Inglewood is adding to its legacy in the world of sports, think SoFi Stadium. This time, for high school students with a newly-renovated weight room.

A marching band and cheerleaders brought the sights and sounds of high school to life at a Tuesday news conference unveiling this investment in student athletics.

The goal “is making sure that the barriers to kids accessing sports play and movement are removed,” says Renata Simril of the Play Equity Fund. Simril is part of the “Champions Live Here” legacy program.

The new renovated gym has state-of-the-art equipment and a mural designed by a local artist. The students were eager to jump on the equipment and start weightlifting.

It’s at the renovated Catherine Coleman Field in Inglewood and for use by three high schools; Inglewood, Morningside, and City Honors. At the celebration, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, whose big concern is jobs in the community.

The Champions Educate Here program and the money are tied to the 2023 College Football Championship in Inglewood, and include the LA84 Foundation and the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission.

Full News Article

Daysi Garcia was a child athlete. She took up boxing however only later in her teen years. Now, she’s a coach and created a boxing club at PUC Excel Charter Academy in Lincoln Heights.

Her contribution became that much greater when she was selected among 46 Southern California teachers to receive a big honor by the College Football Playoff and Los Angeles’ host committee ahead of the big game at SoFi Stadium in January.

Watch the full Fox11 News story here.

Joshua Perea was an all-around child athlete. He played soccer, baseball, football and then took up track. So it’s no big surprise that he decided to become a physical education teacher.

His contribution became that much greater when he was selected among 46 Southern California teachers to receive a big honor by the College Football Playoff and Los Angeles’ host committee ahead of the big game at SoFi Stadium in January.

Watch the full Fox11 News story here.

With the 2023 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship less than a month away at SoFi Stadium, the College Football Playoff Foundation, the Los Angeles College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee, the LA84 Foundation and the Play Equity Fund are excited to announce 20 additional educators have been selected as part of the “Champions Educate Here” legacy program.

 

The program was established to shine the spotlight of the College Football Playoff National Championship on the impactful work of 46 local educators and provide funding and support for their programs aimed at nurturing the academic, mental health, and social-emotional needs of students through sport, play, and movement.

 

The “Champions Educate Here” legacy program initially identified 26 educators in September 2022 and is set to honor the final 20 educators selected today, in the concluding round of the program. The selected educators include physical education teachers, elementary and special education teachers, coaches, and after-school staff throughout the Los Angeles region. Each selected educator will receive up to $20,000 to expand their efforts at their respective schools.

 

List of Educators

Noe Almendariz—South El Monte High School, El Monte Unified School District

Kathleen Clark—Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA), LAUSD

Jacob Correa—Whittier High School, Whittier Union High School District

Nelly Cristales—32nd Street Elementary School, LAUSD

Percival Dela Cruz—Alliance Renee and Meyer Luskin Academy High School, LAUSD

Lisa Finegan—Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Public Schools, LAUSD

Kevin Glaspy—Covina Valley Unified School District

Janelle Guzman—Puente Charter Elementary School, LAUSD

Jose Hidalgo—South Gate High School, LAUSD

Vincent Kezman—Birmingham Community Charter High School, LAUSD

Mike Martinez—Katherine Edwards Middle School, Whittier City School District

Celeste Modster—University Pathways Public Service Academy, LAUSD

Darryl McClain—Susan Miller Dorsey High School, LAUSD

Jose Rivas—Lennox Math, Science and Technology Academy, Lennox School District        

Alexandria Sanchez—William Workman High School, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District                

Miles Tabarez—Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School, LAUSD

Can Tran—Arroyo High School, El Monte Unified School District

Malissa Vanegas—Will Rogers High School, LAUSD

Tamryn Wilkins—54th Street Elementary School, LAUSD

Jaron Williams—Citizens of the World Charter Schools Los Angeles, LAUSD

 

“We have seen from our first announcement of educators that sport, play and movement are having a significant impact on positive outcomes for students in classrooms across Los Angeles County. Today, we join with our partners to honor 20 more local educators who are creating learning opportunities for their students through healthy movement,” said Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation and President of the Play Equity Fund. “The additional support provided to these educators through Champions Educate Here as a legacy of the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship is transformational for each educator, their schools and community. We believe sport, play and movement in schools gives youth a greater chance to succeed. And, when our kids thrive, we all thrive.”

 

The reach and impact of the “Champions Educate Here” program is significant, with the 46 educators recognized from 12 school districts across Los Angeles, as well as parochial schools. The Champion Educators serve students from TK/Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School and High School.

 

“The Champions Educate Here legacy program has been a tremendous opportunity to shine the spotlight on 46 local educators and provide them valuable resources to further address the social-emotional needs of their students through sport, play, and movement,” said James Rishwain, Chairman of the Los Angeles College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee. “The stories that have emerged continue to inspire our work surrounding the College Football Playoff National Championship and we are proud to celebrate these educators for the many ways in which they champion the growth of LA’s youth.

 

In addition to recognizing the 46 educators, the College Football Playoff Foundation will work directly with Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Inglewood Unified School Districts to provide additional grants and implement its Extra Yard for Teachers initiatives to retain outstanding teachers and recruit future educators. Activities include over 10 Extra Yard Makeover Projects to upgrade media centers in those school districts, a series of A+ Teacher appreciation lunches, DonorsChoose funding for classroom projects, and unique teacher recognitions based upon student and parent nominations. Teachers can also sign up for the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit, taking place on Saturday, January 7 at the LA Convention Center. Registration for the in-person event and the online options is now open at CFP-Foundation.org.

 

“We are grateful for the collaboration with the host committee and thrilled with all of our partnerships in Southern California,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff Foundation. “The work supporting educators extends throughout Los Angeles County and will make a difference in the lives of thousands of current and future teachers.”

 

All 46 educators in the “Champions Educate Here” legacy program will be acknowledged at the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, slated to kick off the college football postseason at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, December 17, 2022.  To learn more about all 46 educators and the great work they are doing in our community, please visit LosAngeles2023.com.

 

Full Press Release

As the countdown continues for the 2023 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship, the College Football Playoff Foundation, the Los Angeles College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee, and the LA84 Foundation today announced plans to highlight educators and provide support for teachers in school districts across the Los Angeles region leading up to the national championship game on January 9 at SoFi Stadium.

 

The “Champions Educate Here” legacy programs will identify and celebrate up to 46 educators—including physical education teachers, elementary and special education teachers, coaches, and after-school staff—who nurture the academic, mental health, and social-emotional needs of students through sport, play, and movement. Each selected educator will be eligible to receive up to $20,000 to expand their efforts at their respective schools. Awards may deliver play equipment, social-emotional learning resources, uniforms, field trips, coaching education, wellness spaces, and/or infrastructure projects.

 

The initial recipients listed below will be publicly acknowledged Saturday, September 17, as part of an in-game recognition during USC’s football game against Fresno State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The educators will also receive a professionally produced video to create more exposure for their programs and share techniques to inspire fellow educators. Videos will be released sequentially throughout the season, beginning in late September.

 

List of Educators

Martha Alba-Gonzalez—Chavez Elementary, Long Beach USD

Reginald Bellamy—Inglewood High School, Inglewood USD

Vincent Brascia—Orthopedic Medical Magnet High School, LAUSD

California Ultimate Association (Leo Decter, Toph Eggers, Naomi Guzman, Katie Killebrew)—IUSD

Pablo Carlos—Sun Valley Magnet School, LAUSD

Jonathan Castaneda—St. Joseph School, La Puente

Alfredo Crossman-Chavez—KIPP Corazón Academy Upper School, LAUSD

Lauren Fletcher—City Honors International Preparatory School, IUSD

Yolanda Galeazzi—Rise Kohyang High School, LAUSD

Daysi Garcia—PUC Excel Charter Academy, LAUSD

Henree Haitkin—Luther Burbank Middle School, LAUSD

Walter Lopez—John C. Fremont High School, LAUSD

Patrick Merrill—4th Street Primary Center, LAUSD

Jason Morgan—Dominguez High School, Compton USD

Jason Orona—KIPP Promesa Prep, LAUSD

Kevin Pearson—Warren High School, Downey USD

Joshua Perea—El Rancho High School & The STEAM Academy at Burke, El Rancho USD

Monica Rubacalva—St. Anthony of Padua School, Gardena

Felipe Valencia—Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School, LAUSD

Nicholas Westfall—Alexander Hamilton High School, LAUSD

Alyssa Worbetz—Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles, LAUSD

Colin Yamashita—Rise Kohyang Middle School, LAUSD

Maggie Yu-DiPasquale—LAUSD

 

“As the legacy of the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship in Los Angeles, Champions Educate Here will not only provide support but also shine a bright spotlight on local educators using sport, play and movement to accelerate their students’ recovery from the pandemic and improve outcomes in the classroom,” said Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation and President of the Play Equity Fund. “With our partners, we look forward to supporting more educators and helping create opportunities throughout the season that have a lasting impact on youth across Los Angeles County.”

 

Nominations remain open for the final educators who will be unveiled later this year. Educators (including coaches) must serve high-needs schools in Los Angeles County—including public schools, parochial schools, and after-school service providers affiliated with county school districts. To learn more about application requirements and to nominate an educator, please visit LosAngeles2023.com.

 

“The College Football Playoff National Championship is both a high-profile event and a celebration of excellence by college athletes on the field. It represents the culmination of dedicated teamwork sustained over an entire season to arrive at a history-making moment,” said James Rishwain, Chairman, of the Los Angeles College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee. “More important, this epic sporting event is a reflection of the profound commitment our local educators show to our youth every day. Along with this national championship game, we are delighted to honor deeply deserving local educators for their work with our youth.”

 

In addition to recognizing the 46 educators, the College Football Playoff Foundation will work directly with Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Inglewood Unified School Districts to provide additional grants and implement its Extra Yard for Teachers initiatives—which retain outstanding teachers and recruit future educators. Activities include over 10 Extra Yard Makeover Projects to upgrade media centers in those school districts, a series of A+ Teacher appreciation lunches, DonorsChoose funding for classroom projects, and unique teacher recognitions based upon student and parent nominations. Teachers can expect to see the Los Angeles community, as well as many across the country, extending their gratitude by participating in the Big Day for Teachers on September 20, 2022.

 

“We are grateful for the collaboration with the host committee and thrilled with all of our partnerships in Southern California,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff Foundation. “The work supporting educators extends throughout Los Angeles County and will make a difference in the lives of thousands of current and future teachers. The impact from these investments will most certainly leave a lasting legacy.”

 

Together with many national and local education partners, the CFP Foundation will offer professional development platforms for educators to learn from each other and bring best practices into their classrooms, while also creating opportunities for more diversity within educational leadership roles. The CFP Foundation’s annual Extra Yard for Teachers Summit, scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2023, will feature sessions for current educators as well as educators of tomorrow. Details will be available at CFP-Foundation.org.

 

The collective efforts from the College Football Playoff Foundation, the Los Angeles College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee, and the LA84 Foundation will positively impact thousands of children across the Los Angeles region with expanded access to play and enhanced resources to learn. To read more about “Champions Educate Here” and for all updates related to Los Angeles hosting the College Football Playoff National Championship, please visit LosAngeles2023.com.

Full Press Release

The countdown for the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game started on Tuesday at SoFi Stadium.

Members of the CFP and planning committees gathered at the venue to promote the game – scheduled for Jan. 9, 2023 – and the events that will take place in the days leading up to it.

The Playoff Fan Central event will be held from Jan. 7-9. It is billed as a football-themed amusement park and will be free for all visitors. The AT&T Playoff Playlist will be a free concert in the days ahead of the CFP title game, though the musical acts have yet to be announced.

There will also be a charitable aspect to the festivities, with the Extra Yard 5K being one of several events meant to raise funds for teachers in the area.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti estimated that this year’s Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium brought in around $500 million in economic activity across the area, and the hope is the CFP championship game will have a similar impact.

Full Article