See. Develop. Inspire.

From September 15 - October 15, Americans celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central & South America.

On Monday, KIPP LA welcomed KIPPsters to the 2018-19 school year and it is clear that students, families, teachers, and team members are ready to start strong, and stay strong!

With 98 percent of KIPP LA students identifying as Black or Latino, our schools make it a priority to celebrate diversity not only during national holidays, but throughout the year. Read on to learn more about recent cultural events held at a few of our South Los Angeles schools.

Hundreds of KIPP LA students participated in the 20th anniversary of the national “Read Across America Day” program. The event is held each year on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, to celebrate a love of reading. Learn more from participants below.

In this final installment of Innovation Day blogs, KIPP LA’s regional innovation coordinator, Shawn Jackson, shares resources from his presentation, “Designing an Equitable Classroom.”

KIPP LA recently hosted the fourth annual Innovation Day, a professional development event that gives educators an opportunity to create meaningful connections & gain practical approaches and tools to use in their classrooms. KIPP LA will post a series of blogs with important resources shared during Innovation Day that will pave the way to equity for students. Click here to view the first of the series about English Language Learner resources and read on for pro tips on incorporating Google Classroom to meet the needs of students.

Twelve students from the KIPP Raices Academy student council volunteered at the Eastmont Community Center this week to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Students ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade recited an original poem, passed out student-made Valentines, and read to the senior residents of the center. Read on for heartfelt student responses regarding the event and check out the video for some adorable footage of the KIPP volunteers.

KIPP LA recently hosted the fourth annual Innovation Day, which gives educators an opportunity to create meaningful connections & gain practical approaches and tools to use in their classrooms. KIPP LA will post a series of blogs with important resources shared during Innovation Day that will pave the way to equity for students. Read on for innovative approaches to engage English Language Learners.

After realizing a need to drive toward more equitable practices and outcomes in classrooms throughout KIPP LA Public Schools, the region has created a Social Justice Steering Committee and identified four main initiatives led by leaders of the KIPP LA Team & Family including: (1) restorative practices; (2) trauma-informed teaching; (3) combating implicit bias and; (4) culturally-relevant pedagogy.

KIPP Comienza Community Prep families joined Revolution Foods in a live, cooking demonstration at the Huntington Park Library. Read on for more information and a healthy snack recipe!

Over thirty KIPP Comienza families came together to learn about quick and healthy meals for families on the go. Each family made a “Fruity-Yogurty Parfait,” a healthy and delicious snack. Check out the recipe from Revolution Foods below and try it with your own family!

Irene Chavez came to the event with her three children, all KIPP Comienza KIPPsters. She noted that “as parents, we’re on a busy schedule and these are great ideas for a quick snack for the ride between school and home, not only for my children but for me.”

Her youngest son especially enjoyed the parfait. “I’m pretty sure he’s excited to go shopping for this stuff now,” she said.

Revolution Foods provides nutritious, freshly-prepared snacks and meals to our KIPPsters each day. According to their website, “the frontline of education is the lunch line. It's not just about serving healthy meals, it's about nurturing healthier habits. That's why we partner with best-in-class organizations to support our schools with nutrition education programs aimed at empowering students to make smarter eating decisions.”

Irene added that partnerships like these are especially important in her community where cultural norms include an expectation that one eats everything on their plate and healthy cooking is not typically promoted. “They’re offering healthier options for our more traditional foods and different ideas that we’re becoming more open to trying,” she said.

Fruity-Yogurty Parfait Recipe 

Ingredients:

1 cup of vanilla yogurt

1 cup of mixed berries

½ cup of granola

Directions:

Layer ⅓ cup vanilla yogurt into the bottom of a glass. Combine defrosted strawberries and juice with fresh berries. Alternate layers of fruit and granola with yogurt until the glass is filled to the top. Serve parfaits immediately to keep granola crunchy.

Be on the lookout for another Revolution Foods cooking demo next month!