Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro, California

While serving as president and CEO of Southern California-based Clean Air Engineering Maritime, Inc., Nick Tonsich always remains active in his local community. Currently, Nick Tonsich is a sitting member of the Toberman Neighborhood Center board of trustees, The center helps at-risk youth and families in the Harbor Area around San Pedro to live healthy and purposeful lives.

With an emphasis on family services, the Toberman Neighborhood Center has been providing important social and educational support to young people since 1903. With over 7,500 individuals aided last year alone, the center helps students doing poorly in school, those with family participating in gang activity, and those going through legal troubles. 

The Toberman Academy offers positive and safe afterschool care for young people who need homework help and a hot meal while steering them away from future alcohol and drug use, as well as gang activity. Also offering youth mentoring, caring adult volunteers support students academically and emotionally, by engaging them in hobbies and guiding them onto successful career paths. 

Adults can also benefit, with parenting classes being offered alongside family nights, giving families a chance to have fun in a positive environment. Free on-site legal counsel aids those with issues related to immigration, bankruptcy and tax credits.

The Enrollment Process at Port of Los Angeles High School

A former attorney who focused on environmental and maritime law, Nick Tonsich serves as the president and CEO of both Ocean Terminal Services, Inc. and Clean Air Engineering-Maritime, Inc. The former president of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, Nick Tonsich also served on the board of trustees for the Port of Los Angeles High School (POLAHS) for several years.

An independent charter high school, Port of Los Angeles High School provides 950 students with a tuition-free education for grades nine through 12. Students are welcome to enroll as either prospective ninth graders or transfer students depending on availability for each year. 

For prospective ninth graders, a lottery form must be sent in between January and February before a student is eligible for enrollment. These prospective students are given a number and, if lottery forms exceed the number of openings, POLAHS conducts a random drawing. 

Once a student has been selected for enrollment through this system, the school requests additional information to ensure they are a good fit. Students who were not selected are placed on a waiting list according to their lottery number and may be able to enroll at a later date if a space opens up.
Meanwhile, transfer students are all selected through a lottery system as well. These students are entered into a student lottery based on their grade level. The lottery determines their wait-list position and POLAHS enrolls them when space is available.

Toberman Neighborhood Center Helps Children through Toberman Academy

The president of Clean Air Engineering-Maritime, Inc., (CAEM) and Ocean Terminal Services (OTS), Nick Tonsich has been working in the maritime industry in Los Angeles for more than 15 years. Dedicated to helping his community, Nick Tonsich supports several local organizations, including the Toberman Neighborhood Center.

Since 1903, the Toberman Neighborhood Center (TNC) has been providing individuals and families in the Harbor area with various services to promote healthy lives. Several of the center’s services focus on children and youth, including the Toberman Academy.

Designed for students between Kindergarten and fifth grade, the Toberman Academy is an afterschool program that provides youth with a safe and positive environment. While at the academy, students are able to receive help with their homework and participate in various recreation and enrichment activities. These activities are chosen by the students themselves and are designed to help kids play and learn together.

The Toberman Academy also promotes successful child development based on the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. These assets were derived from years of research, and children are exposed to these various assets through their community, school, and family. According to the Search Institute, children with more of these assets thrive in later life. Meanwhile, those who have limited exposure are more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as alcohol use.

All students who participate in the Toberman Academy are given a free evening meal during the afterschool program. They also have access to an on-site library and computer lab.