6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 6-12, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Growing up can be a bumpy road for many teens, made worse when they are apathetic toward school, don’t know how to manage their emotions or associate with gangs. Having a helping hand can make a difference in how children overcome their obstacles. One local option is the Silver Star Resource Center run by the Monterey County Probation Department that offers prevention and early intervention programs for youth ages 6-21. Since 2004, the one-stop location connects youth and their families to an array of services designed to help them gain self-confidence and skills to thrive in their communities. Various organizations are involved, including Partners For Peace, Rainbow Connections, Restorative Justice Partners, the Monterey County Office of Education and more. At the Silver Star Resource Center in Salinas, parents and youth are referred to different services and workshops, including family education and anger management. Services are offered in English and Spanish, with Mixteco and Triqui interpretation. They are open for families and youth countywide. Young participants learn about the impacts crime survivors face and are encouraged to continue with their education and receive counseling. Annette Garcia, a truancy abatement officer with Silver Star, says the goal is to get to the root of the issue and prevent youth from falling into the juvenile justice system. “Our objective here is to give them all of the skill sets that they need, so that they don’t have any run-ins with the law, and that they also have a trusted space where they know they can come back and confide in us,” Garcia says. Young people are enrolled in the program in various ways. They are referred by the court (meaning it’s mandatory), by family members and educators, or they can self-report. Pamela Morris, a single mother of four children, was referred to Silver Star because of her two older children’s truancy cases for missing school. “I was very resistant, unhappy. I thought it was a waste of my time,” Morris says. Over time, Morris says she and her children experienced positive changes, and now she has a better relationship with them. “It was just a life-changing experience for my kids,” Morris says. “I’m back to being a mom, physically being there and mentally being there, instead of the other times I was checked out. I got my life back in order.” Daney Marquez’s principal referred her to the DAISY (Drug and Alcohol Intervention Services for Youth) program when she was caught smoking cannabis. The 16-year-old attends Bob Hoover Academy, an alternative high school focused on STEM and aviation, and says it took her two years to quit smoking. Many of the programs parents and youth enroll in offer a comprehensive approach. At DAISY, it goes beyond telling clients what's good or bad. “We are here more to educate them, meet them where they’re at, and understand the short-term and long-term effects of substances," says Julia Mendoza, a counselor with the DAISY program. When Zacil Pech Hernandez was 14 years old, she had anger management issues, was smoking and drinking and was involved in fights regularly. Her breaking point, she says, was when police officers were looking for her at school after a fight. “It was just like a reality check that I could go to jail for fighting, and I never imagined that I could until that point,” she says. She self-referred to Silver Star. Pech Hernandez, who is now 18, says the center turned her life around and now she’s taken a leadership role, mentoring other children in the Step Up and Strengthening Families programs, both run through Partners For Peace. Vicki Law, executive director of Partners For Peace, saw Pech Hernandez bloom while in the program. “To go from so much trauma and not knowing which direction to go into a thriving young adult—it’s amazing to me,” Law says. Pech Hernandez was the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace Youth Spirit award winner last year. Law says she sees these transformations constantly. “It’s not a one-off,” she says. Rising Stars A center helps struggling children and their families flourish through counseling and other programs. By Celia Jiménez “It was just a life-changing experience for my kids.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE CELIA JIMÉNEZ It takes a team to put on programs at Silver Star. It includes Julia Mendoza (back row, from left), Leticia Molinero, Annette Garcia, Johnatan Portillo (front row, from left), Alexis Morales, Vicki Law and Brenda Almaraz. JOIN NOW Business is Better Together CONNECT. GROW. BELONG. Build meaningful connections, increase your visibility, and access the resources your business needs to thrive. Join the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce today! montereychamber.com • info@montereychamber.com • 831.648.5350
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