The Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, or "Stand By Me", as the program is commonly called, began in 1996 when current…More director Kathy Witkowicki was put in charge of some grant money at her children's school, Flowery Elementary. Fourteen years later, the program no longer runs out of an elementary school closet, but has a large office suite, a team of employees and mentor liasons in place at all of the area elementary schools.</p> <p>"Stand By Me" seeks to place at-risk elementary school children with local mentors who develop relationships and spend quality time with the kids. Mentors are placed through a thorough screening process and are asked to make a commitment of several years (many mentors form lifelong relationships with their mentees).</p> <p>According to the "Stand By Me" brochure, "a child with a mentor is 98 percent more likely to stay in school." The program also organizes events, classes, an annual barbecue and career seminars throughout the year. "Stand By Me" is always looking for new mentors and people who would like to support the program financially.</p>

The Arts Guild of Sonoma is a non-profit organization serving as a public gallery for local and Bay Area artists.…More Founded in 1977, the guild is the longest continually operating artists' cooperative in California and is housed in a welcoming gallery on East Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. The Arts Guild is a major contributor to the local art scene in Sonoma and maintains ongoing artist exhibits that rotate once a month and are open to the public. Works include oil paintings, jewelry, photography, sculpture and pottery.</p> <p>Additionally, the guild strives to "pick up the slack" of lacking art education in local schools and offers community art mentoring and outreach, and annually produces the "Small but Grand Works," exhibit, a summer mentoring program for Sonoma Valley High School students.</p>

Led by Principal Beth Wolk, Prestwood Elementary school is a public school serving students in kindergarten…More through fourth grade. It is situated on East Macarthur street, south of the city center, in an open campus, with outdoor eating areas, grassy fields and shaded walkways. The student body is 68 percent white, 22 percent latino, three percent Asian and two percent Filipino. Thirty-five precent of the students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and 19 percent are classified as English Language Learners.</p> <p>The school runs a "Prestwood Direct" campaign, where parents organize to donate money and resources that fund additional teaching assistants, field trips and a computer lab coordinator. An annual benefit ball and jog-a-thon provides funds for non-curricular courses such as art and technology. The school provides state-verified instruction in English, math, arts, physical education, health, history, social science, science and a special program for English Language Learners. The school also offers school-wide tutoring, mentoring and counseling services. The school's current API scores can be found <a href="http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/AcntRpt2009/2009GrowthSch.aspx?allcds=49709536052286">online.</a></p>