Adam de la Pena, 4, plays the drums at the Santa Monica Pier on Tuesday, July 12, 2011. The drum set belongs to street performer Lenny Hoops.

Students from British American School – Los Angeles (located in First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica) work on their ‘Heritage Tree’ on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. 

The students asked members of the public to write down where their family originated from on a leaf, which were attached to the tree. When the tree is full of leaves the information will be collected and formed into graphical representation. Students will learn how to conduct a survey, dialog about different countries and use the information in statistical analysis.

Students began their survey in front of the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, where the BAS-LA is co-located to talk to shoppers who visit the farmers market and then they proceeded to talk to shoppers at the Farmer’s Market as well as the popular Ye Olde Kings Head Shoppe. Since Santa Monica is an international destination, students met tourists and locals who have traveled the globe to come to Santa Monica.

Charlie Orloff, 8, youngest member of Group 160 N-Trak Club, attends to a derailed train during Santa Monica Elks 906's Train Show 2011 on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

Four-year-old Santa Monica resident, Matthew Prager and  his twin brothers, 8-year-old Alex and Jacob, insert money into the  Dolphin for Change at the Santa Monica Pier on Friday, March18, 2011.

Matthew learned about homelessness for the first time in his pre-school class. He decided there and then that he wanted to do something to help. After brainstorming with his parents, he came up with the idea of selling hot chocolate to raise money. When his twin brothers Alex and Jacob heard about Matthew’s idea, they wanted to get in on the action. They added the idea of selling brownies and rice crispy treats.

Last weekend, they prepared homemade  rice krispies, brownies and hot chocolate and, together with their parents, sold their items outside the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and Palisades Farmer’s Market. Over the course of the weekend, they sold all of their goods and raised $90.


Started in 1993, the Dolphin Change Program, a project of the Bayside District Corporation, has been a way for the Santa Monica community and visitors to give responsibly to established social service organizations that help the homeless. With the help of the Marion Dorn Estate, last year’s Dolphin grants totaled $50,000 dollars

Zoe, 7, and her brother Zane, 3, paint on Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation and PTA's 'Painting Circle' during the 5th Annual Unity Resource Festival at Virginia Avenue Park on Sunday, March 6, 2011. 

Jagger Nicholls, 6, plays the guitar to the music of Michael Cladis during the MLK Kidz Party at Virginia Avenue park on Saturday, January 15, 2011.

Volunteer Colleen Hughes, with her Labrador Retriever Oscar de la Rascal, 8, facilitates America Reads  at the Santa Monica Police Activity League on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. PAL's America Reads is a literacy program for children 6 to 10 years of age who read to dogs. The class meets every Wednesday from 4 to 5 PM at PAL throughout the school year. (left to right) Maya Ruddock, 7, Toni Bryant, 10, Nadia Cyprian, 7, Colleen Hughes and Samuel Mercado, 9, read to Oscar de la Rascal during the class on Wednesday.

The Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) is a unique  community organization that fosters trust between  youth  and  the  men and women of the Santa Monica Police Department in a safe and nurturingenvironment. Through outstanding educational, cultural, recreational, and outreach programs, PAL helps develop skills and self-esteem, encouraging youth to reach their full potential.

(top) Georgina Martin, 3, runs on California Ave. during the inaugural Santa Monica 1k children's Widdle Wobble on Saturday, November 28, 2009. (above) Athletes run on California Ave. during the inaugural Santa Monica 5k/10k Gobble Wobble on Saturday, November 28, 2009.