long Island, New York
A 2015 report from Meritcore's Resiliency Initiatives, which was based on a survey of program participants, indicated that Ambassadors of Compassion did help students develop stronger relationships with peers, family members, school staff and community members. The same report also found that students were gaining confidence, problem-solving skills and other attributes that will benefit them as they transition into adulthood.
About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), founded in 1915, serves more than 70,000 students yearly. At present, SAC students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. Santa Ana College is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
