By Winston Ashby | Executive Director and Founder
As PARTI wraps up 2025 in partnership with Kaiser Permanente at the 3rd Annual Thrive To Strive – Exploring Careers in the Health Industry event at San Jose State University, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the incredible impact our youth have made across the country this fall. Now, we look ahead to shaping the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Stop The Violence Event and the California-wide, student-led Stop The Violence Campaigns.
For over 2 years, PARTI has received local, State, and National recognition for 25 years of Bullying and Violence Prevention. In 2014, Executive Director Winston Ashby received communication from the White House and President Barack Obama for transformation work with male youth. In 2025, PARTI was recognized by the California State Assembly Ash Kalra and California State Attorney General Rob Bonta for celebrating 25 years of providing programs, services, and youth-led activities that reduce violence, address mental health whole child support needs, and elevate youth to be advocates for their peers and community. In 2025, PARTI received distinguished recognition from US Senator Adam Schiif and US Congress Woman Zoe Lofgren for our impact in addressing mental wellness and bullying prevention. Founder, Ashby, earned the SJSU Women’s Basketball Honorary Community Coach, the SF 49ers Dr. Harry Edwards “Follow Your Bliss” and Community Educator Awards, and the Cristo Rey Jesuit Workforce Mentor Award. Further honors include Braven Leadership Coach (SFSU), induction into the East Side Union High School District Hall of Fame, and appointment to the Silicon Valley Chamber Super Bowl and World Cup Games Advisory Group – Santa Clara County Youth Activation/Engagement Committee. We use evidence-based strategy like Whole Child approach, and Trusted Messenger. We draw on real-world experiences to boost workforce readiness, education, and social-emotional wellness, addressing root causes to tackle disparities linked to safety-net needs, behavioral challenges, and educational gaps. Our team brings special skills and experience, actively participating in training and cohorts. Participants engage in programming, 2-5 hours a week, PARTI hires staff who live in each city served. Monday – Saturday. Youth role’s: Interns, service - project leaders, seasonal jobs. Participants lead, plan, and host activities.
During the Fall engagement period, PARTI successfully reached a total of 66 unique students across five cities, demonstrating strong regional participation and growing youth interest in leadership and community involvement opportunities. The majority of participants were from San Jose (48 students), reflecting PARTI’s deep-rooted presence and impact in the local community. Engagement also expanded to Daly City (15 students), along with representation from Fremont, Newark, and Gilroy (one student each), further strengthening the program’s regional footprint across the Bay Area.
Students expressed a wide range of ways they wished to get involved, highlighting both creative expression and leadership development. The most common areas of interest included performing, volunteering, modeling, and organizing. Additional roles included speaking, fundraising, recruiting vendors, and mobilizing student groups. Some students also indicated that they needed support in order to participate, reinforcing the importance of PARTI’s wraparound approach in reducing barriers and ensuring equitable access to opportunities.
Participants represented more than a dozen high schools and educational institutions across multiple districts, including Overfelt High School, James Lick High School, Gunderson High School, Evergreen Valley High School, Silver Creek High School, Piedmont Hills High School, Prospect High School, Del Mar High School, Oak Grove High School, Mission San Jose High School, and schools in Daly City. A substantial number of students were also enrolled in Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) programs, strengthening the connection between PARTI programming and career pathway development.
SVCTE students participated across diverse career pathways such as Medical Assisting, Medical Science and Health Careers, Dental Assisting, Cyber Security, Forensic Science, Law Enforcement, Mechatronics Engineering, Sports Medicine, Animation, Construction, and Metals Technology. This wide range of specialization illustrates PARTI’s ability to engage students beyond traditional programming and connect them to real-world career exploration and skill-building opportunities.
This fall’s engagement focused on two standout events: the October 17 SVC Champion Event with Patrick Willis and the October 18 VIP Reception. Over 30 students joined the Champion Event, more than 25 attended the VIP Reception, and at least 15 took part in both, showing strong and steady participation and commitment. The second project, which we will continue into the spring, is our Cannabis YPAR and Tobacco Prevention youth led campaigns, in partnership and alignment with the Santa Clara County Health Department.
Reaching 66 students across five cities shows how PARTI is making a bigger impact by empowering youth voices, building leadership skills, and boosting community involvement. With diverse student participation, expansion into Daly City, and a wide range of leadership roles chosen by participants, the organization continues to grow its success in shaping confident, capable, and community-focused young leaders.
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