BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — At the Kern High Regional Occupational Center, students are learning that community service can be just as powerful as any classroom lesson.
This week, those lessons were put into action as students volunteered their time to help renovate the Bakersfield Sheriff's Activities League, giving the longtime community space a much-needed refresh.
Eric Magana knows the center well.
“I live in the area in fact, I used to come here,” Magana said. “I used to box here. Boxing is very fun, and it taught me how to defend myself and life skills.”
But instead of lacing up gloves, Magana picked up a paintbrush. Alongside his classmates from the Regional Occupational Center, he spent the day repainting walls, taping surfaces, and helping transform the facility that once helped shape him.
Fellow student Lamonte Graves said the experience was about more than just a fresh coat of paint.
“Me helping here can help create a lasting impact for those who go here and the community in general,” Graves said. “It helps me as well it teaches me new skills. For example, I helped tape a bunch of stuff up and worked with the food truck.”
That food truck effort was supported by Bakersfield social media personality Mr. Dimples, who used the event to spotlight his nonprofit initiative, Dimple Dreams.
“We are going to be officially with the Sheriff’s Activities League having a podcast room,” Mr. Dimples said.
As he grabbed a paintbrush himself, the vision for the renovated space extended beyond athletics.
The goal is to transform the recreation center into a hub not only for sports, but also for job training, life skills development, and media education.
“Teach all the students how to podcast, how to do media it’s amazing. Dimple Dreams,” he added.
For volunteers like Jesus Salcido, the transformation already feels remarkable.
“This building when I first started here, it was dark,” Salcido said. “But when I saw it today, I can’t believe we did all of this in a day.”
While full renovations could take several months to complete, the progress made in just one day reflects the power of students, mentors, and community leaders working together. What was once a dim space is quickly becoming a brighter, more dynamic center—designed to empower the next generation both inside and outside the ring.
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