Representatives of Justice for Youth used public comment at the Pomona Unified board meeting on Sept. 10 to describe the organization's Safe Passages work on district campuses and the program's role in supporting students.

David Bullis, identified as a case manager with Justice for Youth, said the program produced immediate campus impacts: "Within the first year, we saw suspension rates drop dramatically, not by luck, but through consistent support, real relationships, and showing students that someone truly cared." He described a boxing program developed as a safe space for discipline, mental health and mentorship and said he was stepping into a role leading the YES program to connect youth with employment.

Katrina (Karina) Salaya, a mentor ambassador and former PUSD student, told the board mentoring created second chances and helped students imagine postsecondary opportunities. "Being the person I once needed as a kid is healing," she said, and described taking students to Mount SAC as a concrete college exposure activity.

Speakers credited continuity, staff consistency and community partnerships for program outcomes and asked for ongoing district support. No formal district action was requested at the meeting; board members and the superintendent acknowledged the remarks and thanked speakers for their service.