|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
It’s been over a year since East Palo Alto teen and educator Christian Sbragia died, but his nonprofit Cooline Kids is keeping the heartbeat of youth community service alive. However, the nonprofit had to cut down on its summer programs this year due to lack of funding and full-time staff.
Sbragia, who died on Jan. 5, 2024, at the age of 19, was known throughout the community for his work in supporting the youth of East Palo Alto. At 9 years old, he noticed the absence of safe places for kids to play outside of school. He took the initiative to start afterschool programs at local elementary schools to provide safe places for kids to play.
Sbragia founded Cooline Kids in 2014 and was supported by volunteer youth who shared his passion for service. In the past, the nonprofit hosted weeks-long summer camps for various age groups and afterschool programs during the school year.
This year, about 60 students enrolled in the summer camp — a significant decrease compared to the 100 students the program hosted last year. Instead of separating age groups into classrooms, all campers shared one space this summer, said his mother Nicole Sbragia. This was a scaled down approach, but the benefit to the setting was that all age groups could learn from each other, she added.
Although Sbragia’s mother has taken over the organization, she gives all the credit to the dozens of student volunteers who have dedicated themselves to continue her son’s mission.
Sahil Srivastava, a rising senior at Palo Alto High School, has been involved with Cooline Kids for five years and served as the program director this summer.
Srivastava is one of a few volunteers who knew Sbragia before he died. He said the impact Sbragia made on him goes beyond the organization. With every challenge he faces, he asks himself “What would Christian do?”
“Stepping into the program director role this year, I faced many challenges,” Srivastava said. “Christian had always made himself available to everyone in the organization and I just really wanted to do the same.”
When he joined, he was an eighth grader who often felt underestimated, but at Cooline he felt empowered, he said.
“Every year I wanted to take part in higher and higher leadership roles because Christian had made it possible for me,” Srivastava explained.. “There was a lot of growing and learning, but I was able to do so comfortably in the environment he created.”
A young Cooline Kids student participates in a painting activity. Courtesy Nicole Sbragia. 
Cooline Kids counselor and student during a painting activity. Courtesy Nicole Sbragia. 
Cooline Kids hosts engaging learning activities for local youth during a summer camp in July 2025. Courtesy Nicole Sbragia.
During camps, Sbragia’s mother has incorporated a presentation on her son’s story and how the nonprofit was created. She also believes that Sbragia’s story and impact is told through the actions of the older Cooline students who had the opportunity to work with her son.
“When he was alive, I would gloat about him like crazy,” she said. “It’s just great to always be able to share his story and his passion and I can see it in the kids.”
Sbragia’s mother said she is still grieving but she is proud to be able to keep her son’s legacy alive through his nonprofit.
Tulipaolo Ama is a 15-year-old student at Eastside College Preparatory School who felt inspired to join Cooline Kids after hearing about Sbragia’s story. As an East Palo Alto local, Ama has always carried a passion for helping her community but Cooline Kids has empowered her to go outside her comfort zone and extend her hand to more people.
This summer marks her first year as a counselor and she already has hopes to become a program director one day.
“(Christian) wasn’t really doing it for himself. He was doing it for our community,” said Ama. “ I was already big on community and helping people, but hearing Christian and his story, pushed me to want to help more.”
Although the organization has had to scale back, its impact continues to go beyond Sbragia’s lifetime. The students of Cooline Kids are living by Sbragia’s mission to serve the community, acting as leaders and inspiring local youth.
The organization is currently supported through grants from the Palo Alto Community Fund, Rotary Club of Menlo Park and private donors.
On Aug. 7, Cooline Kids will be hosting a family art event from 5:30-7 p.m. at Girls Club of the Mid Peninsula located at 2400 Ralmar Ave. in East Palo Alto. This will be the final event of the summer but the community can look forward to pop-events throughout the school year.
For more information on Cooline Kids visit coolinekids.org.
