“Meet Stoked!” is our new ongoing series that will profile the fantastic mentors, mentees, and volunteers that make up the Stoked Community. These individuals embody what Stoked is all about and help make it the influential youth development program it is today!
Our series kicks off with Dave Ramirez from Brooklyn. Dave is a mentor to Michael Cash and works as an advertising copywriter. We asked Dave a few questions about his experience with Stoked.
SM: How many years have you been with Stoked?
DR: We’ve been in Stoked for two wonderful years
SM: What’s your favorite Stoked Program?
DR: I think my favorite has got to be Snow. Mike had never snowboarded before but he picked it up really really quickly. It was awesome watching him get so excited about it. It’s a great full day experience where you really get to know your mentor/mentee as well as everyone else in the program. I would have said Surf because I like the beach so much, but Mike doesn’t like jellyfish for some reason.
SM: (We’ve had our share of jellyfish stings so we can certainly understand that.) What’s the most important lesson you have learned from your mentee?
DR: The most important lesson I’ve learned from Mike is to stay positive. Snowboarding is a really hard thing to learn but watching him push through his fears and frustrations to finally succeed was something that has inspired everything else I do.
SM: How has Stoked changed your life?
DR: Stoked has changed my life by just allowing me to be a part of Mike’s life. He’s someone I never would have gotten to know otherwise and it means the world to me that we can now call each other friends. Stoked also showed me that having a positive impact on someone doesn’t have to feel like work. It can feel like you’re having the time of your life.
We couldn’t agree more! Thank you Dave for your time and dedication – the Stoked Community thrives because of people like you!
Please remember to buy your tickets for Stoked on Spring. Your support will allow us to serve more teens!
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