Will It Be an Incumbent Sweep? - The Spectrum Magazine
Will It Be an Incumbent Sweep? - The Spectrum Magazine
Will It Be an Incumbent Sweep? - The Spectrum Magazine
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LeMo: Creating a Dream-Come-True World (Continued from page 9)<br />
because he went through m<strong>an</strong>y of the same things<br />
they are going though when he was their age. He<br />
opens up <strong>an</strong>d shares his own story to the youth,<br />
who then in turn c<strong>an</strong> relate to him, <strong>an</strong>d they cry<br />
together.<br />
Using resources, connections to<br />
make dreams come true<br />
<strong>The</strong> youth tell Taufoou what their dreams are,<br />
<strong>an</strong>d Taufoou, who had a successful football career,<br />
uses his extensive resources <strong>an</strong>d connections to<br />
help make those dreams come true. “We help<br />
them be who they w<strong>an</strong>t to be <strong>an</strong>d always thought<br />
they could be,” Taufoou explained. “What we<br />
really do is build these kids from the inside out.”<br />
One large family<br />
For the Taufoous, who do not have biological<br />
children, the youth they work with every day<br />
are their kids. And m<strong>an</strong>y of the teens consider<br />
the Taufoous family as well. Some even call<br />
Ali Taufoou “Mama <strong>Be</strong>ar.” “That’s kind of my<br />
nickname now,” she said. “I love it.”<br />
A full-time job <strong>an</strong>d then some<br />
Running LeMo is a full-time job for David<br />
Taufoou, who has a variety of responsibilities,<br />
including working on emails <strong>an</strong>d putting the<br />
program together. “We’re literally seven days<br />
a week,” he said. “Our kids are calling us on<br />
Sunday. <strong>It</strong>’s intense.”<br />
Ali Taufoou works for LeMo in addition to<br />
holding <strong>an</strong>other job as office m<strong>an</strong>ager/marketing<br />
coordinator for the Riekes Center for Hum<strong>an</strong><br />
Enh<strong>an</strong>cement in Menlo Park. “My husb<strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>d<br />
I eat, breathe <strong>an</strong>d sleep this,” she said. “We just<br />
w<strong>an</strong>t to see them succeed.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> rock <strong>an</strong>d compass for youth<br />
Throughout the Pacific Isl<strong>an</strong>ds, the word<br />
“liahona” me<strong>an</strong>s rock <strong>an</strong>d the word “motu” me<strong>an</strong>s<br />
compass. Similarly, the goal of LeMo is to be a<br />
rock <strong>an</strong>d a compass for youth in need <strong>an</strong>d help<br />
guide them to success. <strong>The</strong> “l” in LeMo st<strong>an</strong>ds<br />
for leadership, the “e” for ecosystem, the “m” for<br />
motivation <strong>an</strong>d the “o” for ownership, all of which<br />
are import<strong>an</strong>t components of success.<br />
Twins turn their lives around<br />
Twin sisters Lupe <strong>an</strong>d Mele Kaususi, who live<br />
in East Palo Alto <strong>an</strong>d are being raised by their<br />
single mother, came to LeMo in 2009 with lessth<strong>an</strong>-2-point<br />
GPAs. But now, th<strong>an</strong>ks to LeMo,<br />
the 17-year-olds are excelling academically. In<br />
fact, during their time with the org<strong>an</strong>ization they<br />
have gotten their GPAs as high as 3.6 <strong>an</strong>d 3.8,<br />
according to David Taufoou.<br />
When Lupe Kaususi first came to LeMo, she<br />
wasn’t interested in school <strong>an</strong>d was skipping<br />
classes. But now she enjoys school <strong>an</strong>d is looking<br />
forward to going to college.<br />
“LeMo helped me with studying skills,” she<br />
said. “<strong>It</strong> has encouraged me to go to school, to<br />
have a goal, to have a picture in life after school,<br />
a place to go <strong>an</strong>d talk. LeMo has really turned<br />
my life around. I was thinking of going to Cal<br />
[the University of California at <strong>Be</strong>rkeley]. I like the<br />
<strong>Be</strong>ars. Or possibly out of state. I would recommend<br />
LeMo to everybody. LeMo is like a family.”<br />
Lupe Kaususi, who enjoys volleyball, also has<br />
been able to do that with LeMo. “He [David]<br />
never lets us stop [chasing] our dreams,” she said.<br />
“He always makes us go further. Ali, she’s really<br />
big in my life, too. She’s like <strong>an</strong> older sister to me.<br />
She’s always on my case. She always makes sure I<br />
do my homework. She always makes sure I go to<br />
my workouts. I love them to death. I don’t know<br />
what I’d do without them.”<br />
Mele Kaususi, who loves to d<strong>an</strong>ce, participated<br />
in her first professional competition this year,<br />
something she wouldn’t have done without<br />
encouragement from LeMo. “If it wasn’t for them<br />
to give that little push, I wouldn’t have done it,”<br />
she stressed. Her next competition is in February.<br />
“I c<strong>an</strong>’t wait for that one,” she said.<br />
Concluded Mele Kaususi: “I just love them so<br />
much. Without them, I wouldn’t have that drive to<br />
success. I wouldn’t have goals. I’d probably be so<br />
lazy that I’d w<strong>an</strong>t to live with my mom for the rest<br />
of my life. <strong>The</strong>y’re giving us a taste of life <strong>an</strong>d<br />
pushing us to do something. I think everybody<br />
should know about LeMo. <strong>It</strong>’s the best program<br />
I’ve ever been in. <strong>It</strong>’s like we’re a big old family.”<br />
Starting the school year off right<br />
When Leo Koloamat<strong>an</strong>gi, 17, who lives in East<br />
Palo Alto <strong>an</strong>d attends Sacred Heart Prep in<br />
Atherton, first came to LeMo this past June, he<br />
had a 2.9 GPA <strong>an</strong>d was fine with that. But now,<br />
after a summer with LeMo, he realizes how much<br />
he c<strong>an</strong> improve <strong>an</strong>d is ready to do a better job this<br />
school year. “I have never felt better starting off<br />
the semester,” he said.<br />
Koloamat<strong>an</strong>gi w<strong>an</strong>ts to play Division I football<br />
<strong>an</strong>d is confident that he c<strong>an</strong> do that th<strong>an</strong>ks to<br />
LeMo. Koloamat<strong>an</strong>gi, who was raised by his<br />
gr<strong>an</strong>dfather, said the Taufoous are like parents<br />
he’s never had. “We have a relationship that<br />
close,” he said.<br />
A lot of sacrifices<br />
<strong>The</strong> Taufoous made a lot of sacrifices to make<br />
LeMo happen. <strong>The</strong>y invested more th<strong>an</strong> $100,000<br />
of their own money, according to David Taufoou.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y sold both of their cars <strong>an</strong>d also left their<br />
one-bedroom apartment <strong>an</strong>d moved in with David<br />
Taufoou’s best friend, Scott Probst, who is on<br />
LeMo’s board of directors. <strong>It</strong>’s all been worth it,<br />
though, the couple stressed, because they have<br />
been able to help teens in need succeed.<br />
First fundraiser a success<br />
In August, LeMo held its first fundraiser, a poker<br />
tournament at Paul’s Diner in S<strong>an</strong> Mateo. <strong>The</strong><br />
event raised $4,000 for the org<strong>an</strong>ization. <strong>The</strong><br />
Taufoous were able to do back-to-school shopping<br />
for the teens <strong>an</strong>d get them things they need to be<br />
successful this school year.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Taufoous also are trying to find private<br />
donors to contribute to LeMo. Additionally, they<br />
pl<strong>an</strong> to hold a golf tournament next summer that<br />
will generate more money for the nonprofit, David<br />
Taufoou said.<br />
A dream-come-true world for<br />
those who have never tasted it<br />
Th<strong>an</strong>ks to LeMo, economically <strong>an</strong>d socially<br />
challenged high school students in the Bay<br />
Area have positive role models who c<strong>an</strong> take a<br />
me<strong>an</strong>ingful role in their lives <strong>an</strong>d put them on<br />
the right path. LeMo provides youth in need with<br />
hope, stability, self-esteem <strong>an</strong>d inspiration. <strong>It</strong><br />
also helps them realize their true potential, make<br />
positive ch<strong>an</strong>ges in their lives <strong>an</strong>d follow their<br />
dreams. LeMo teaches youth in need how to win<br />
in the classroom, how to win on the field <strong>an</strong>d,<br />
most import<strong>an</strong>tly, how to win in the game of life.<br />
“We try to create a dream-come-true world for the<br />
kids that have never gotten a ch<strong>an</strong>ce to taste it,”<br />
David Taufoou said.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Spectrum</strong> 33