FOR A GOOD CAUSE -- Jennifer Hembree

Jenifer Ragland

Alejandra Landeros, 15, had never tasted Thai food before last year. She

also had never perfected ice skating or even set foot in a Chinese

restaurant.

That’s where Jennifer Hembree came in. The 32-year-old Laguna Beach

resident is a volunteer mentor to Alejandra as part of the Costa Mesa

YMCA’s Building Life Options program.

Hembree, who used to live in Costa Mesa, said she wanted to be a mentor

because she thought she could help make a difference -- if only in the

life of one child.

“I want to be a friend and a role model, and show her a different way of

life that she’s not exposed to normally,” Hembree said.

About a year and a half ago, Hembree saw an ad that said volunteers for

the YMCA program were needed. She knew then that it would be something

she would enjoy, especially because she had been involved with the YMCA

in the past.

“I always liked working with kids, and thought it would be fun and a good

opportunity to help people,” she said.

Hembree met Alejandra -- who had been waiting two years for a mentor --

and the two hit it off right away. Hembree signed a contract that

required she spend at least six hours a month with Alejandra for a

minimum of a year. Now, Hembree said she spends about 15 hours a month with Alejandra, although it’s as much as 30 hours some months.

One of the first things they did together was sample Asian cuisine,

including Chinese and Thai food.

They also took ice-skating lessons together, and Hembree and her husband

brought Alejandra’s entire family -- four siblings, parents and

grandparents -- to their cabin in the mountains. Hembree also helps

Alejandra, a Newport Harbor High School sophomore, with her homework and

class projects.

“It’s fun for me to see her be broadened, and I think that is very

important,” Hembree said.

Hembree said she hopes to continue being Alejandra’s mentor at least

until she graduates from high school. After that, she said she knows the

two will remain friends. She said the volunteer job is fun because being

with Alejandra usually means getting to do fun things. The difficult

part can be breaking down communication barriers with a shy, detached

teenager. But Hembree said getting through really comes with time.

“It’s definitely a good opportunity to help somebody out and show them a

different way of life,” she said.

Before being paired up with Hembree, Alejandra was one of many teens in

the program on a waiting list for a mentor. For more information about

the program, call (714) 539-9622, Ext. 35.

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