Pictures
Below is a listing of our picture galleries. To view a picture gallery, please click on its associated link.
LA's BEST Go H2O Challenge
More than 12,000 students enrolled in the LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program celebrated the successful completion of the “Go H20!” challenge. The challenge was created through a partnership between the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and LA’s BEST and aimed to educate children about the importance of drinking water for healthy living and the earth-friendly benefits of reusing and recycling more plastics. Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III, Assistant Speaker pro Tempore made a special visit to 112th Street Elementary to congratulate the students in his district.
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Kicking-Off Library Beautification Project with Councilmember Huizar
LA's BEST students from Sheridan Elementary helped Councilmember Jose Huizar (CD 14) kick-off a new beautification project at the Benjamin Franklin Library in Boyle Heights. Students also had an opportunity to sign-up for a library card!
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Mattel's Pink Ticket Event
LA's BEST girls from Charles Kim and Murchison Elementary Schools were princesses for the day at Mattel's "Pink Ticket Party" where they dressed up and strutted the runway in a fashion show, decorated their own cupcakes, sang Barbie Karaoke, built their own Barbies and viewed a new Barbie movie.
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Read Across America with FedEx
FedEx employee volunteers read to LA's BEST students at Stoner Elementary for Read Across America and participted in Seuss on the Loose, a Dr.Seuss themed learning carnival in honor of his birthday. FedEx presented LA's BEST with a $10,000 donation and gave every child at Stoner five books and goodies to take home! Thank you to FedEx for their time, support and generosity.
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Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Yount People
Thanks to the Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Young People, one group of LA's BEST kids had a unique opportunity to see a screening of "A Shine of Rainbows" at the REDCAT Theater which included a question and answer session with the Filmmakers while another group of kids visited Jim Henson Studios for the afternoon where they learned the art of puppetry and how cartoons are made.
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"My Life, My Music, My Broadway" Performance
LA's BEST students from Grape Street Elementary School created and performed a musical medley called "My Life, My Music, My Broadway," taking the audience on a musical journey in time from the 1960s until tomorrow. The performance was inspired by the musical "Baby It's You!" and produced by Grape Street Site Coordinator Bennie Ford.
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February First Friday
LA's BEST Friends came out for an afternoon of baton twirling, despite the pouring rain. Hosts Michelle Freyre and Andrei Najjar and national twirling champion, John Mitchell worked with LA's BEST students at Rio Vista Elementary School in North Hollywood to perfect their baton techniques!
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LA's BEST Celebrates Tu Bishvat
Thanks to a partnership initiated last year by Jacob Dayan, Israel’s Consul General in Los Angeles, and his wife, Galit, students from LA’s BEST sites and students from local Jewish day schools reconnected in honor of Tu Bishvat, a Jewish celebration of the new year of trees. Together, the students planted gardens, created art murals and exchanged cultural songs and dances, helping to meet the goal of the partnership which is to create understanding between children who come from diverse backgrounds.
Photo credit for gallery: Linda Kasian
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Councilmember Eric Garcetti Attends LA's BEST KidTech Culmination
LA's BEST students from Harvard Elementary were excited to have the support of Councilmember Eric Garcetti, who attended the KidTech Culmination celebration at their school. Students presented what they learned during the 8 week program, which teaches them computer skills like typing, creating documents, editing photos and conducting Internet research. At the end of the ceremony, each kid was given a free refurbished computer to take home. Visit Eric Garcetti’s Blog to learn more about the event: http://lacityorgcd13.blogspot.com/2010/01/congrats-kidtech-grads.html
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Singing with Samantha Stollenwerck
Singer, songwriter and recording artist Samantha Stollenwerck recently visited LA’s BEST kids at Stoner Elementary School where she played her music and helped the kids create t-shirts designs inspired by her lyrics, one of which was chosen and is currently being sold on Samantha’s website, benefitting LA’s BEST. Visit http://www.samanthamusic.com/ to check out these cool shirts.
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Natural History Museum with Dr. Jane Goodall
LA’s BEST students from Victory and Kittridge Elementary Schools were thrilled to meet primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall on a field trip to the Natural History Museum where they learned about making positive changes for communities, animals and the environment from Dr. Goodall’s Roots & Shoots representatives from all over the world.
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KidTech Culmination Event
A group of 20 students at N.E.W. Academy in Canoga Park were completely surprised when they were given refurbished computers to take home after completing the 8 week LA’s BEST KidTech program, which teaches students computer skills like typing, creating documents, making presentations and graphs, editing photos and conducting Internet research.
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Cause on the Rocks: Blended with LA's BEST
Causecast in partnership with the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica hosted their third "cocktail mixer with a conscience," on January 12, 2010, benefiting LA's BEST. Many familiar and new faces joined together to sip, dance and support LA's BEST and for the entire month of January, 100% of the proceeds from ordering the Açaí Cooler will go to LA's BEST.
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LA's BEST 16th Annual Community Jam Against Violence
More than 1300 LA's BEST kids and their families gathered at UCLA's Royce Hall for the 16th Annual Community Jam Against Violence, a talent showcase which gives LA's BEST students a platform to express themselves artistically and decry the violence in their communities. This year, students from twenty-three schools hit the stage and expressed themselves through dance, song, drumming, and dramatic performances.
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Variety's Power of Youth Event
LA's BEST was the co-beneficiary of Variety's Power of Youth this year. The event was hosted at Paramount Studios and honored five young celebrities including AnnaLynne McCord, Corbin Bleu, Jesse McCartney, KeKe Palmer and Miranda Cosgrove for their involvement with philanthropic and humanitarian causes. The Power of Youth initiative is focused on encouraging top young talent to become involved in causes using their positions in popular culture to motivate others to do the same. Students from LA's BEST enjoyed games, prizes, food and fun. LA's BEST students from Westminster also performed West African Dance.
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Bang Studio Improv Workshop
David Henrie (Justin Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place) teamed up with Peter Murrieta (Executive Producer of Wizards) to teach a special improv class at Murrieta’s bang Theatre in Los Angeles. Twenty students from LA’s BEST, had the opportunity to get firsthand experience from seasoned actors and take part in improvisational skits, games and routines at one of LA’s top improv theatres. Students and actors pretended to "walk on eggs" amongst other exercises and LA's BEST students paired up with actors to shadow their actions. Students and actors alike left with such a positive and enriching experience.
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Family Health Festival 2009
More than 5,000 LA’s BEST kids and their families attended the 7th Annual Family Health Festival held on Sunday, October 25, 2009 on the David Beckham Academy soccer field at the Home Depot Center in Carson. This fun-filled nutrition education forum is designed to create and promote awareness of the importance of making choices for healthier lifestyles. Students and parents participated in activities including yoga, healthy cooking, health screenings and more.
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UnWINEd with LA's BEST
UnWINEd with LA's BEST, an annual wine tasting and silent auction hosted by LA's BEST Friends at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica raised more than $65,000 for LA's BEST this fall. More than 400 young philanthropic professionals from Los Angeles attended. Warmest gratitude goes out to our sponsors: Huddle Group, Pricewatershouse Cooper, Rustic Canyon Partners, Reva Shakkottai with RBC Wealth Managers, Arey Jones, TriNet, GE Real Estate, Beverly Loan Company, JetBlue and Core Performance Center. Additional thanks to our Wine Sponsors: Mayacamas Vineyards, Rosenthal/Surfrider, Don Sebastiani & Sons, and Casa Torelli. And finally, many thanks to: BDI Events, AGF, Creative Freedom, Robin Nixon, and Photo Center.
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Target Reads with LA's BEST
Councilmember José Huizar joined Target leadership and volunteers to makeover Sunrise Elementary’s library, a LA’s BEST site, and accept a $10,000 check from Target for computers at six LA’s BEST sites at the third annual Target Reads with LA’s BEST. Target granted LA’ s BEST with six library makeovers that were completed with the support of Target volunteers, as well as literacy kits for nearly 4,000 children at 25 additional sites. Target Reads with LA's BEST promotes the joy of reading, the importance of education and that “homework is fun.”
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LA’s BEST Kids Set Sail
Thanks to LA’s BEST supporter Norman Swanton, President & CEO of Warren Resources, Inc., LA’s BEST students from San Pedro-area schools, Bandini, Hawaiian, Cabrillo, 15th Street and Broad Elementary set sail and experienced the TopSail Youth Program at the Los Angeles Maritime Institute where they learned about life aboard a tall ship including how to control the sails, steer the ship and facts about the local marine life. Students enjoyed a hands-on experience with their peers and saw the ocean in a way that they never saw it before.
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