Diana Ayala says the Northside Boys & Girls Club has been a good influence on her kids ... from left, Jonathan, 13; Jason, 6; Adrianna, 11; and David, 15. Diana gives back to the club by serving as a chaperon for field trips.

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S.J. MOM PITCHES IN TO HELP CLUB THAT HELPED HER KIDS

diana Ayala, a single mom with four kids, has been lucky to have the Northside Boys & Girls Club of San Jose.

But then the Boys & Girls Club has been lucky to have Diana.

Eight years ago, Diana was concerned that her eldest son, David, now 15, was getting mixed up with ``troublemakers'' while she was at work. Then she learned how the Boys & Girls Clubs could help -- by providing after-school activities, all for $10 per child during the school year. Programs, at four clubhouses in some of San Jose's neediest neighborhoods, also help young people develop leadership skills and enjoy sports and recreation.

Ray McCasland, who has worked at the Northside branch for 23 years, says he wishes the club could reach more than the 500 kids now enrolled in its programs, but the clubs are stretched thin -- both with staff and budget.

That's why Diana, 38, has been such a boon.

``She is very, very giving and caring -- and not just for her kids but for all the kids,'' Ray says of Diana, who is among a half-dozen regular volunteers he counts on.

Despite some tough times -- she lost her job and had to move the family to a shelter at one point -- Diana makes time to cook at holiday parties and chaperon on the field trips that are organized to reward top achievers.

``All the kids respect each other when they're there,'' Diana says of the club. ``There are a lot of good kids. People think they're nothing but troublemakers, but they're not like that. There, they teach them to respect others.'' They also learn about communication, public speaking, street smarts, responsibility and goal-setting.

Diana says the club has helped her daughter Adrianna, 11, be more confident and less shy. She has been able to accompany her kids to many places -- such as the Tech Museum, Great America and Sharks games -- that she could never afford.

Diana's life has turned around over the past two years. She went back to school, which helped her find a job as a driver for a dental supply company.

``I have a lot to thank the Boys & Girls Club,'' Diana says. ``Through the hard times, they were there for us.''

Throughout the city, the four clubs serve 2,000 members. It costs about $60 (4A) per child per school year to provide bus transportation and admission to such places as the Exploratorium, Great America, and theater, drama and musical performances. A trip to Disneyland ($202 per person) (4B) would reward the top achievers.