Long Beach BLAST

At Long Beach BLAST, we believe every young person deserves a champion. That’s why we connect local youth—referred by principals, teachers, and counselors—with dedicated college mentors from CSULB, CSUDH, LBCC, and local colleges. Together, they build relationships that spark academic growth, confidence, and a vision for the future. 💡

But here’s the magic: BLAST doesn’t just transform the lives of middle and high school students—our college mentors grow too! They gain real-world experience, sharpen their leadership skills, and prepare for their own careers through resume workshops, mock interviews, and professional development. 🌟

We’re also right there for students in Long Beach’s continuation and comprehensive high schools—helping them recover credits, graduate on time, explore careers, apply to college, and dream bigger through guest speakers, career fairs, and field trips. 🚀

Every dollar you give helps us serve more youth, more mentors, and more futures. Together, we’re building a stronger Long Beach—
one mentor, one student, one dream at a time 💙

Join us. Invest in the future. Inspire success.

Testimonials

"With my senior year coming to a soon end I feel perplexed as to what it is, I want to do post undergrad, when planning out my options and goals I use the very model my mentee and I used; how can I achieve this goal, when do I want to achieve this goal, why do I want to achieve this goal, and what can I do now to help achieve this goal. It helped me realize that I enjoy working with my community and want to pursue a career where I can do just that and have subsequently been researching MPA programs to gain a better understanding of working with nonprofits. Truthfully, prior to my time in working with BLAST I didn't really make detailed plans with my goals and practicing it weekly with my mentee helped get into the habit of doing so and it's something I believe had I not done I would not have adapted this crucial life skill."
- Academic Mentor

"This program has been extremely helpful. My son appreciates his mentor Paige and wants to work hard for her. He is getting his work done - work that he couldn't get done on his own or even with me. We would be really lost without this help."
- BLAST Parent

I appreciate all the work that BLAST has done by encouraging, guiding, and helping me to apply to LBCC. In five years from now, I want to graduate from college and become a social worker. - Bridge to Success Student