1. Volunteer to teach a class, tutor a student, lead a one-day workshop or support a teacher in an on-going class.
Volunteer opportunities for classroom work typically involve 2 hours, one day a week. Volunteers work one-on-one with the students.

2. Be a mentor: change a life. A mentor helps a student have a new future through individual attention. 
Work-based mentorships are sustained relationships between homeless young people and adults centered on the creative experience. Through consistent involvement, the creative professional offers support, guidance, and assistance as the younger person becomes empowered to change his/her lives and work towards a career goal. 

3. Host a group of students at your place of work. 
Hollywood Media+Arts encourages field trips, work-shadowing and other off-site opportunities that help our students see a variety of careers and work opportunities. Volunteers and mentors are asked to consider these types of field-trips with the students.

Acting: Improv

Jacey Margolis was born in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she received a BFA in Acting. In New York, Jacey worked in theater, before heading back to Los Angeles. Jacey continues to study acting in LA, and can currently be seen as a series regular in SyFy's Outer Space Astronauts.

It's been very exciting to see Hollywood Arts grow and be so successful! The range and talent that exists in these students is incredibly moving and influential. I have no doubt in my mind that many of them will flourish in anything they put their minds and hearts to. My gratitude for Hollywood Arts existing in the first place for these young adults is never ending. It's an honor to help and contribute in any way. 

Rachael Anderson's is a graphic designer at Samuels Advertising in Hollywood. She graduated from the Art Institute- Los Angeles with a degree in Graphic Design and her dream is to share her love of arts by volunteering and teaching.

I have this idea that I’m supposed to save the world through Pop-culture…and I love that HM&A helps redirecting some wonderful people’s lives through arts and entertainment. By seeing how strong, fierce and creative most of the students are; I can feel myself becoming more passionate with my own projects.  I feel lucky to be a part of something so special.

Fashion: Sewing

Taryn went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for fashion design and construction. She has worked for Anna Sui in NYC and styled celebs in LA, all while developing an eco-repurposing clothing line called Eco-Diva (formerly Tazza). Presently, she works at Warner Bros. and loves creating eco-webisodes about how WB: Deconstructed and recycle 92% of an old Grip Building, installed 2,370 solar power modules on top of the Mill Building, LEED certifying a new sounds stage and other environmental subjects.  And she’s in the process of developing eco-webisodes to show the glamorous side of being green.

Though I'm not a professional artist, I believe we all have an element of creativity that needs to be expressed and art has been incredibly fulfilling and therapeutic personally in my life.  Whether or not the students of Hollywood Arts end up making a living in a creative field, I know that their lives will be better for the experience they have at the center.  I am thrilled to support the work the center does in any capacity I can.

Makeup instructor Elizabeth Prokopiak attended Poway Academy of Beauty in San Diego, earning a license in Esthetics. She has managed a popular resale clothing store and organized and styled their only fashion show. During the 2005 Warped Tour she worked with Warner Brothers as a makeup artist for My Chemical Romance. She has since been published multiple times in both print and online. She currently works for an internet marketing firm that specializes in original content production. Her work can be seen on YouTube, Vimeo and MyspaceTV.

Fashion Editor at the Los Angeles Time
Professor of Fashion Design at Hollywood Media+Arts

Melissa Magsaysay is the Fashion Editor at the Los Angeles Times, writing articles and styling photo shoots for the weekly Image section. Previously she was West Coast Fashion Editor for the trade daily Women’s Wear Daily and enjoyed working for famed designer Betsey Johnson.

Writing - Going for Laughs: Comedy Writing & Performance
Nancy Cohen has written for television shows such as "The King of Queens", "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and Fox's upcoming "The Return of Jezebel James" starring Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose.  She has also written for "The Huffington Post" and contributed to the Howl anthology.

Gretta is a freelance writer who splits time between the entertainment industry and the non-profit sector. After earning a BA in journalism in 2005, Gretta went on to write for E! Online and The Hollywood Reporter with a year-long Public Relations stint for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in between. She is a frequent contributor to Eliza Magazine, writing everything from celebrity profiles to "The Least You Should Know About Great Female Authors." Currently, she is applying to graduate schools to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher.

Pitching Your Movie Ideas
In 1995, Andrew Lazar formed the WB Studios based production company Mad Chance with a mandate to focus on smart, intriguing material in every genre and budget-range, debuting with the Shakespeare-influenced teen comedy 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU. His latest production GET SMART stars Steve Carrell, and is directed by acclaimed comedy director Pete Segal for Warner Bros.

Wendy has had a passion for the fine arts since childhood. She studied Illustration at F.I.T. and the School of Visual Arts in New York while working part-time in various studios and art-related jobs. She has been a Scenic Artist painting sets for television, film, and theater.  Wendy volunteers for several organizations and her goals are to pursue a career in fund raising and one day start her own non-profit.

"Teaching others about the magic of film is just as much a gift for me as it is for the students."

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised in Reseda CA, Ron Moon led a more than average life.  Growing up in a loud and ethnic household, mixed with outside life in the sunny San Fernando Valley, Moon acquired an early taste for attention. Starting off doing theatre as a child, he wrote, starred, and directed a D.A.R.E. play in elementary school. Ron’s love for the center stage followed him into classrooms, social groups, and even into the living room of his own home. It wasn’t long before the young thespian hit the auditioning world.  Studying theatre and film at SDSU, Ron decided to take a break from school and backpack across Europe for 7 months. When he returned, he knew what he wanted, and went for it.

It wasn’t long before Ron became an award-winning director, blasting onto the
independent film scene in 2006 with a 20 minute comedy
produced for under $250.00.
 
Ron now has a number of films under his belt, and is gearing up to shoot his first feature film. 
 
In his own words:
“I’m a self-proclaimed renaissance man. I’m a firm believer in the notion that there can be only one! So if/when I run into my doppelgänger...so help me god, I'll fight him/her to the death! I only drink Ginger Ale on airplanes. I love random facts, and useless information...like: Sweden once used tulip bulbs for currency! And the average American spends two weeks of their life...waiting for stoplights to turn green! I've never been to Boston. I think funny people are hilarious. I think bored people are the downfall of this country. I'm a professional people watcher. I love pie. I love live music. I live for twisted humor. I think COSTCO is communism. I love interesting conversations, but just shut up for a second and let me talk. I love indie flix. I love indie rock. I love indians!
 
...Please watch my movies.”

Far too often, we overlook the power that ART has to be a transformative force in someone’s life.  I applaud HM+A for providing a frequently overlooked portion of society the opportunity to improve their lives by offering education, guidance, and a safe haven for their community of students.  In working with them to design their potential expansion, I am honored to be able to contribute to the growth and success of the young men and women of HM+A.  I have enjoyed witnessing the great works and success stories that have already occurred and look forward to the many more that are sure to follow.

“I’m very happy to be able to help out at Hollywood Arts.  Hollywood Arts’ classes offer a nice balance between creativity and real-world job training.  It’s great to watch the students in my class make progress toward their goals and I feel like I’m actually making a difference their lives.  In addition, I’m learning a lot from the students and the overall experience.”

Hollywood Arts thanks Dr. Avani Patel and John Osborn for providing their Eye Care services to our students.

Much of our culture is too specialized for its own good.  Hollywood Media and Arts is, in some ways, a tremendous remedy for that.   For example, students might sign up for a class in a discipline that they have no experience with at all.  But with some effort, they will have learned the process of that artistic endeavor, AND will have learned a lot about themselves with regard to problem-solving, technology, teamwork, etc.  I get a sense of the organization getting underneath the students and lifting them up in whatever manner it can, whatever manner that student needs.  I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Jeffrey is a freelance Composer. He has written music for film, television, theatrical trailors, other forms of new media, the stage and concert hall. Born in Chicago, Jeffrey has been in Los Angeles for 10 years.

Radio DJing - Your Voice and the tools necessary to work on radio

Afternoon DJ and on-air personality on KISS FM and devoted father of 5 year-old Savannah, Jesse taught students how to build a career at a radio station, covering topics such as marketing oneself and handling a face paced on-air environment. 

Music - Scratch & Mix: Electronic DJ techniques 
DJ RAP is simultaneously a label owner, producer, and recording artist. Six years ago her first album, LEARNING CURVE, was released on Sony in the UK and on Columbia Records in the USA and ended up selling 2 MILLION copies worldwide. She has many seminal dance classics to her credit.

Writing - Going for Laughs: Comedy Writing & Performance
Brian Frazer is a former stand-up comedian and the author of "Hyper-Chondriac: One Man's Quest to Hurry Up and Calm Down". He has written for television shows including "Mad TV", "The Tom Green Show" and "Blind Date." He also writes regularly for Esquire Magazine, ESPN Magazine and L.A. Magazine.

Music - Recording 
Bob Carpenter is a multiple Grammy, ASCAP, IBMA and CMA  award winning singer, songwriter, producer and keyboardist and a long time member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Music - Sing Like the Star You Are: Singing & Vocal Technique 
Emily Moultrie has been teaching voice and acting for over 17 years. Her background as an award-winning vocalist, successful actress and graduate of USC School of Cinematic Arts allows her to give her a students a complete vocal performance education.

Acting - Auditioning: Fundamentals of success 
Matthew Lessall is a freelance Casting Director based in Los Angeles. His work includes several award winning independent feature films including: "Rocket Science" & "Mean Creek".