Mission: Connecting San Diego teens with peers in Afghanistan

Founder   |   Partnered in 2021

In March 2021, we quietly launched the Kabul School Connection, a program that linked Canyon Crest Academy high school students to peers in Afghanistan. The conversations on Zoom began after news broke about a suicide bombing of the Mawoud tutoring center.

In the weeks that followed, teens from Mawoud and Canyon Crest talked about dreams and goals and explored questions of daily life. Students in Kabul found a unique platform to discuss feelings they experienced as a result of the bombing.

Kabul School Connection was organized by Julya Kenna and included Mawoud’s principal, Najibullah Yousefi, Canyon Crest Academy teacher Timothy Stiven, and Fary Moini and Steve Brown of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club. 

Open these links to see some of the outstanding media attention Kabul School Connection has received:

CBS8 story
New York Times story
San Diego Union-Tribune Story

Mission: To transform the regions waterways into pathways for education, information, and technology

Fiscal Sponsoree |   Partnered in 2016  |  Website: https://www.shidhulai.org/

Shidulai Swanirvar Sangstha, also known as Floating Schools of Bangladesh, was founded in response to Bangladesh’s monsoon ridden shorelines in the Pabna and Natore districts of Bangladesh. The fleet of education boats travels to communities to educate students on various topics, including sustainable agriculture, healthcare, and climate change. With a majority of the youth population forced to live in remote, flood-prone areas, these floating classrooms provide a remarkable solution. From floating libraries to floating playgrounds, the Samuel Lawrence Foundation supports this organization by managing grants and encouraging them to continue to advance innovative solutions.

Mission: To bridge high-tech science and business with high school students

Fiscal Sponsoree   |   Partnered in 2015  |  Website: http://steamleadership.com/

STEAM Leadership Series brings high-tech science to San Diego Unified high school students through engaging events. The program connects students with leading science professionals who deliver lectures and give career advice from the podium at top research institutions. Students hear from diverse speakers that inspire then to pursue their dreams and provide them with the knowledge on where to start. The Samuel Lawrence Foundation brainstorms and helps produce these innovative educational events throughout each year.

Mission: Cultivating healthy, happy, nature-connected kids

Fiscal Sponsoree   |   Partnered in 2014  |  Website: https://www.shermangrows.com/

Barrio Botany provides urban San Diego school students with garden-based experiential learning opportunities that improve academic achievement, enhance environmental literacy, and inspire lifelong health and wellness. The garden program creates a vibrant outdoor learning environment where students learn to grow fresh produce. Students gain horticulture knowledge, greater respect for their environment, and enjoy delicious food from their harvests. The Samuel Lawrence Foundation encourages the development of the program and hopes to expand the life-changing program into common curriculum.

We take great pride in our mission and accomplishments. SLF incubates young, change-making organizations. Find out how your donation can have meaningful impact to our science, art and environmental programs!