21-year-old Ian entered care at age 6. His parents struggled with substance abuse which led to a toxic environment of emotional abuse and he was removed to the A. B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center. From then on he lived in 3 placements and changed schools 7 times.

He joined Guardian Scholars in 2022 when he turned his focus to higher education. He firmly believes that by working hard in school, he can determine his own destiny and open doors to his ultimate goal of joining law enforcement and the FBI. Guardian Scholars has given him the tools and resources to put that plan into action at Mira Costa College.

In the summer of last year, Ian was introduced to his Promises2Kids mentor Todd, and and their relationship has flourished since then. Todd was first introduced to Promises2Kids as a guest at our annual Dream On Concert Gala, and he knew he had to get involved and give back. He has been of huge support to Ian and has shown him that his goals are attainable, and has even connected him to influential individuals to help him get closer to his goals. Together they enjoy going for lunch, being active, and spending quality time in each other’s presence. In Ian’s own words:

“At the beginning of the 2023 fall semester, I was paired with my mentor Todd. I was not sure what to expect but went into this new professional relationship with an open mind. Todd has been an awesome mentor and has been consistently giving awesome advice and helping me plan out paths to success in my academic and professional life.

Todd and I engage in all sorts of activities. Anything from grabbing some lunch and talking about the week to him inviting my girlfriend and I over for a home-cooked meal and a game night. We also had the pleasure of being invited to the Mentor-Mentee day at SeaWorld near the end of last year and had a blast walking the theme park as a group. Todd has grown from a random stranger to an amazing role model who I strive to emulate the best I can. He is kind and fair along with honest and hardworking.

Having another positive male influence has been a pleasure and I will continue to cherish and utilize this experience for as long as I can.”

Mentors are an amazing addition to the lives of our Guardian Scholars, their support and guidance truly means more than mentors could even imagine.