In Spring of 2002, Venice High School started a collaborative organization of school based, community based, health,

social services, and law enforcement agencies to help at-risk students. The name of this collaborative is the Multi-

Agency At-Risk Student Task Force or MAARSTF (pronounced MAR’-STAFF). The MAARSTF Agencies meet on

help at-risk students from Venice High School and its feeder middle and elementary schools. By providing support

groups, programs, and resources to students and their families, the MAARSTF Team will help students to succeed in

school and in life.

Since the Fall of 2003, approximately 600 students have received services through MAARSTF Support Groups.

Agencies, such as Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center, Vista del Mar Child and Family Services, St. John’s

Child and Family Development Center, Clare Foundation, Open Paths, and others, have provided on-site individual

and/or group counseling to at-risk students. These agencies deal with issues such as anger management, substance

abuse, families, grief, grades and goals, gender-based issues, and other relevant topics.

MAARSTF coordinates the Westside Gang Task Force (WGTF), which is a collaboration of school-based and

community-based agencies working together with local law enforcement to make Venice High and its feeder schools

into "gang free zones." During our monthly meetings, WGTF focuses not only on the problems regarding gangs, but

also finds practical solutions to dealing with gang-related issues in the schools and the community.

Since April 2004, approximately 500 students have participated in the Truancy Reduction Intervention and Prevention

(TRIP) Program. These students have received truancy tickets and are court-mandated and school-mandated to attend

our six session TRIP course to discuss topics such as truancy and the law, why students are truant, and impact of

truancy on school and life. For community service, students participate as an audience or jury member of Teen Court.

Parents are required to participate in a two-hour evening session. When all components of the TRIP Program are

completed, students receive a TRIP Certificate of Completion, which students can take to court as evidence of

intervention.

The student component of MAARSTF is a campus club called Young Urban Leaders Influencing Venice (YULIV).

Started by students in January 2005, the purpose of YULIV is to develop young people into leaders who positively

impact Venice High and the surrounding communities through student outreach, positive interaction, and participation

in leadership and conflict resolution workshops/events. In Fall of 2006, the members of the YULIV club decided

convert their club into a student-managed company—YULIV Productions—which produces entertainment, arts, and

events that impact our communities. We are currently working on several projects: a high school boxing program, the

feeder elementary and middle schools and provide positive role models for at-risk students before they get involved in

negative activity. To develop these connections, Venice High School MAARSTF recently received a $500,000 School

will be trained in leadership and resiliency skills to help them succeed academically and socially.

 

Venice

Entertainment

Mental Health Center

Arts

Community Police Station

Planning Council—SPA5

Attorneys Office

Court-Santa Monica

Task Force

of Mental Health

School

School

Center

Design

Family Development Ctr.

Club

Housing Corporation

Services

Rev.4/24/2007

MAARSTF has been involved in the development and coordination of Teen Court here at Venice High School by

working together with Los Angeles Superior Courts, Los Angeles County Probation Office, Los Angeles City

Attorneys Office, community-based agencies, and Venice High School staff. The cases heard are real court cases, with

juvenile defendants and their parents. With the prompting of the judge, teen jury members question the defendants

during the trial, deliberate on the verdict, and assign appropriate consequences.

MAARSTF has been working closely with the Venice High Parent Center in providing support and education for the

parents in the community. Vista del Mar Child and Family Services has been providing the “Parenting for Success”

Workshops twice a month on Wednesdays (one morning and one evening session). These workshops help parents to

develop effective parenting skills and to network with other parents who need support.