The Bolt Academy graduates were celebrated in a special ceremony at SoFi Stadium earlier this month.
The Bolt Academy helps students prepare for their careers and is a partnership between the Chargers Impact Fund, Inglewood Unified School District and Brotherhood Crusade, a non-profit building organization based in South Los Angeles for over 50 years.
Juniors and seniors from Inglewood High Schools participated in an after-school program for six-plus months that taught them a variety of skills they will use later in their future careers.
Students will now have the opportunity to work for the Chargers on game days, gaining experience in a variety of different roles.
"Bolt Academy is a perfect example of how collaboration is the secret sauce – how organizations working together can provide resources and support to youth to help them succeed," Chargers Vice President of Community Relations Heather Birdsall said. "The youth in this program tell us year after year that this program creates a safe place where they really grow into who they are, a place for them to learn about themselves, explore their career options and develop their unique talents.
"We see the change in our Bolt Academy scholars from their first session to commencement and we know how important it is to keep supporting the program," Birdsall added.
The event brought students, their parents and other members of the program together for a day at the stadium, starting with a meeting in the Owners Suite to discuss their upcoming role. The group later toured different stops throughout the stadium.
It was an exciting celebration that culminated a real growing experience for the scholars.
"We are immensely proud to witness the extraordinary growth of these young scholars," County Administrator with the Inglewood Unified School District Dr. James Morris said. "Their unwavering dedication and perseverance have not only illuminated their academic journey but have also shaped them into resilient and driven leaders.
"[This] celebration is more than just a recognition of their achievements; it's a powerful reminder of the bright futures they are forging and the significant impact they will have on the world," Morris added.
George Weaver from Brotherhood Crusade also told a story how impactful this program is for the scholars all throughout.
"During the commencement ceremony, I asked the scholars how many of them thought that Bolt Academy was just like all of the other programs offered by their school in which they might get to attend a cool trip, go to a game or receive a goodie bag," Weaver said. "All of the scholars raised their hand. I then asked them to keep their hands up if they discovered the program provided them with far greater benefit than they expected.
"Not only did all of the scholars keep their hands up, but they all spoke simultaneously in acknowledging the program's significance," Weaver added. "When a young person experiences such a significant level of mental, physical, emotional, social and vocational growth that they are not only able to articulate it but can't help to do so despite not being asked, it is exceedingly exciting."
The students were later taken to the Bolts locker room at SoFi, where they heard from a number of speakers as they embark on a new journey.
Dr. Bernadette Lucas, the Chief Academic Officer with the Inglewood Unified School District, said that this has given the them much more that they will carry far beyond the program.
"The support of the Bolt Academy has equipped these students with an unshakable confidence that propels them toward their dreams, armed with the knowledge to navigate any challenges they encounter," Lucas said. "Beyond that, I want them to carry a deep belief in their own potential; a realization that they are not only capable of greatness but are also empowered to be leaders, innovators, and changemakers in their communities."
The commencement marked another step in the impactful program, as the students now get to begin a new journey with Week 1 just over a week away — to know what it's like working on NFL game days.
"Bolt Academy set out to embody the principles of FAMILY (Forget About Me, I Love You) that the Los Angeles Chargers have represented so well for the last 54 years," Weaver said. "The goal was to create a place where every scholar felt as if they were the most important person in the world and received the three elements every human being seeks – something to do, someone to love, and someone who loves you.
Weaver added: "If you ever have the honor of asking any Bolt Academy scholar, they will tell you emphatically that this goal was achieved."
