Stoked Weekly Recap: 20th Anniversary, Mentor Pledge Record, and School Year Plans

In this first weekly recap of Been to the Mountain Top: Stoked Edition, Steve Larosiliere sits down with Stoked Program Manager Cue Pierre to share big updates and a bold challenge.

The team is expanding to 10 schools, prepping a 20th anniversary celebration on November 6, and rallying the nation to break the world record for most mentoring pledges in 24 hours.

You'll hear how they plan to mobilize thousands of supporters to commit to mentoring—and why this record matters for youth far beyond action sports.

Cue reflects on his journey from part-time coach to program manager and the culture shift since Steve's return: more trust, creativity, and clarity in the work.

They dig into summer highlights like the return of weekend skate mentor sessions and a month-long internship partnership at Camp Woodward, share fresh school-year program packages (Risers for middle school, Pathways for high school), and celebrate outcomes from last year's 308 registered "Stokers" to 45 high school graduates.

The episode closes with a five-year vision: an ecosystem of mentors and experiences that help young people thrive—on boards and in life.

Key Topics Covered

• The big push: expanding Stoked to 10 schools and celebrating 20 years on November 6
• World-record attempt: mobilizing 2,000–3,000 mentoring pledges in 24 hours (current record: 1,500)
• Meet Cue: from action sports coach to program manager—and how speaking up sparked his growth
• Culture shift at Stoked: trust, autonomy, creativity, and becoming more AI-enabled for efficiency
• By the numbers (last school year): 308 registered youth, 2,332 total session attendances, 1,300+ program hours, 62 returning participants, 45 HS graduates (NYC)
• Summer wins: revived weekend skate mentor sessions; job-experience internship with Camp Woodward; partnership momentum (incl. Westside Skates)
• New program design: "Risers" (middle school—high school readiness) and "Pathways" (high school—internships, snow trips, life/college planning)
• Who Stoked serves: resilient, outspoken, optimistic youth who embody the core values—expanding across the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (Rockaway)
• Alumni spotlight: a former Stoker (Brooklyn) now a Wharton MBA; long-term partnership with Bronx Lab School (10+ years)
• The five-year vision: a cycle of mentorship that creates options, community, and life-changing experiences for youth

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Recap 

03:18 Meet Cue: Journey at Stoked 

05:34 Changes and Growth at Stoked 

08:44 Impact and Statistics of Stoked Programs 

10:05 Summer Programs and Internships 

12:29 Personal Journey and Career Development 

16:42 AI Integration at Stoked 

17:58 Team Dynamics and Program Repackaging 

18:24 New Program Packages and Focus Areas 

20:47 Understanding the Kids: Sentiment and Resilience 

22:37 Alumni Success Stories and Community Impact 

25:23 Looking Forward: Future Goals for Stoked

Interested in mentoring or partnering? Visit stoked.org and follow along on Instagram and YouTube to join the record-setting pledge and support youth across NYC.

Ready to join the community? Here's how you can connect with us:

Follow the Journey: 

@thelarosiliere

Get Involved with Stoke: 

Transform lives through action sports and mentorship

@stokedorg

stoked.org

Level Up Your Business:

buildergrowth.io

Design with Purpose:

purposedesignbuild.com