On Tuesday, January 8 KIPP LA rolled out the red carpet (literally) to celebrate the opening of two new, permanent school campuses - KIPP Comienza Community Prep in Huntington Park and KIPP Corazón Academy in South Gate. KIPP Academy of Innovation will also be opening a new campus in the coming weeks.

During a special school assembly welcoming students to their new home, KIPP Comienza School Leader Hadley Huberman shared that “this building was created and built brand new just for you! You are the very first students to ever come to this building. This is a really exciting opportunity to set new goals.”

One could feel the excitement in the room as hundreds of elementary-aged students awaited the ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by their newly-elected student body president, Genesis. “I want you to cheer louder than you’ve ever cheered,” instructed Ms. Huberman, and the students delivered. Upon seeing the ribbon, second grader, Alondra, noted that “my school is like a present!”

When asked what they were most excited about for their new campus, second-grade student LeAnna answered “I’m excited to see lots of new things and make new memories.” Daniel, also in second grade, said that “at this new school, we get to start new again.” Many students felt joy and gratitude for the new playground and soccer field.

Public charter schools must acquire their own facilities, unlike traditional public district schools. In greater Los Angeles, this can prove to be very challenging given limited spaces available to meet the unique needs of a school, KIPP LA’s focus on safe and secure locations, and the exorbitant cost of real estate in the city.

Currently, ten of KIPP LA’s 17 schools have permanent facilities with additional plans for 2020 and beyond. If you would like to donate to KIPP LA and assist in efforts like facilities, please visit our support page here.