"Cultivating the Seed of Youth"

1249 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., #345, Diamond Bar, CA 91765-2226
Phone (714) 990-8131   E-mail: zera8@hotmail.com

1. New Foundation on the Move
2. The Story of James
3. Sylvan Learning Center Donates Scholarships
4. Zera 1998 Kick-Off Raffle - Win 36" Big Screen T.V.

NEW FOUNDATION DEDICATED TO
SUPPORT FOSTER AND GROUP HOME YOUTH

Zera Foundation is in the business of instilling character and assisting in developing the dreams and ambitions of our youth of today; primarily those youth trapped in the cycle of the Foster/Group Home Care System.  "It is these forgotten young adults who need love, cultiva-tion and character development", states Willie Hudson, Founder and President of Zera Foundation.  In cooperation with the Los Angeles Department of Social Services (DPSS), Zera Foundation is vigor-ously working to eradicate the neglect of young adults in the Foster and Group Home Care system.  Zera Foundation will also work with charitable and religious organizations creating referral systems to assist in the guidance of these young adults.  Taking the lead on issues such as mentoring, building of self-esteem and education, Zera sets a standard for its participating youth that exceeds those of other youth-serving non-profit organizations.  Toward this end, Zera Foundation will undertake the following activities:

• Investigate and locate quality educational programs.
• Work closely with school districts and vocational institutions.
• Develop an awareness in the business community, local government and general public of the value and needs of youth in Foster/Group Home Care.
• Organize and set up day care facilities and youth centers.

Zera Foundation is on the move, making a difference for our youth of today.

James Russell Cernogg was born April 25, 1982, in Los Angeles, California.  Unlike most children who experience the comfort and safety of hospital care at birth, this was not the case for James.  He entered this world by way of a bedroom in his mother's apartment.  Shortly after this traumatic birth experience, his mother began using drugs and alcohol heavily, and often left James and his other brothers and sisters unattended for long periods of time.  Because of his mother's increased drug and alcohol abuse, the family soon lost their apartment and was forced to move into their grandmother's home.  James had 5 brothers and sisters who lived with him and his mother. 

On many occasions James' grandmother had warned his mother that unless she changed her ways, something bad would happen to her.  Unfortunately, his mother never listened to any of the warnings given to her.  Her only concern seemed to be how she could get more drugs.  It wasn't too long before the dreadful day his grandmother warned about came to pass.

James' grandmother had become very ill and could no longer manage to care for the children in the family.  One morning, James and his older brother were playing, chasing each other around the house.  As James ran into the kitchen where his mother had been cooking, he hit her head on and the hot cooking oil she was holding spilled onto his face, burning him badly.  He was rushed to the Emergency Room of Children's Hospital.  His face had been seriously burned and James was left badly scarred.  After an emergency operation on his face, the doctors immediately notified the police and reported the horrible incident.  When the police arrived at the hospital, they arrested his mother, believing she had been under the influence of drugs when the incident occurred, and that she deliberately spilled the hot oil on James' face.

"Before any of my brothers and sisters knew what was happening, we were being taken away from my mother.  When my older brother and sister heard that the Department of Social Services were coming to take us away, they ran away before they arrived", says James. 

The family had been broken apart.  James and his younger brother Dejon were then removed from his grandmother's home and placed in separate foster care facilities.  The brother and sister who escaped were not heard from again until after their age of emancipation (18 years of age).  From February 1991 through 1996, James lived at the Tanner Group Home located in Los Angeles on 41st Street and Normandie.  James had always desired to be with his little brother again and pleaded for the DPSS to place them back together.  After several attempts, they were finally reunited and placed in a new foster home in Compton, California where they currently reside.  There are four children living in this home:  James, his little brother Dejon, a 14 year old girl named Amanda Welch and her younger sister Liz Montoya, who is 8 years old.  These two precious little girls were also abandoned by their parents due to drug and alcohol abuse.

James graduated from 12th Avenue Jr. High School in Los Angeles, California.  This school had a reputation of being a "school for hard to handle boys and girls".  In the fall of 1996, James attended Lynwood High School.  He was not doing well.  His GPA had dropped to 1.5.  As a means of relief from his stressful environment, James played basketball on the junior varsity team and for Leuder's/Wilson Park City leagues.  "Basketball is my favorite sport" says James.  "It helps me with the frustrations of my life.  I can play basketball and forget all about my troubles for a while."  At this stage in young James' life he became very depressed.  "My life was not what I would have wanted it to be.  I have always wanted to have my family together again.  I layed in bed many nights wishing that things could be different.  I didn't get along well with many people during this time of my life, and I began to feel it would be this way forever."

In late 1996, James met Willie Hudson, the Founder and President of Zera Foundation.  Willie had been visiting his mother, who lived in Compton on the same block as James.  Willie began to talk with James and asked him what he wanted to do with his life.  James never had anyone talk with him about his aspirations or what he wanted to do with his life.  Willie expressed to James that he could help him make things different in his life, but he would at least have to make an effort to change the situ-ations that he had control over.  These changes would consist of a drastic improvement in his poor attitude and his grades.  Willie continues to talk and spend time with James expressing to him the importance of black men taking control of their lives and the lives of their families.

"On my 15th birthday, Willie surprised me with the best birthday present I ever had", says James.  Willie and some of his friends sponsored a birthday party for me at "Planet Hollywood" in Beverly Hills.  I had never been to Beverly Hills before.  I had a chance to meet some of the people I thought I would never meet in real life".  I met Arif Kinchen of the T.V. show "Sparks", Merlin Santana of "The Steve Harvey Show" and several of their friends.  I felt very special to be with them.  They showed me that people really did care about me.  They talked with me about my life and I talked with them about theirs.  It was because of this birthday party and the people I met, that showed me I could and should change my life".

Since this birthday celebration, James has been able to improve his overall attitude and his grades.  After a long and tedious effort (due to James' low GPA and behavior problems) Willie succeeded in having James transferred from Lynwood High to Dominguez High.  In just a few short months, James' GPA increased from 1.5 to over 2.0 and is still climbing.  "Arif Kinchen and Merlin Santana have convinced me that I can do anything.  Everyone has helped me gain control of my self-discipline and my spiritual development.  With the help of the tutoring programs provided by Zera Foundation, I plan to continue improving my grades, and will soon be able to transfer to an even better high school."  James tells us he now studies harder and always keeps God as his guide.  Just to know that he has people who care and are behind him, makes him feel he can go much farther in life than he ever dreamed he could before.  "I know that God is the answer and with the friends He has sent to love and help keep me focused, I can do anything."

James is actively participating in  Zera Foundation by speaking to kids at other Group and Foster Home Care Centers, letting them know there is hope for them too.  "I hope I can continue to have a chance to tell other kids what I have learned," says James.  "I hope the friends I have met through Zera Foundation are able to help other kids just like me."

Sylvan Learning Center has partnered with Zera Foundation to provide positive encouragement, professional guidance and a proven motivational system to help our children become skilled readers and to give them a better start toward a successful future.  The Sylvan Learning Center was more than happy to assist after being approached by Willie Hudson, the Founder of Zera Foundation, about the plight of children in the Foster and Group Home Care system. Sylvan has graciously donated several scholarships to help provide these children assistance in the development of reading and mathematical skills.  Zera is confident that as a result of Sylvan's instruction, changes will be seen not only in the child's report card, but also in a new self-confidence and desire to learn that many of these children have never experienced before.

Sylvan is the nation's largest supplementary education service and will work closely with Zera to monitor each students progress.  Sylvan uses custom developed tests to pinpoint the child's current reading and mathematical skills.  They also screen vision and auditory discrimination to see if physical problems could be inhibiting the student's learning ability.  These tests quickly and accurately establish which basic skills the student needs to work on.  Then, based on the test results, customized reading and math programs are prescribed for each student.  Zera Foundation is looking forward to seeing great success with the children with the addition of Sylvan Learning Center on its team.

Thanks again Sylvan for your generous donation!

ZERA FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER RAFFLE
WITH A 36" BIG SCREEN TELEVISION GIVE-AWAY!

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