L.O.F.T.’s Vision Learning Opportunities for Teens, or L.O.F.T., imagines a healthy community of vibrant, creative, and educated youth.

L.O.F.T.’s Mission L.O.F.T. exists to provide a safe, accepting, and healthy outlet for the middle and high school youth of Western County, while striving to provide a foundation of belonging and acceptance. It offers opportunities for teens to explore or renew their hobbies and interests, through creative interest workshops guided by gifted and skilled community mentors, while simultaneously receiving education about drug use and prevention.

Performing Arts Program Small group mentoring sessions for drug awareness and prevention education Workshops taught by gifted and skilled community mentors targeted at developing and advancing skills in performing arts. Weekly skill sessions to include:  Dance  Set Design  Theater Culminating in an annual Spring recital: “Step into Spring”

Goal 1: Decrease drug use of our target population by 6% in 12 months. Objective 1: Create a safe and accepting environment for the youth, ages 13-17, by providing skill workshops as an alternative resource to drug use. Objective 2: Build and maintain partnerships with other organizations to provide locations for skill workshops.

Goal 2: Increase youth participation from 0%-4% within 12 months. Objective 1: Offer seasonal activities targeted for youth, ages 13-17, in Western County that accommodate various interests. Objective 2: Collaborate with middle and high schools to advertise and market L.O.F.T. activities and youth recruitment.

Expected Short-Term Outcomes 1. 88% of the participants who were using drugs upon entering L.O.F.T. will remain clean through high school, measured by quarterly interviews by L.O.F.T. staff until graduation % of participating youth will be matched with a community mentor that has skills or knowledge about the youth's primary activity or interest of choice % of youth will be referred to L.O.F.T. by guidance counselors, school principals, and teachers, which will be documents on the intake form.

Management Philosophy: Theory Z "Theory Z is much different from the other two theories (X and Y). This theory focuses on the culture of an organization, creating an environment in which all employees work together very well. Theory Z managers give workers more freedom, allowing them to perform a variety of tasks rather than one mundane task day in and day out. This theory places direct focus on the employees, creating concern for an employee's problem or personality, not just their work performance."

Management Philosophy: Theory Z All employees work together; We are able to give feedback to one another, help each other, give one another support, and pass around ideas until we are all in agreement and have perfected an organizational aspect to its fullest. Freedom; People are known to work better and produce better quality when they have the entitlement and power to make their own decisions and do tasks on their own time. Variety of tasks; We are able to keep the ideas and motivations fresh by always working on something different, making our jobs new and exciting every day. Direct focus on the employees; When management focuses on their employees this offers support, genuine interest, and a sense of encouragement from one another. This ultimately gives the staff a feeling of pride creating a positive and affective work atmosphere. Concern; In other words, we care about each other’s well being. Health and happiness come before work, which results in the work performance being of better quality.

Committees ` Finance Committee Sarah, Ivy, Gregg, Kati, Melissa, Alicia BOD Monthly Meeting Sarah, Ivy, Gregg, Tiffany, Melissa, Kayla Program Evaluation Gregg, Tiffany, Kayla, Alicia, Samantha, Volunteers

Community Resources and Collaborations Public School District o Middle School o High School Referral Program with school administration Prevention measures within the school district Alternatives for bored youth

Community Resources & Collaborations Continued Mt. Cookware Theatre o Introducing community members to performing arts o Advertising the theatre in general o L.O.F.T. gets theatre space at discounted price (in-kind)

Community Resources & Collaborations Continued Community Volunteers o L.O.F.T. receives skilled professionals for free (in-kind) o Volunteers work with organization and youth they are passionate for o Volunteers can advertise their skills, knowledge, and abilities (Personal market) o Advertising L.O.F.T. organization

L.O.F.T. Funding Total: $ 137,030 Total: $149,030 *46 volunteers valued at $145,314/yr.

L.O.F.T plans to use any surplus funds to improve and continue to provide services to the people we serve. Any surplus funds will clearly fit into the mission of our organization. During this unstable economic downturn any unanticipated loss or opportunities that come our way, we be able to keep moving forward.

There is no overlap of care within Western County, Washington that we would be creating or competing with.

We at L.O.F.T are serving a need and an important cause. Our children need to be better equipped for what’s ahead of them. They deserve this from our community and to have fun while doing it. Bringing people together and forming important bonds with their peers and adults will undoubtedly affect their chances to stay away from difficult situations they will undoubtedly face and very soon in their lives.

Questions?