December 4, 2025 - Mark Newton Exe. Director Boys and Girls Club

Happy applause followed. Then Liz asked for happy/crappy news. Rosi raised a hand and said, next week she will have an event at her house, including an auction: the winner of which was Linda Vaughn.  Liz called for any more happy/crappy news and Ginger raised her hand: for those interested in supporting Sonrisas, the West Coast Ramblers are playing at La Nebbia this Sunday from 2 to 4:30 with admission being a minimal contribution of $30 which will support Sonrisas (the QR code is on the flyers available at the front table). Then from John Evans: Every year, he said, his and Larkin’s anniversary falls on the day after their daughter’s birthday but this year it's on Black Friday, which doesn’t happen often (but they did go shopping.) He asked his grandson, who has a flair for and skill with numbers, how often does that happen – every seven years? -- He said no, it’s more complicated than that, depending on Leap Year and so on – but he and Larkin were married in the church 55 years ago. (Everyone cooed happily at that; I think it was 1975 (could not make it out on the recording.) Warren thanked the acting/past/future? President Liz and noted that once a year we have a tradition at this time of year through Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, to give at least $25, which we do; but in our club, we have our own foundation – the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay Foundation – that we give at least a dollar for each year that the club has been around. There were a couple of meetings he missed, due to holidays and so forth; so here’s his contribution ($31 for his age; seven years ago). Liz asked for holiday stories, and John mentioned exchange student Pascal, from Italy, Sardinia to be precise; his twin sister Mabel is in a small Rotary club north of Seattle, Washington; they made arrangements for him to go there for two weeks over Christmas to visit his sister in Washington, and that host family will take him on a tour of interesting places in that area. Making the arrangements with involved families was awkward, he said, but he’s excited; and Pascal won’t leave till the 20^th, so maybe he’ll be here for Christmas.

There were no other announcements; so Liz introduced club member Barb Nielsen (who was recently recognized by the local Boys and Girls Club for which she said she felt “blessed.” She said that that recognition “totally surprised” her, and introduced Mark Newton, the new executive director of the Boys and Girls Club. He’s a Coastside resident, has a master’s degree in education, teaches English at Columbia University and has a bachelor’s degree in history from University of California, Davis.  Most recently he served as the Executive Director at the Reikis (I probably misspelled that) Center, a San Francisco-area nonprofit, in programming for all ages and abilities. His track record at the Reikis Center includes strengthening mission-driven culture, empowering staff, streamlining operations and reaching and surpassing annual fundraising goals. He has a quote: “One of the greatest gifts we can give to our community and society as a whole is to invest in our children, by continuing to offer them positive outlets that help them and build character and grow into highly productive citizens.” 

She mentioned that Jill was a fabulous Boys and Girls Club executive director and Mark has stepped beautifully into her shoes and is such a mentor,  not only to staff but also to the kids and the volunteers. He is very active and said he’s honored to be chosen. Two others we have here today: Bella Evans, the Youth Behavioral Specialist for the Boys and Girls Club, and Sandra (Sarabia?) who started attending the club in seventh grade, and now is working for the organization as the Program Director. Barb noted that she has never met “a better group of people to be around” who treat the kids with respect. She mentioned a “challenge day” which was a collaboration between the Rotary club and the Boys and Girls Club as well as the PTO, with 100 kids on Tuesday, 25 volunteers for a six-and-a-half-hour workshop helping kids realize that all are in the same boat, with volunteers doing the same things the kids were doing. It was the third one she has done this and she found it “inspiring.” Liz, Teri and a friend were there too. Then she introduced Mark, to hearty applause.There were many scraping sounds as chairs were reshuffled, and then Mark recognized Drew as a talented musician -- a fact of which several in the club were aware – and went on to note that Barb had won the “Open Heart” award which focused on a person in the community who is doing so much behind the scenes that “make this community so special.” She’s been crucial in the Boys and Girls Club for decades as an “uber volunteer,” leading young women to find their voice and become more empowered, academic tutoring, and more. So, “we are honored to honor you, Barb,” he said and thanked her, to happy applause. He jokingly noted that he had to beg Barb to come to the gala and she said she hadn’t worn a dress since her wedding day, to which he joked back, “Okay, don’t wear that dress, Barb.” Everyone laughed. 

He noted that Bella is the behavioral specialist, meaning she is working on the interpersonal intelligence of the kids – how they guide their own neurobiology and how they interact with other human beings.  Sandra, who he promoted to program director in his first week on the job, who he said had inspired great people and empowered them to do great things. She is a perfect program director for the club, he noted. 

He put together a new presentation for today, to give a sense of what they do in the Boys and Girls Club since everyone has individual ideas of what members do, which is great because they do so many things for the community. He told a little about himself:  he lives in El Granada, his wife is a high school English teacher;  he was a high school history teacher who also directed theater and coached football, and says he will help coach the high school team again if his wife gives her okay, to which everyone chuckled. He enjoys inspiring kids to reach their fullest potential – his M.O. in his career, he called it. And he wants to do something on the Coastside because he had worked for some time “over the hill.” He and wife Jill met and talked about the Boys and Girls Club; they went to the gala last year which grounded him in that organization. He and Jill discovered they are kindred spirits in a lot of ways; he met the club staff and that was that. 

He said this is the mission of the Boys and Girls Club: to enable Coastside youth, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens – something it’s been doing for 30 years now. He added this also: a Coastside where every young person has the access to, and awareness of, the programming, people and resources to reach their full potential.  He said that when asked about the club, he says it’s about two words:  awareness and access – making sure that all of our kids, especially those who need us most, who might not have the socioeconomic, historical or generational background – understand how systems, people and structures work, from a local and larger view,  so they understand  their place in the world, and can learn how to navigate it. That’s a pretty advanced goal, he said; right now we’re just trying to make sure that the grades are better. So kids know how to code-switch; know how to walk in different environments and present themselves in a professional and productive manner, and can get jobs, know how to do resumes etc. Our middle-school students know how to play well with one another, do better in school, and our elementary kids are learning the habits that are going to set them up for success in middle school and high school. 

“Middle school has never been more important than it is right now, he would argue; and he’s been in education for 30 years. It’s exponentially more important than even when he and peers were in middle school. Because what’s coming at the kids (is) so fast, the things we’re having to navigate, as well as the interpersonal dynamics we’re having to navigate, means we focus a lot on middle school because we’re right next to the community campus. He said, I’ll show you some of the ways that we do our work, and where or focus is. He went on: “So, how to prepare kids for the AI age? This is something I think a lot about, something that is talked about more at the university level and high school level, but we all know the reality of it. Does anyone read Harper’s Index?

“So, the AI age is here, he said; it’s been around since the late 1960s. It’s rapidly taken off, as we know. It’s the reality we’re living in. We don’t know what the world’s gonna look like – when I was teaching 10 years ago, we didn’t know what the world’s gonna look like in five years. Now we don’t know what it’s gonna look like in five months. So, it’s pretty rapid; so we focus on sharing a culture with the kids.  I believe that values are perennial, which means there’s no cap or edit on values. It helps us find connection, create community and build confidence, (and learn) what it means to be caring, productive and responsible citizens.

“The work that Bella’s doing, she’s working to become an expert on being a behavioral specialist. We want all of our staff to understand the inner life of the kids we work with, and what they’re going through. We also want healthy boundaries for that, (and) clear instruction, clear rules. And I’m not talking about, from an overly prescriptive manner, or any type of draconian manner. I’m just saying (that) many of you have been parents. Having healthy boundaries and clear values and clear communication with kids is very important.

“Skill building, he went on; the BGCC works to prepare our kids with the skills necessary to compete in an ever-changing world. This is (what) we’re working on, and a lot of the things we aspire to, as an organization. So you can think of it as things that have been having for 30 years, but also my vision of the future of the organization.

“So I focus on, as an educator, the eight intelligence (didn’t get the word he used). This is Howard Gardner, his work is out of Harvard, if you’re familiar with him, and it’s revolutionized education. So has neurobiology and neurosciences also. Because we know so much more, if you’ve read Antonio DiMassio, who wrote Descartes’ Error, Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” DiMassio said feelings can guide our emotions. And it’s a constant toggle back and forth in our neurobiology between our (?) and our emotions.

“And so, we want to look at our work with children with that same lens. So we embrace that framework, to inspire and motivate every child to become more caring, productive and responsible. We (try to) build confidence and self-esteem, so we can find different paths to help a kid, to raise them up, and find within themselves (the ability) to raise themselves up, so if one path that they’re on is not working, how do we find another path that’s going to build self-esteem and self-worth, purpose so they can be a fully engaged adult?”

Glancing down at the paper he’d passed out copies of, he went on: “These things I believe are currently happening, but really they’re aspirational. And this is where I see us going. So no one on the Coastside is a leader in helping young people reach their greatest potential. 

“So we focus on (kids) being people-smart. These beautiful young people right here were our counselors in training last summer. They’re remarkable kids. They’re responsible, they’re considerate, they’re polite, and they really want access and opportunity. So we want them to be people-smart. To work in collaborative environments and prove their inner personal intelligence; that’s how we interact with other human beings, so they can effectively navigate different situations. 

“So some of us that grew up in simpler times, or, depending on the culture – I grew up in Los Altos. We still dried apricots outside – that Los Altos, right? Not the Los Altos that’s there now. I was born in Hong Kong, we moved to Los Altos when I was in elementary school. That was a bit of a shift, but I was young enough that it wasn’t that big a deal. My older sister was a sophomore in Mountain View High School. She was dropped out of Hong Kong International School – on to Mars, right? and had to navigate that. And you guys know this. We code-switch, right?  We code-switch and we act in different ways in different situations depending on what places we’re put into in life. If we grow up in more homogenous environments, where everybody looks and talks the same, it’s a little bit easier. But if you’re put into a different environment, and you need to navigate a construct or a system that you don’t understand, your parents don’t understand, your families don’t understand, you better learn how to navigate that space, right? So we want to help them navigate that space with awareness and access. 

“Here's one thing – I don’t see trips on here, but maybe we can add another blue thing for Rotary – I’m kidding, guys (laughter) (this) is trips to other parts of the country and the world. I want our kids to get out of that little bubble that we live in here. We do a college trip to Southern California but I’m hoping we can take them to other parts of the country and other parts of the world (and for) those of us who have been blessed with travel or live in different countries, it’s incredibly expansive for the mind.  We all live in this special community here, which we have intentionally chosen, and we’re very blessed to live here, but I would argue that it’s good to get out of your bubble and to see other parts of the world, and see other parts of the culture. And also, this is where Bella and the whole staff come in – this is emotional wellness. So, wanting to understand themselves. 

“And that’s not being navel-gazing, like they’re overly focused on themselves. It’s just to understand how their brain and body is working in different circumstances, so they can navigate those things effectively. So, reflection, goal-setting and emotional growth.  So we have Bella, who is amazing, the behavioral specialist, we have the youth of the year, and junior youth of the year, where they can reflect on personal growth, and we’re going to work on some more quiet zones, spaces for reading and introspecting. Bella has created days (with) BGCC, where we focus on these things, which is really special.

“We also want them word-smart, and logic-smart, and this is really an academic success.  We support youth to thrive on words and logic. We have dedicated homework-help every single day, (sometimes not on Fridays because they need a break), and at the high school-level we have tutoring – we (also) have tutoring at the middle school quite a bit. Also, at the high school level, study skills, college (?) and work seminars and trips. (We go to) CSM, which is incredible, access and resource (?) now that we have our local CSM office over there. And that’s only one half. We are blessed in California that our junior colleges are some of the best in the country. And we know, those of you who have paid college tuitions, it’s ouch. It’s a lot nicer to pay $7,500 a year (versus) $75,000. 

“So I see us having a writing lab, or thinking lab … I don’t know if you know this, but we oversee Half Moon Bay Robotics, within the BGCC umbrella. So we’re helping bolster STEM (I think, if I heard it right (Stacy)) on the coast with all kids. Our middle-school program is accelerating rapid-pace; high-school program is taking off, we’re going to have a middle-school robotics tournament in January; on the Cunha campus we’re going to have what is normally a high-school-age robotics tournament in the event center a couple of months later. We’re having two robotics events in the city of Half Moon Bay, yes. (applause) 

“We also are the Half Moon Bay Soccer Club, as well as Coastside Basketball. That’s why we work with 1,200 kids a year because there are so many touch (?) balls. Body-Smart, Healthy Lifestyles, (and) so movement is the key here. Our kids and fields are amazing --  we just redid the field that you saw this year; we helped (to) create the events center many years ago, the high school baseball field … We have a comprehensive wellness program, and we run BGCC and middle school sports. 

“During Covid, the district came to BGCC and thankfully Jill was brave enough, and wise enough, to take us on, saying ‘We have to have middle school athletics.’ This simply can’t go away. This is a pretty sports-crazy town, by the way. So we stepped in, and we run Cunha athletics. They still have an athletic director, and we help manage all their coaches, etc.  And I would like us to have a dance program. I keep telling Sandra this; ‘where’s  our dance teacher?’ 

“What I want for our kids, (who are) in the middle spectrum socioeconomically on the coast -- middle for San Mateo County is relative,  right? ‘cause if I was in Topeka, Kansas in a 10-bedroom house, I wouldn’t be working right now – but, here on the coast, those of us in the middle are also pushed out. If you want your kid to play a club sport, or two club sports, and you have two or three kids, we’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars a year in additional costs for families. So I want us to be able to provide top-level programming to not only the kids who really have nothing – 75 percent of the kids we serve in the afternoon program are living around the poverty level of San Mateo County. Just sit with that for a second. 

“So, we have tremendous support and resources in this community. Seventy-three nonprofits, Rotary’s amazing, we do a lot in our community, there’s a lot of resources here but, you know, there’s an economic divide. And there’s also folks in the middle, who are trying to find resources and high-quality programming for their children that don’t cost tens and tens of thousands of dollars a year, or they’d have to drive over the hill for. Right? 

“So lots of smart, creative minds are … essential. We do lots of arts, digital arts, and I hope we have music and acting programs in the future. We have a nice relationship with Mid-Peninsula Open Space Trust, with UC Elkus Ranch, these kids (went) geo-cashing up at Los Trancos this past summer -- do you know what geo-cashing is? It’s like a GPS system and you can find different spots on a hike, or have a nature adventure, and you guys can do this too … It’s almost like a treasure hunt. So it’s really cool. 

“So we have our kids do this. We have outdoor camps, we have a garden that we share with Cunha, but I want you to understand the food and water experts. We live in an agricultural mecca, right? Those of us who are huge Steinbeck fans – any Steinbeck fans in here? My wife is a Steinbeck fellow – so all the way from Salinas up to here, we live in the breadbasket of the world, we live in this amazing place – a lot of our families, some of them have migrant farmworker parents or uncles, or aunts, but they’re tethered in the agricultural industry in a big way. A lot of the students who have come to us, or the service industry, in a big way. I would like them to understand where their food comes from, how it comes here, and how water works in California. Have you guys ever  studied the history of water in California? You could teach a year-long class just on water in this state.  Or you can watch ‘Chinatown.’ So this is where I want us to be, and what I want our staff to be focused on, and where we’re going. I want access to our diverse programs, to be sure that no child is left behind regardless of their socioeconomic background, awareness or understanding of what it takes to do well in school, work and life, and clear expectations so kids understand what is required of them and others, and that helps then understand the culture that they’re in and how to navigate it.

“So this is one of our taglines: ‘The Coastside Needs Club Kids, and Club Kids Need You.’ I think it’s pretty profound.  

“And then, this is a dream that I have: This is in the late 90s, when the founders created a clubhouse, down on Highway 1; it didn’t work out (referring to the Wavecrest situation). I’m glad that it didn’t work out (since) I want to be in town. I want to be next to the middle school. Middle school, middle school, middle school – it’s a profound effect we could have on those age ranges. High school, we could help guide them; but middle school’s really transformative.  I’m hoping that one day – five, ten years down the road -- that we really find a space that’s world-class, because they deserve it. They don’t deserve to be walking into portables. That’s just a dream of mine.”

Warren had a question: Where would you envision this dream, as a location? He declined to “get into a hornet’s nest” over  the sensitivity of this issue, but did note that he hopes it would be somewhere in town. He’d considered the issues surrounding buying a space; particularly the huge cost of land, building approval and the time required to build. He noted that it would be helpful to just stay local “for the next hundred years,” and make that location nicer.

Someone wished a happy birthday to Mark’s daughter. 

John Evans asked Mark to describe a typical day for his middle-school kids. Depending on the school schedule, the kids get a healthy snack, then discussion of what’s happening in the world on that day, then academic success work, then a physical activity, then an artistic activity, and finally additional academic success time; all over three to four hours in the afternoon. The size of that group may be around 80-120 kids daily, depending on the day’s camps, programs and how many kids are involved. The camps provide paces for the kids to go, Mark said. Camps run in February, April, Thanksgiving breaks, and all summer. Regarding cost, he said $50 a year. Membership is ideal; but he said he will not turn kids away. He touted the new superintendent, Dr. Miramontes, describing him as an effective “doer,” and praised the location, specifically its proximity to Cunha Intermediate School, “which means everything to us,” he said. What he’s particularly proud of is, he concluded, if your focus is kids, this program touches every age, from elementary to middle to high school, “in a pretty profound way.”  Mark was given his certificate for the inoculation against polio of 15 kids in his name.