Empowering Underserved Middle Schoolers to Succeed

On the night their 13-year-old daughter Emily was murdered, Michel and Ellen Shane thought of a way to memorialize her – a website that would encourage and chronicle people’s good deeds. Soon after, their inbox was flooded with testimonies from community members, strangers, and kids who attended middle school with Emily.

A year later, Michel and Ellen evolved this simple project highlighting good deeds into The Emily Shane Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers underserved middle schoolers at risk of academic failure via its Successful Educational Achievement Program (SEA). The program provides both individualized tutoring and mentorship for struggling students in the mainstream classroom, like Emily. The program aims to equalize disparities in accessing resources to allow all students to attain their best academic potential. 

 “I felt compelled to do something… something that would be significant to Emily and help others,” says Ellen Shane, co-founder of the foundation.

From a modest start in 2012, with three students at one school, it grew rapidly to the current 13 sites throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties. To date, the SEA Program has supported 1,000 middle school students.

“We would love to grow and reach even more children, and we’re also seeking to increase resources for our SEA Program to ensure a sustainable future,” Ellen says. 

While there are many after-school programs that help kids with homework, what makes the SEA Program stand out is their one-on-one approach to both mentoring and tutoring for at least one hour, twice a week, with an emphasis on organizational and study skills, as well. This approach is comprehensive and focuses on the whole student.  

Mentors/tutors have access to students’ online school portals so they can view their grades, upcoming assignments, etc. and so they know where to focus their efforts to guide their students to improve. The mentors/tutors also advocate for students to their educators who may not see the challenges they have at home or beyond. 

“Middle school is a critical time to catch a student who is failing,” Ellen says. 

Mentors/tutors are typically college students who can relate to the struggles these middle schoolers are facing. Many of the mentors/tutors have been where these kids are – unsure of themselves, unaware of their potential, and in need of attention and guidance – and who realize the necessity of outside-the-classroom support in order to achieve success. 

To honor Emily’s gracious spirit, kids who participate in SEA are asked to share two good deeds (one per SEA Program session) that they performed during the week – the same way Michel and Ellen began their foundation. This embraces the foundation’s “Pass it Forward” motto, and fosters kindness and social consciousness in these youth.

“If another child sat alone at the lunch table, Emily invited them to sit with her,” Michel says. “Emily transcended cliques.”