Voice & Vision is a signature program of Teens Rise Foundation that transforms low-income, first-generation Latinx students into the next generation of artists, innovators, and civic leaders. Delivered across a full academic year at three South Bay high schools, Voice & Vision develops students as whole people – equipping them to express themselves creatively, investigate the world scientifically, engage their communities civically, and sustain themselves and others through mindful leadership.

In March, Teens Rise Foundation brought more than 600 students from 11 schools across San Diego County to UC San Diego for the 25th Annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, one of the world's most prestigious gatherings of scientific and philosophical thinkers. For many of these students, it was their first time on a college campus. It will not be their last.

The students of South County San Diego are not lacking in talent, creativity, or ambition. What they lack is access. Teens Rise Foundation was built on that conviction – and on the belief that the right support, delivered in the right place at the right time, can change what a first-generation student believes is possible. Eight years in, thousands of students later, that conviction still drives everything TRF does.

Thanks to Mission Federal Credit Union’s Community is Everything Fund, Teens Rise Foundation hosted a powerful three-day College & Career Readiness Series at San Ysidro High School, reaching over 300 students and engaging 31 mentors and panelists. From exploring career journeys and demystifying the college admissions process to mastering real-world networking, each day reminded us what’s possible when community meets opportunity. The series culminated in a transformative Senior Networking Mixer during which 67 #SouthBayScholars interacted one-on-one with mentors, proving that when we invest in youth and create space for them to lead, they rise.

This fall, Teens Rise Foundation has been on the ground helping families complete the newly opened FAFSA 2026-2027 form. Through hands-on workshops and expert-led sessions, Teens Rise provides students and parents with the guidance they need to understand financial aid options, avoid costly mistakes, and access every dollar they’re eligible for. In an uncertain time for college affordability, Teens Rise is making sure every family can maximize both financial and merit aid opportunities.

Teens Rise Foundation is honored to be recognized as the 2024 Organization of the Year by USTA Southern California, a testament to our mission of empowering youth through our Serves, Scholars, y Salud signature program.

Teens Rise Foundation (TRF) is thrilled to announce our newest partnership with  San Diego Foundation through its Community Scholars Initiative (CSI)!  The CSI program increases access to higher education for underrepresented and underserved students in San Diego County, providing financial support and wraparound services that foster academic success, build equity, and create resilient communities.

Learn how Teens Rise Foundation meets its mission through its signature program offering - Serves, Scholars y Salud.

Get an inside look at the Teens Rise Foundation signature program Serves, Scholars, y Salud and discover the impact we're making. Review our results and learn how we maintain our high bar of excellence as we aim to empower our community.

Second session covered San Diego County’s demographic landscape and its ties to systemic inequities affecting the Chicano/Latino community.  

Follow Gaby Millan, Executive Director of Teens Rise Foundation, as she documents her journey and experiences in the Chicano Federation LTI Fellows Program.

Teens Rise Foundation Executive Director Gaby Millan selected for prestigious 2024-2025 Chicano Federation Leadership Training Institute (LTI) Fellow Program. Learn more about LTI Fellows Program and how its culturally relevant curriculum aligns with her very own journey as an advocate for equity in the South Bay.

Teens Rise Foundation ensures that its programs are not just relevant but transformative by co-creating with the community.