Dodgers News: LADF To Invest $25K In Teacher Program

Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) made the announcement that they were going to invest $25,000 in 2016 to the Teach for America-Los Angeles program. In doing so, it’ll help the nonprofit organization’s ability to train and recruit teachers at Manual Arts High School.

This is just one of the many things that the Los Angeles Dodgers do throughout the community in order to bolster relations and such. The team, and foundation, are there to help those in need, as well as nonprofit entities like Teach for America-Los Angeles.

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The program was founded in 1990 in an effort to work with the community on increasing the education opportunity for children in low-income areas. The Manual Arts High School, which Teach for America-Los Angeles has been a partner of since 2011, serves as a pillar to help the youth in Los Angeles.

From the press release:

During the past 25 years, Teach For America–Los Angeles corps members have educated nearly 750,000 students, ranging from early childhood to 12th grade.

Over the last couple years, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation has contributed nearly $2.5 million to well over 100 community organizations throughout the Los Angeles area.

The Dodgers always look out for the community at large and do anything and everything to help. This is just another instance of the LADF doing their part to help the youth, less fortunate, and those in need. It’s truly a wonderful thing.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) announced today that it is investing $25,000 this year in Teach For America-Los Angeles. The grant will support the nonprofit’s ability to recruit and train a cohort of teachers at Manual Arts High School, where Teach For America is one of more than 50 community partners contributing to a significant academic turnaround.

“LADF is pleased to help Teach For America–Los Angeles provide a pipeline of diverse, talented, and passionate teachers for Los Angeles schools with the greatest needs,” said Nichol Whiteman, LADF executive director. “By sponsoring TFA-LA’s work at Manual Arts High School, we are helping to recruit and retain innovative leaders in our classrooms and community and prepare more students for college access and success.”

This is the largest grant LADF has contributed to Teach For America-Los Angeles since it became a partner in 2014. Fourteen corps members currently teach more than 2,000 students at Manual Arts High School in LA’s Promise Neighborhood.

Teach For America-Los Angeles has partnered with Manual Arts High School since 2011 to help radically shift the education, wellness and social outcomes of youth in southern Los Angeles. Corps members and alumni helped make significant gains in the school’s Academic Performance Index and California High School Exit Examination results, and contributed to school culture by becoming athletic coaches, club sponsors and mentors.

“TFA corp members bring a hopeful energy to Manual Arts High School that students really respond to and appreciate, which improves learning,” said Stephanie Kuo, a Teach For America-Los Angeles alum who is in her fourth year of teaching special education students English at Manual Arts.

Teach For America-Los Angeles was established in 1990 to work with communities to expand education opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. It recruits and develops outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-poverty schools and become lifelong advocates for education equity.

During the past 25 years, Teach For America–Los Angeles corps members have educated nearly 750,000 students, ranging from early childhood to 12th grade. Today, 180 corps members reach an estimated 19,500 students in some of the highest-need communities in Los Angeles and about 1,000 alumni serve as teachers, principals and school-system leaders at partners including Los Angeles Unified School District, Lynwood Unified School District and charter networks.

“Our goal is to recruit extraordinary leaders from all backgrounds who can harness the potential in all kids,” said Lida Jennings, executive director of Teach For America-Los Angeles. “Thanks to the generous support of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, we can continue this critical work at Manual Arts, where we’ve seen that commitment and investment changes outcomes for students.”

 Since 2014, LADF has granted nearly $2.5 million to over 100 charitable and community organizations throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. Approximately 77 % of 2015 giving supported local education nonprofits. For more information on LADF’s charitable giving and grant guidelines, please visit www.dodgers.com/ladf.

 About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Today, 8,600 corps members are teaching in 52 urban and rural regions across the country while more than 42,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.