LA`s Promise Neighborhood Newsletter Winter 2016

IMPROVING SCHOOLS
EMPOWERING NEIGHBORHOODS
WINTER 2016
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
MESSAGE FROM LA’S PROMISE
IN THIS ISSUE
l M
essage from
LA’s Promise
l W
est Adams Hosts
U.S. Treasurer
l Go For College Fair
l West Adams Health Fair
l Kids at the Table
l Futsal Court
l Thank You Sponsors!
MISSION
Our mission is to
graduate every student
attending an LA’s Promise
neighborhood school
college and career ready.
LA’s Promise
202 W. 1st Street
Suite 160
Los Angeles CA 90012
P 213.745.4928
laspromise.org
Over the years, LA’s Promise has touched the lives of students
and their families at John Muir Middle School, Manual Arts Senior
High School, and West Adams Preparatory High School in many
significant ways. Some of the work we’re most proud of resides
within our signature program, Go For College. Our organization
often describes it to others as a vehicle for empowerment,
inspiring students to not only pursue a post-secondary education,
but also providing them with the means to do so. Go For College
at its essence is a human driven endeavor, best exemplified by
the tireless dedication of teachers, school site personnel, partner agencies, and
volunteers, who commit countless hours of their own time to guide students through
each step of the college preparation, application, and financial aid process.
This college application season has been our busiest yet, with students submitting
more than 1900 applications to California State University and University of
California schools by the November 30th deadline. Yet there’s still a great deal left to
do as students prepare to submit private school applications, Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA), California Dream Act for undocumented students,
Intent to Enroll, and scholarship forms. None of what LA’s Promise
has accomplished would be possible without the support of outside
organizations such as USC TRiO, Upward Bound Math-Science, 826LA,
Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Los Angeles City College, Santa
Monica College, Mount St. Mary’s University, and One Voice LA as well as a myriad
of scholarship and mentorship programs. Together we have given many lowincome and first-generation students in South Los Angeles a chance to realize their
full potential.
Happy Holidays,
Claudia Keller
Turkey Giveaway
Ralphs/Food 4 Less, 54th Street Seventh-Day
Adventist Church, and Assemblyman Reggie
Jones-Sawyer generously donated 280
turkeys and bags filled with holiday cooking
supplies to families at John Muir Middle
School, Manual Arts Senior High School, and
West Adams Preparatory High School.
1
Go For
College Fair
Manual Arts Senior High School
and West Adams Preparatory
High School hosted their annual
Go for College Fair, which gave
students an early glimpse at the
opportunities that await them
after high school. More than 35
colleges and universities from
across the nation attended
each event, including Harvard,
Princeton, USC, UCLA, and
Loyola Marymount University
and many others. LA’s Promise
strives to admit more than 90%
of students from the 20152016 graduating class to an
institution of higher learning.
WEST ADAMS HEALTH FAIR
South Los Angeles and community-based health organizations gathered at West
Adams Preparatory High School to provide students and parents with vital information
and services, which included demonstrations on healthy eating, hypertension,
childhood obesity, and physical fitness. A special thanks to Breathe California of Los
Angeles, EduCare Foundation, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, SoLA Food Coop, St. John’s Well Child & Family Center, and UCLA’s Black Hypertension Project for
partnering with us.
Futsal Court
John Muir Middle School has a beautiful new futsal playing court courtesy of the Los
Angeles Galaxy, Major League Soccer, Beyond The Bell, and Los Angeles Unified
School District. Our students and 7 to 7 after school enrichment program can’t wait to
put it to good use!
2
Kids at the Table
Chef Bryce Fluellen launched his inaugural
Kids at the Table event at John Muir Middle
School. The pop-up restaurant inspired
atmosphere encouraged thoughtful
conversation between adults and students,
who discussed what they would change about
their school. This unforgettable experience
would not have been possible without the
support of the American Heart Association,
Whole Foods Market, Los Angeles Education
Partnership, Councilman Herb J. Wesson, and
entrepreneur Larry Earl Jr., and a group
of wonderful volunteers, who hosted
tables and led discussions.
West Adams Hosts
U.S. Treasurer
United States Treasurer Rosa Gumataotao Rios visited
West Adams Preparatory High School and spoke to
students about her lifelong passion for finance and sevenyear odyssey to replace Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill
with a prominent female historical figure. Students pitched
their suggestions to Rios, which included such trailblazers
as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Delores Huerta. Many
thanks to U.S. Treasurer Rios for inspiring our students with
your amazing story.
3
We would like to thank all of our generous sponsors this year for helping us
transform our South Los Angeles schools and the community at large.
20th Century Fox Studios
Alex Vrobeck
Alison Temple
Allan Mayer
Allison & Bennett Rosenthal
Ambassador Frank & Kathy Baxter
Americo Cascella
Amgen Foundation
Andrea Foggy-Paxton
Annenberg Foundation
Anschultz Entertainment Group
Ares Management
Bain & Company
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman
Schenkman & Goodman, LLP
The Boston Consulting Group
California Community Foundation
California Emerging Technology Fund
The California Endowment
The Carol and James Collins Foundation
Christopher Brearton
Cindy & Sheldon Stone
Citi Foundation
City National Bank
Content Partners, LLC
Creative Artists Agency
Darryl Schall
David Sachs
Dorchester Capital Advisors, LLC
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
Elizabeth Mann
Estate of Robert Ludlum
Giancarla Berti
Goldman Sachs
The Green Foundation
Home Box Office
ICM Partners
Jeff Moore
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jill & Brian McNamee
John Leupp
The Johnny Carson Foundation
Joseph Drown Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center
Kate Capshaw & Steven Spielberg
Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall
Kathy & John Kissick
Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams
Kelli & Dean Hallett
4
Ken Vils
L.I.F.T. Foundation
LA84 Foundation
Larry Berg
Latham & Watkins, LLP
Lazard
Lions Gate Entertainment
Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation
Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund
Marina Berti & Stephen Prough
Mark Zucker
Martha & Bruce Karsh
Matt Cwiertnia
Mayer Brown
MCJ Amelior Foundation
Megan & Peter Chernin
Mellody Hobson & George Lucas
Meredith & David Kaplan
Morgan Stanley
Nielsen
Nordstrom
Otis Booth Foundation
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Points of Light/AmeriCorps
Ralphs/Food 4 Less
Rick Hess
Rita Wilson & Tom Hanks
Rob & Shari Friedman
Robin Kurtzman
Roth Family Foundation
Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation
Seth Brufsky
Simon Osborn
Southern California Edison
Southern California Gas Company
Stephanie Christie
Steve Kram
Susanna Felleman & Erik Feig
Televisa Foundation
Tony & Jamie Gertz Ressler
Toyota Motor Sales, USA
United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Univision
Verizon Communications
The Walt Disney Company Foundation
The Walton Family Foundation
Weingart Foundation
Wells Fargo
Wildcard Entertainment
William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
Zac Guevara