Pepperdine University hosted the Emily Shane Foundation‘s fall fundraiser: Wings and Waves of Achievement, on Oct. 20 at Alumni Park.
The Emily Shane Foundation was founded by Michel and Ellen Shane in honor of their daughter Emily, whose life was taken in 2010 in a crash on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
“When we created this foundation it was in honor of our daughter Emily, who was murdered here in Malibu in 2010,” Ellen Shane said. “She was one of those kids who struggled in academics, and yet didn’t have a diagnosed challenge so she fell in what I call a gray area. There was nothing for her in the school system.”
The Emily Shane Foundation has two main aspects to it: the Successful Education Achievement (SEA) program and working toward bringing change to PCH, Ellen said.
“The SEA Program is where schools identify children who are failing one or more key subjects, and we pair them with a vetted and trained mentor-tutor,” Ellen said.
The program is not just focused on homework help, Ellen said. It’s also focused on mentorship and that’s the part that helps to boost its success.
“We take students who are struggling, who maybe feel hopeless or have given up, and get them re-engaged and help them to transform and soar to become successful to their best ability,” Ellen said.
The other part of the foundation is working to educate drivers and bring about change when it comes to PCH, Ellen said.
“Michel is working on several initiatives to help educate, especially young people, before they drive, so that they’re aware how dangerous it is when you’re behind the wheel of a car,” Ellen said.
The event held on Alumni Park on behalf of the foundation had activities for children such as a bouncy house and a petting zoo, a jazz player, food trucks including a taco truck and a pizza truck, a butterfly release and booths dedicated to talking about the dangers of PCH and reckless driving.
Malibu locals and Pepperdine students attended the carnival. Pepperdine student volunteers helped run the carnival games and check-in.
Beverly Shelton, co-founder of Southern California Families for Safe Streets, was one of the people tabling at the event to help attendees learn more about the dangers of speeding.
“I’m here to raise awareness of the carnage on the roads in California and to try to stop it through education and storytelling,” Shelton said. “I want to teach people to slow down and put their cell phone down because many of these crashes are preventable.”
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Contact Alicia Dofelmier via email: alicia.dofelmier@pepperdine.edu
Contact Kelsie Patterson via email: kelsie.patterson@pepperdine.edu
