In one year, the Glendale native who spent her 11th and 12th grade days at Hoover High and her nights in homeless shelters, has starred in a UCLA public service campaign, been profiled in the school newspaper and is a few months away from starting a campus chapter of School on Wheels, a mentoring program for at-risk children.
On Monday, June 21 — the longest day of the year — United Way of Ventura County will launch a “Stuff the Bus” campaign which is part of the United Way’s Day of Action. This year, United Way is asking people to donate new school supplies to benefit children who are homeless, living in shelters or foster care. The school supplies will go inside backpacks to be given to these children through United Way’s partnership with School on Wheels—a nonprofit that provides one-on-one tutoring and mentoring for homeless children as well as providing students with backpacks, school supplies, and uniforms.
School on Wheels honored at Dodgers Game 5/20/2010
The Dodgers Baseball team very kindly invited School on Wheels and 150 volunteers and students to their game against The San Diego Padres. School on Wheels Executive Director, Catherine Meek and three students Le'Dai, Shalamar and Davion were honored on the field before the game.
I don't think anyone ever goes through life expecting to be homeless. Honestly, getting evicted was a shock. Even when I was packing all my possessions into box after box, it didn't seem real to me....Angela Sanchez former School on Wheels student. Huffington Post
Educating young people isn't only a civil rights issue, it's an economic imperative. This is especially true for homeless students if they're to break the cycle of poverty and improve their lives through education.
Agnes is currently on year-long, cross-country trip to to raise awareness of the estimated 1.6 million homeless children in the U.S. and the struggles they face. Her Journey will take her to small and large communities across the U.S. and her Red Toyota Yaris will touch its wheels in 48 different states. She is gathering all of her thoughts and observations on her blog at www.onepointsixmillion.org.
There are thousands of homeless kids in Los Angeles, and as their families move between shelters, cars and the streets, these young people struggle to stay in school. A nonprofit called School on Wheels helps homeless kids by bringing education to them, wherever they are. Eve Troeh reports.
Two years ago, I learned the average age of a homeless person is 9 years old. This wasn’t the picture I had in mind when I thought about homelessness. I dug further and learned that more than 1.5 million children in the U.S. experience homelessness each year. This gave me a pit in my stomach. If millions of children are homeless now, what will their future be like? I began looking for ways to help and discovered an amazing organization called School on Wheels....Read more from Jenny Ingee of Takepart.com
Malibu's own Agnes Stevens, founder of School on Wheels, the nonprofit organization that provides volunteer tutors and teaching materials for thousands of homeless children, was honored by The Women's Conference as being an exemplar of “Women as Architects of Change.”
'Remarkable California women' honored with Minerva Awards 10/27/2009
"I challenge every person to do something in their community until there is no homeless child living on the streets, in a car, in a hotel or in shelters," Stevens told the audience.
For years, Khadijah bounced from homeless shelter to homeless shelter. She went to 12 schools in 12 years, but she never stopped believing in herself or the importance of education...Read more about her inspiring story as interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.
On Sunday 18th October 2009, over 50 tutors, staff, friends and family gathered on Zuma Beach in Malibu to participate in the 2nd Annual 5K FunwalkRun to raise money and awareness for homeless children in USA. Click the link below to view some of the photographs taken on the day. Congratulations to Ryan Locante for being the 2009 Funrun winner!
School on Wheels Founder Gets Top Honors 9/17/2009
Beverly Press September 17th 2009 On October 27, Stevens will get a big ‘thank you’ for her tireless work from California First Lady Maria Shriver. Stevens is one of four women who will receive a “Minerva Award” at Shriver’s annual Women’s Conference....Page 4.
Agnes Stevens to receive prestigious award from Maria Shriver 9/15/2009
"This year's Minerva Award honorees are true Architects of Change," said First Lady Maria Shriver...Watch Agnes Stevens being interviewed on FoxLA News with Jeff Michael last Tuesday 15th September 2009
Students help the homeless - Glendale Community College students, faculty and staff helped fill up backpacks collected through the college's "Pack a Backpack" program and donated to School on Wheels on Friday. The 1st-year program at the school, which collected more than 40 backpacks and about 500 school items, is part of 911 National Day of Service and Rememberance.
School on Wheels Receives Grant from NBC Universal Foundation 7/22/2009
School on Wheels was one of eight non-profit organizations that work directly with middle and high school students in Southern California to be awarded a grant from the NBC Universal Foundation. "Nothing has a bigger impact on a young person's future than a quality education," said Jeff Zucker, President and CEO of NBC Universal. "That's why we're pleased to support these terrific organizations, especially now when non-profit groups are facing such tough times."
The nonprofit that provides volunteer tutors and educational supplies for homeless children is seeking 500 donors to pledge $100 each. By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
Southwest Airlines Golf Tournament to Benefit School on Wheels 6/10/2009
Southwest Airlines and their Employees of Los Angeles to host the 5th Annual “Party on the Pacific” Charity Golf Tournament to benefit School on Wheels.
In February, we challenged our tutors to get creative with their students to help them produce a piece of work to be entered for a chance to win an XO laptop. And the winners are......
Jerry Buchanan remembers tutoring a 9-year-old girl who couldn’t read through School on Wheels, a program that offers one-on-one tutoring to homeless children.
KIIS FM 102.7. "Community Council" with Jesse, Sunday 21st December 2008 Listen to Janet Settles and Sinead Chilton talking about School on Wheels with Jesse.
On Sunday September 7th 2008, Steve Hibbert, Tutor Coordinator for School on Wheels was interviewed by On Air Talent and Public Affairs Director Mike Powers for LA Radio Station 100.3 The Sound.
KCAL 9: School on Wheels Help Homeless Kids Learn 9/6/2008
Pat Harvey wins an Emmy September 6th 2008, for her report on School on Wheels back in February of 2007 Congratulations and Thank you Pat from all at School on Wheels, keep up the Good work!
On Wednesday August 20th, 2008 School on Wheels, Inc. celebrated 15 years of service to homeless children throughout Southern California. Agnes Stevens (Children's Nobel Laureate and Founder of School on Wheels) invited tenured volunteer tutors, Board, Staff members and Friends to join her for lunch to mark this special day.
School on Wheels Receives Grant from NBC Foundation 7/31/2008
The NBC Universal Foundation awarded $400,000 in grants to seven outstanding local non-profit organizations that work directly with middle and high school students in Southern California.
CNN World Report, within its Women issues theme broadcasts a piece on The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child. Agnes Stevens along with the two other laureates of the World Children's Prize for the Rights of a Child 2008, Somaly Maam and Josefina Condori are interviewed on CNN. HRM Queen Silvia of Sweden smilingly says: "I would say it is a Child Nobel Prize Ceremony".
On Monday May 15th , 2008 friends, tutors, staff and students were present to witness the official opening of our new South Los Angeles Learning Center.
Malibu's School on Wheels founder nominated for Children's World prize 4/10/2008
Agnes Stevens, founder of School on Wheels, the volunteer tutoring organization that mentors homeless children, is headed to Sweden this month. She has been nominated for the World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child, sometimes known as the "Children's Nobel Peace Prize"
Making a Difference report - NBC Nightly News 3/14/2008
March 14 2008: Thanks to the efforts of one retired schoolteacher, "School on Wheels" helps the children of the homeless in Los Angeles keep up in school. NBC's George Lewis reports.
On Skid Row - The Kids face Overwhelming Odds. Part 2 of 5 2/24/2008
On Skid Row: Kids Video By Lindsay Utz, Sam Slovick Franklin Arburtha carries the mantle of disenfranchised youth on Skid Row. But the deck is stacked against anyone who's lived here—especially the children. Students and staff from School on Wheels interviewed for this piece. Please watch this very powerful video.
Tutoring program helps kids in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties 1/1/2008
The School on Wheels program is helping homeless do well in school by sending volunteer tutors into shelter, motels and wherever else the kids are staying..Report by Lance Orosco KCLU News, February 5th 2008
Homeless Students: Forgotten Neighbors They live in shelters, motels and the streets -- 30,000-plus homeless students trapped in a chaotic world. Kim Baldonado explores the hard fought battle to keep them in school and their plight of surviving the streets.
At a wonderful, fun luncheon in Santa Monica, The Good News Foundation presented Agnes Stevens and School on Wheels with a check for $10,000. And if that wasn't enough, Office Max filled a truck with computers, school supplies, backpacks and all sorts of amazing wish list items. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
"Their education is number one," said Sinead Chilton, communications coordinator. "The Salvation Army provides for their basic needs — shelter, food and security. School on Wheels is filling in the gaps in their education."
