For young people in Los Angeles and New York, Stoked Mentoring flips the rush of action sports to benefit a good cause. Back in 2004, founder Steve Larosiliere struck on the idea of sharing his passion for snowboarding through a mentoring program that exposes disadvantaged youth to the outdoors and the challenge of a ride. What began as an outreach program to guide teens down the slopes and through the rigors of growing up has evolved into a full-fledged movement declaring that, “counterculture WILL change the world.”

Each youth participant is paired with a dedicated mentor for one year, who works to establish a bond and help the teen overcome obstacles through skating, surfing, and snowboarding. Stoked also offers an after school program geared toward career development, and a workshop called “Stoked Sistas,” which boosts girls’ confidence by getting them on a board. The work of Executive Director Larosiliere and co-founder Sal Masekela have racked up a ton of sponsors including Zoo York and ESPN, and several partner schools throughout NY and LA. Check out the organization’s promo video below, and visit their website to find out how you can contribute your time.

Stoked Mentoring Video from stokedmentoring on Vimeo.

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