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Samantha Krieger, 14, (top) Geer Bronson, 14, (center) and Leila Ghaznavi, 30, (above) practice on the aerial silks during a class at the Los Angeles Trapeze School on Saturday, February 14, 2009. Aerial silks, or tissue, are two long pieces of soft and often stretchy fabric that hang from a single point. Using strength, grace and flexibility, students climb the pieces of fabric and move their body into amazing and beautiful poses. Drops and rolls are an exciting and fun part of learning silks. The classes include a warmup, strength training, conditioning tips, and stretching. Students learn at their own pace and interest level. Beginners will focus on proper body position and muscle usage. Students learn climbing techniques as well as some basic inversions, holds, and drops. More advanced students will learn more difficult moves, like big drops and triple rolls down the fabric, as well as choreography and artistry.

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Frankie Levangie, 2, (left) checkmates Chuck Church, 31, at the Santa Monica Chess Park on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2009.

Bob Aptaker, Macerich executive vice president of development, gives an update on statues of the  550,000-square-foot mall's remodeling operation during a behind-the-scenes construction tour at Santa Monica Place on Thursday, February 12, 2009. The design takes the roof off the central portion of the current mall to provide for open-air walkways and spacious public gathering areas. Nordstrom and Bloomingdales will anchor the mall as its only department stores. Santa Monica Place is scheduled to reopen in mid 2010.

Laurel Rosen, President/CEO of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce recognizes Andrea Dubois, Human Resource Coordinator from Rubin Postaer & Associates for their outstanding service to the community by working to end homelessness on Tuesday, February 12, 2009. Rubin Postaer & Associates hosts a number of events designed to raise money for local charities by bringing employees together to have fun and celebrate the holiday season. This represents a wonderful win-win for the company, their employees and for the charity. The employees participate in activities that strengthen relationships and foster better teamwork, while the charity gains new donors. Rubin Postaer & Associates selected OPCC (Ocean Park Community Center) as its 2008 annual employee charity drive beneficiary and raised $9,000.00. Rubin Postaer & Associates is headquartered in Santa Monica and has a client roster of national firms that includes UCLA, Acura, Honda, MGM, and Pioneer. The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce's new 'Business Cares' program honors members of Santa Monica’s business community working to end homelessness.

One-Man-Band Arthur Nakane plays at the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. Nakane has been performing as a solo act for 33 years. He can perform up to seven instruments at one time; an electric guitar, he has a drum machine for drum beat affects, plays keyboards with the tip of his guitar, plays the harmonica and the electric kazoo, shakes the tambourine and maracas, strikes symbols and sings duets by himself with on-the-spot recording.

Acclaimed author of "Satchmo Meets Amadeus" and Associate professor of modern history at the University of Salzburg, Dr. Reinhold Wagnletiner, accompanied on piano by Tom McDermott, presents an "Informance" in music, words, and images on the history of Jazz and its wide-ranging impact on the global community, at Santa Monica College on Tuesday, February 10, 2009

(top) Kathie Sahakyan, 12, (left) collides into her sister Anoush, 9, at Pacific Park's new 'Sig Alert' bumper cars on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

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Courtne Dotson, 17, gives thanks after receiving the 'Youth of The Year' award during the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica 41st Annual Awards Banquet at the Olympic Collection Banquet and Conference Center on Saturday, February 7, 2009. She won a $4000.00 scholarship for her hard work.  Dotson, has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica for 12 years, takes a bus from school and then home each day just to get to the Club, has taken on several leadership roles at the Club in addition to helping her single mother in running the household and has become an essential role model to countless other Club members, peers and even supervisors.

Youth of the Year is a national Boys & Girls Club program and is the highest honor a Club member can receive. Winners embody service, leadership and character and have achieved personal and academic success despite great challenges.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica serves children from all backgrounds, regardless of economic circumstances. The main focus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica is to provide positive activities for youth ages 7-18 from the Santa Monica and surrounding communities during the hours they are not in school. There goal is to provide a chance for every child to feel – a sense of competence, a sense of usefulness, a sense of belonging and a sense of influence.

The Club offers a variety of programs in the following areas – arts, athletics, education, leadership development and career preparation, social recreation, skateboarding and rollerblading, and technology. Each department is led by trained youth development professionals. Programs are offered in a variety of formats including drop-in activities, special group clubs, sports leagues, specialized classes and ongoing instruction. Our programs are designed to help members develop socially, succeed in school, stay physically active and prepare for positive futures.

The Mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica is to enable all young people  to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

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