Where Does the Money Go?
All money raised by Usos Foundation goes into the foundation to offer scholarships to at-risk youth.
What Does the Scholarship program offer?
In addition to learning top-of-the-line skills in the sport of wrestling and self defense, the program will provide the youth with various traits and skills in other areas which include: self-esteem, the mind-body-spirit connection, public relations, experience in filming, photography, editing, journalism, script writing, sales, marketing, and other entrepreneurial skills. All of which are skills that can be used in the business world, since many of these kids will not have the option of attending college.
What do At - Risk youth get out of the scholarship programs?
Written by Usos Foundation Scholarship recipient Aaron Landis-
It is an absolute honor to receive this scholarship from Afa and the Usos Foundation. They are helping me one step at a time to try to achieve my dream of being a pro wrestler and along they way I am learning a whole different meaning of the word "family". I remember the 1st time I saw Wrestling on TV, I watched The Rock deliver a Rock Bottom to Rikishi in the middle of the ring. I find it amazing how now I am training underneath Pops' guidance and teachings. It's hard to believe that it was not destiny that made this possible.
When I was younger, everyone would shoot down my dream of becoming a pro wrestler. If you were to ask my friends and family 10 years ago if they thought I would ever be this far along towards reaching my dream they would've thought you were delusional. I love that I can now stand here today and prove all of them wrong. I went through a very dark time before Afa and Mom awarded me this scholarship. I had lost 3 of my best friends within 3 weeks, popped 3 of the tires on my car with no money to pay for them, and my family got foreclosed on our house, and then one day I was stuck outside my house in the cold and rain for an hour straight. I had to punch a hole through a glass window in order to let myself back in. When I got inside I lay down and passed out as I thought to myself... can it get much worse than this?
The very next day I went to Wrestling Training at the Gym and Mom and Pops
called me into their office and told me that they would love to give the Adam
Carreras Scholarship to me. Just at the sound of what they had just told me, I
burst into tears and thought that all the suffering I had been enduring the past
few months had finally paid off. It was like a dream come true for me and my
family. My mom was also very excited and struck with emotion. She was so
distraught over the fact that she didn't have the money to help me pay for my
dream and she loves and thanks Mom and Pops for providing me with
the opportunity that she couldn't.
I have learned so much from my time with Pops and the rest of his blood family
and the WXW family. Last but not least I have learned that there is no one
more vicious, more ruthless, more aggressive, more wild, and more kind, more
loving, more caring... than Pops. I love Pops so much and I would take a bullet
for him.
Once again a special thanks to the Usos Foundation and everyone else who made
this possible for myself. - Aaron S. Landis
May 25, 2010
First of all I want to thank Uncle AFA Anoai and
Aunty Lynn. It has been a true blessing being able to be the first one to
receive the Lia Maivia Scholarship. I love the woman behind the scholarship, and
I am honored to have the privilege to represent her in the wrestling industry.
The scholarship helped me to get to where I am today. I was able to train at The
Wild Samoan Training Center and learn so much from Afa and his trainers. It gave
me the opportunity to grow and make my dreams come true as a WWE Diva Wrestler.
I am now at the WWE training school known as FCW, and my Uncle Afa was a huge
part of my training. He was very hard on me and its not just because I was his
niece, but he treated everyone equal. He always does his best in trying to help
students like myself reach their full potential and goals in this life,
especially when it comes to wrestling. The Lia Maivia Scholarship will always
and forever be in my heart and spirit; it was a stepping stone to where I needed
to get, and it has blessed not only me but my family as well. So I just want to
say, "Fafetai lava:" (Thank you) for privileging me and allowing me to pursue my
dreams. I am moving forward now in my goals as a WWE Diva wrestler, and I will
do my best to positively represent the Lia Maivia Scholarship and the Wild
Samoan Training Center in everything I do. Thank you again Afa and for the Lia
Maivia Scholarship!!!!
MUCH ALOFAS,
SARONA SNUKA-POLAMALU
A.K.A -TAMINA
My name is Wes Peel. My family and I moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in November of 2001 and it was there that I began to fulfill my dream of becoming a pro wrestler.
In late 2007 I lost my Mother to lung cancer, and I promised her that I would keep my dream alive in pro wrestling. I moved to Orlando to further my training at a school that was ranked the best in the area at the time. However in 2008 the school closed down.
In the beginning of 2009 I was introduced to Afa (Pops), Ricky Santana, and Haku. Through the Wild Samoan Training Center - WXW Wrestling and Usos Foundation, they started to mentor me and teach me the things I was lacking to make it to the next level. They helped me get ready for the WWE camp, where I was looked at by WWE head of talent Relations John Laurinaitis, who invited me to come to WWE Raw for a tryout and the feeling I had after hearing that was surreal. Even though I didn't get a WWE contract this time around, I now know I have what it takes to make my dream come true just by the fact that John invited me there and with Pops, Ricky and Haku mentoring me I know I will make to the WWE one day.
Hi Pops
I wanted to e-mail you and tell you thanks again for everything that you have done for me. Last night was the greatest thing I have experienced thus far in wrestling and I owe it all to you. Without you I wouldn't have had the chance to even wrestle in the first place but you took me in under the Usos foundation and I can't explain how eternally grateful I am and forever will be. I look at this as a great experience for myself and will continue to work hard and try to get bigger as far as physically is concerned. I just started a new workout plan for myself so I hope to gain some weight this year. I will continue to perform to the best of my ability every time I'm out there for you, and represent WXW the way I always have and the way I feel it should be represented. I was very proud to be able to tell people that I'm from the Wild Samoan Training Center, Pops' school. And I thank you once again from the bottom of my heart. Pops once again I cant tell you how much I appreciate you and everything you have done for me and my family as a whole and I truly thank you and your family from the bottom of my heart. I won't let you down. I'll continue to work hard in order to succeed in this business. I love you very much and I thank you again.
Love, Gus
(Gus Harlachar)
First of all, I would like to thank Afa and Lynn for giving me an opportunity to do something I love more than life, which is to wrestle. I want to personally thank Afa for taking me off the streets away from the gangs, drugs and the rest of the trouble that surrounds me. By letting me wrestle, Afa has given me goals to succeed in life as well as in wrestling. Wrestling has changed my life completely. I don't get into trouble in school anymore, but I'm still having a little trouble in school. Then again, I always had trouble in school. I know with Afa and Lynn's help, I can change that too. Basically what I'm trying to say is "thank you" Pops And Mom for giving me something positive and good in my life. I will never forget it and I will always love you for that, always.
Sincerely Your Son,
Junior (Havoc)
Allentown, P.A.
To read more testimonies, visit the "Success Stories" and "Endorsements" pages.