Your Generosity Helped a Teen Tackle Life’s Challenges - 2024 Annual Report

Gael Found Determination and Strength Through a Counseling Group You Made Possible

Gael, in the green helmet, was able to rejoin the SVHS football team, thanks to the boys empowerment group that donors like you made possible.
(Photo reprinted with permission - credit: Michael Funk)

Each time Gael steps onto the field to play football, he’s already won.

The Sonoma Valley High School junior has earned his place in the lineup. Playing on the defensive line is tough. But to meet the 2.0 grade-point average requirement for SVHS athletes, Gael has had to do something even harder: retrain his mind.

Your support funded a life-changing boys empowerment group for Gael and his peers. Working with mentor Andy Mughannam of Awakening Wisdom, Gael and other young men tackled tough social-emotional challenges, from conflicts at home to struggles at school.

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, sessions are offered for free on the high school campus, eliminating cost and logistical barriers.

Gael joined the group after his grades slipped during freshman year, and as a result he wasn’t allowed to play football. He acknowledges that at the time, he was struggling with conflict at home and began skipping classes. When he did show up, his temper would often get the better of him, and he’d end up talking back at teachers or even walking out.

“I was at one of the worst points in my life,” he recalls.

That’s when he heard about another student who had boosted his grades with Andy’s help. Gael immediately recognized Andy was different from the other adults in his life. Not only does Andy talk frankly during group sessions; he’s available after hours and even answers text messages.

“What made me trust Andy is that he’s looking out for us,” recalls Gael. “He is a very kind guy, and he pays attention to our feelings.”

In his ongoing work in the group, Gael has learned to pause and reflect rather than reacting purely with emotions. He brought his grades up and joined the football team again last fall.

Group sessions cover practical topics, from taking responsibility for schoolwork to looking for a job. And while Gael knows there is still more work for him to do, with Andy as an ally, Gael and young men like him can envision a positive future for themselves.

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Gael plans to graduate in 2026 and either go to Santa Rosa Junior College to pursue football, or immediately start working toward his dream of owning a landscaping or construction business.

Thanks to your generosity, Gael has the support he needs to tackle life, one challenge at a time.

“By being in this group, I realized there can always be a next level,” says Gael. “You can always try to become a better version of yourself than the version you are right now.”

At a Glance: Boys Empowerment Groups 2024 55 students completed program 19% GPA improvement after program 17% boost in confidence in school success after program

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