Signature Programs
Boyle Heights Beat Ramona Gardens/Bravo Magnet Project: $32,400
Community Partner: Boyle Heights YouthSource Center (Scott Lee)
University Partner: USC Annenberg School of Journalism (Michelle Levander)
Website: https://www.boyleheightsbeat.com/
Boyle Heights Beat builds capacity and leadership among young storytellers, strengthening their research, writing, and analytical skills, as well as motivating and preparing them to pursue higher education. Launched by La Opinión, The California Endowment, and USC Annenberg in 2010, Boyle Heights Beat has been hailed by the Associated Press as a news model that could “close the widening inner-city information divide.” La Opinión distributes the newspaper to 28,000 households in Boyle Heights and to community centers, churches, schools, and cafes. Another 8,500 copies are delivered in the 90033 ZIP code and to each apartment in the Ramona Gardens public housing complex. Youth reporters produce the print edition, while adult contributors report for its sister websites in English and Spanish: boyleheightsbeat.com and pulsodeboyleheights.com. As part of the program’s commitment to serve as a voice for neighbors in the community, residents are also encouraged to share photos, illustrations, memories, poems, and other contributions to the print and online editions.
Med-COR (Medical Counseling, Organizing, and Recruiting): $51,300
Community Partner: Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School (Millicent Dypiangco)
University Partner: USC Keck School of Medicine (Joyce Richey)
Website: https://medcor.usc.edu/
Med-COR supports, motivates, and prepares students to be competititively eligible for college admission. Students are empowered to develop their goals, continue their education, and ultimately pursue careers in the healthcare profession. Med-COR provides students with tutoring in science, math, English, and SAT test preparation, in addition to intensive career counseling. Admitted students begin the program in the ninth grade and commit to meet two Saturdays per month annually during each school year until graduation. Currently, Med-COR is integrated into four high schools in LAUSD: Bravo Medical Magnet High School, King Drew Medical Magnet High School, Orthopedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School, and Van Nuys Medical Magnet High School. Select students also participate in a six-week work/study experience at Keck Hospital of USC and at LA County + USC Medical Center.
USC Kid Watch: $70,300
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Educational Partnerships (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
Website: https://communities.usc.edu/health-and-safety/kid-watch/
USC Kid Watch is a safety and community empowerment program. For more than 20 years, Kid Watch volunteers have provided safe passages to children and families, and have partnerned with many local agencies sucy as tge LA Police Department-Southwest Division, LA Unified School District Police Department, LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, USC Department of Public Safety, USC Civic Engagement, USC Fire Safety and Emergency Planning, City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, City of Los Angeles Fire Department, USC School for Early Childhood Education, and the USC Family of Schools at the University Park Campus.
USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Van Prevention Program: $33,250
Community Partner: St. Agnes Parish School (Kevin Dempsey)
University Partner: USC Ostrow School of Dentistry, Community Oral Health Programs (Carlos Sanchez and Linda Brookman)
Website: https://dentistry.usc.edu/community-programs/mobile-clinics/
The USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Van Prevention Program (NMDVPP) is the only school-based mobile dental sealant and cavity prevention program in the City of Los Angeles. The NMDVPP’s long-term goal is to reduce dental caries through preventive care among 200 elementary school children in the USC Family of Schools. The program improves oral hygiene behaviors and raises awareness in the community regarding the importance of oral health care as it relates to an individual’s systemic health and quality of life. Additional educational sessions reach 3,000 children and community members and cover oral health, nutrition, and anti-tobacco education, in addition to oral cancer screenings.
USC Thornton JazzReach: $37,900
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Thornton School of Music (Susan Helfter)
Website: https://music.usc.edu/departments/scholarly-and-professional-studies/outreach/schools/
JazzReach is a stimulating jazz enrichment program that provides weekly group/individual instruction and in-school concerts for students in the USC community, while also creating opportunities for USC Thornton students to gain teaching and administrative skills. JazzReach provides high-quality, low-cost jazz programming to more than 2,300 students and families from USC neighborhood schools, with almost 70 USC Thornton students serving as teachers. More than 260 neighborhood students participate in weekly classes and an additional 2,100 students and/or families experience concerts performed by USC Thornton jazz ensembles and JazzReach ensembles.
Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative: $12,200
Community Partner: NFTE Greater Los Angeles (Kim Small)
University Partner: The Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at USC Marshall School of Business (Patrick Henry)
Website: http://www.nfte.com
The Greif Center, The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, and USC student volunteers work together to provide an entrepreneurship course to 50 high school students at Foshay Learning Center. Participating students learn financial literacy and business skills within the context of starting and operating a small business. NFTE students are also invited to a USC Marshall entrepreneurship course for undergraduates and a day-long youth conference on entrepreneurship. The Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative inspires students to stay in school, recognize business opportunities, and plan for successful futures.
Arts Programs
After ‘Cool Theatre Program: $20,000
Community Partner: 24th STreet Theatre (Jay McAdams)
University Partner: USC School of Dramatic Arts (Brent Blair)
Website: http://www.24thstreet.org/after-cool/
24th STreet Theatre’s After ‘Cool Theatre Program provides after-school, standards-based arts education programming for neighborhood children, as well as leadership development and mentorship opportunities for approximately 20 high school students. The after-school program provides much needed arts education for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, and was recently expanded to include both a teen mentoring element for older students and a two-week summer program called Summer ‘Cool. The year-long curriculum for the After ‘Cool program is designed for maximum arts learning, with daily exercises that support student engagement and creative exploration. Students use improvisation to bring their stories to life and improve their communication, collaborative, and problem-solving skills. The students help write the script and work with professional theatre artists on an original production. The culminating performance, fully staged with cued lighting and sound, is given to family members, community members, and University Park Campus residents.
Our Neighborhood: Youth Artists as Civic Leaders: $13,780
Community Partner: LA Commons, a project of Community Partners (Karen Mack)
University Partner: USC Office of Local Government Relations (David Galaviz)
Website: http://www.lacommons.org/
Leveraging the ongoing and successful partnership between USC’s Office of Local Government Relations, LA Commons, and the EXPO Center, the Our Neighborhood: Youth Artists as Civic Leaders program enhances the quality of education for youth ages 15-25 by engaging them in the development of an artistic and policy response to improving health outcomes in neighborhoods around the University Park Campus. The resulting visual narrative serves as both a reflection of the participants’ development and a tool to communicate key health concerns and solutions to policymakers and the community at large.
Education Programs
Trojan Kids Camp: $30,000
Community Partner: The Peace Center of United University Church (Susan Stouffer)
University Partner: USC Trojan Kids Camp (Cynthia Brass)
Website: http://www.redeemercp.org/#!adventures-ahead/c1tkp
The mission of Trojan Kids Camp is to provide a healthy and safe life style using quality sports and educational instruction to the youth. The mission also includes providing information about good nutrition to fight the obesity issue in youth. Trojan Kids Camp is a continuation of the NYSP program that was started in 1967 and used to be a federally funded program run at 106 different institutes throughout the country. The program has the following targets: educate the youth about healthy life styles through active participation in sports and proper nutrition; serve underserved youth between the ages of 9-15 years of age; provide a health start through good nutrition and physical fitness. Another goal is to teach youth-centered activities and educational session in safe and positive college/university environment.
USC Eye Care 2017-2018: $17,750
Community Partner: Bravo Medical Magnet High School (Luis Lopez)
University Partner: USC Keck School of Medicine (Joseph Cocozza)
Website: http://bravoweb.lausd.net/eha
USC Eye Care, an economic development project, provides job training in a specialized allied health field, and educational outreach on eye care to local K-12 students and their families. This year’s goals for USC Eye Care are to address the vision and eye care needs of the communities surrounding the USC campuses and to train the next generation of ophthalmic technicians. USC Eye Care allows OTEP students to provide vision and eye care to residents of the neighborhoods surrounding USC as well as disseminate information about the educational and professional requirements necessary for certification as an ophthalmic technician.
HSC Biotechnology Science Expo: $16,400
Community Partner: Murchison Elementary School (Jeremiah Gonzalez)
University Partner: USC Health Sciences Campus Community Partnerships (Zul Surani)
Website: https://communities.usc.edu/about/our-neighborhoods/health-sciences/
The USC Health and Science Expo (Science Fair) is an annual, unique, interactive project that connects approximately 500 students in the USC Family of Schools to science and health principles, curriculum, and potential careers. The fair utilizes Health Sciences Campus resources, including USC graduate students, to enhance the science and health education of students schools within the USC Family of Schools. Students develop a class health/science related project, enter a science fair competition, use scientific inquiry to analyze currents events and compete in the expo’s essay contest.
Jumpstart for Young Children: $14,800
Community Partner: Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. (Christine Manley)
University Partner: Jumpstart at USC (Erin Croix)
Website: http://www.jstart.org
Jumpstart ensures that every child enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. In addition to Jumpstart’s in-classroom language, literacy, and socio-emotional programming, Jumpstart provides books and resources to parents and caregivers. Jumpstart Corps members and trained USC students provide local families with strategies to incorporate learning and literacy into everyday life, impacting about 550 children every year.
Mission Science 2017-2018: $35,250
Community Partner: Gates Street Elementary School (Jennifer Maclean)
University Partner: USC Viterbi School of Engineering (Darin Gray)
Website: https://viterbi.usc.edu/students/undergrad/ced/stemprograms/mission/
USC Mission Science provides elementary and middle school students near the University Park and Health Sciences campuses the opportunity to learn science, technology, and engineering through hands-on projects, exhibits, simple experiments, field trips, and supplementary parent workshops on STEM activities and careers. Two types of sessions are offered: a USC student worker or volunteer teaches STEM concepts and skills in one type of session; a credentialed teacher, school staff, or a parent volunteer leads an open-ended application of STEM concepts in another type of session. Throughout the school year, students engage with engineers, scientists, and professors to develop a deep understand of science, technology, and engineering concepts.
Peace Camp/Peace Kids/Youth Leadership: $7,400
Community Partner: The Peace Center of United University Church (Susan Stouffer)
University Partner: USC El Centro Chicano (William Vela)
Website: http://www.uuc-la.org/the-peace-center/
Peace Camp/Peace Kids/Youth Leadership programs offer year-round opportunities for more than 100 children, youth, and parents in the neighborhoods around USC to become leaders in peacemaking and violence prevention to create a safer community and world. Youth interns build leadership skills while helping younger participants work through activities that address cyber-bullying, stress, and violence. All participants learn and practice specific tools, such as peaceful communication, mediation, conflict resolution, empathy, and nonviolent social transformation, partly by studying peace and justice movements in Los Angeles and around the world.
Reading Makes A Difference: $22,600
Community Partner: The Jester & Pharley Phund (Barbara Saltzman)
University Partner: USC Dornsife/Joint Educational Project (Tina Koneazny)
Website: http://www.thejester.org
The Reading Makes A Difference program ignites an interest in reading, bolsters community engagement, and boosts standardized test scores among elementary school students in the USC Family of Schools. After a three-week, school-wide Read-A-Thon, students’ reading logs are tallied. The more that a participating student reads, the more donations of “The Jester” book and doll are made to local hospitals in the name of the student’s school and sponsor. During a Recognition Assembly, top readers are recognized with special Jester Jingle certificates, bookmarks, and buttons. The teacher of the top-reading classroom at each grade level is similarly recognized.
Robotics and Coding Academy: $18,000
Community Partner: 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet (Nelly Cristales)
University Partner: VAST (USC Viterbi Adopt-a-School, Adopt-a-Teacher) (Gisele Ragusa)
Website: https://viterbi.usc.edu/k-12/coding/robotics-coding-academy/
The Robotics and Coding Academy is a collaboration between the USC Viterbi School of Engineering K-12 VAST (Viterbi Adopt-a-School, Adopt-a-Teacher) program and three elementary schools in USC’s Family of Schools program: 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet, Dr. Theodore T. Alexander Jr. Science Center School, and John W. Mack Elementary School. The Academy is intended to foster an inter-school cohort of coders and a “culture of coding” among the USC Family of Schools community. Each week, fourth and fifth grade students work with USC undergraduate mentors to gain technology skills and learn to program and build robots. Activities improve participants’ skills in math, science, coding, computational thinking, and teamwork.
USC Science Outreach: $5,700
Community Partner: 32nd Street/USC Visual & Performing Arts Magnet (Nelly Cristales)
University Partner: USC Science Outreach (Susumu Takahashi)
Website: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~scout/
Science Outreach (SCout) is a student organization at USC that gives undergraduate and graduate volunteers the opportunity to present fun, safe, and hands-on science lessons to elementary school students. SCout is organized around weekly in-classroom sessions, in which volunteers are organized into groups of five to seven per classroom. Sessions usually begin with a pop quiz on the concepts covered the previous week, followed by students conducting guided experiments such as making slime, launching bottle rockets, freezing objects with liquid nitrogen, extracting DNA from strawberries, and creating and testing circuits. In addition to the weekly volunteer sessions, SCout also organizes extra-curricular events that help connect students to the larger USC community, other elementary school communities, and science organizations across Los Angeles.
USC Community-Based Social Work Interns: $53,000
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Educational Partnerships (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
Website: http://www.foshaylc.org/
In this partnership between the USC School of Social Work, USC Civic Engagement, and the USC Family of Schools, Master of Social Work interns become integral members of the counseling teams serving students and families in the community. Once the interns are chosen from the USC Master of Social Work program, they work part-time during the school year with one of the ten schools that make up the University Park Campus Family of Schools, as well as with USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative and School for Early Childhood Education. The program has mutual benefits, giving USC graduate students the opportunity to gain experience in their field while providing a much-needed resource to the local community.
USC Family of Schools Facilitators 2016-2017: $76,000
Community Partners: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Educational Partnerships (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
USC Family of Schools Facilitators streamline the delivery of grant-funded program activities at USC Family of Schools. The program supports 12 part-time facilitators for schools located near the Health Sciences and University Park campuses who ensure that programs reach the maximum number of students, teachers, and families. Facilitators play a key role in meeting program goals by ensuring: collection and distribution of accurate and timely information; availability of suitable facilities; efficient management of USC student partners; and communication between stakeholders of all programs.
USC Kinder2College Program: $35,000
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Educational Partnerships (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
Website: https://communities.usc.edu/kinder-2-college/
The Kinder2College program assists kindergarten teachers at seven schools of the USC Family of Schools in helping male students who struggle with reading. Kinder2College works to achieve this goal by creating an environment in which 100 young kindergarten through third grade boys learn to read, building a community of practice amongst teachers, engaging students’ parents in family-specific training, and engaging USC students and USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative scholars-in-training for strategic tutoring of elementary school students.
The USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative Saturday Academy: $67,450
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center (Lisa Beebe)
University Partner: USC Educational Partnerships (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
Website: https://communities.usc.edu/college-access/nai/
The Neighborhood Academic Initiative is a college access and preparedness program for students from the neighborhoods surrounding USC. NAI continues to expand in East Los Angeles, serving students in grades 6-10, as well as continuing its offerings to 6-12th grade students in South Los Angeles near the University Park Campus. The NAI Saturday Academy takes place on the USC campus over 21 Saturdays per academic year, where students take part in 3 academic classes in English, math and science. Those students who complete the rigorous, seven-year enrichment program, meet USC’s competitive admission requirements, and choose to attend USC are rewarded with a 4.5-year full-tuition scholarship.
USC ReadersPLUS: $85,000
Community Partner: Norwood Street Elementary School (Irene Worrell)
University Partner: USC Joint Educational Project (Tina Koneazny)
Website: http://www.dornsife.usc.edu/readersplus
Since 1997, ReadersPLUS has placed approximately 90 USC students in neighborhood schools as in-school and after-school academic tutors. Literacy tutors engage elementary students one-on-one to help them develop their reading, writing, and language skills. Math mentors help elementary students develop fundamental problem-solving skills, mastery of basic math, and deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. From its inception, the program has placed approximately 60-90 trained work-study students each semester in partner schools, having provided individualized tutoring to approximately 500-800 students in our neighborhood schools each year. The after-school curriculum includes homework help, enrichment activities in STEM subjects through the WonderKids program, and lessons in focus and self-control through Little Yoginis. ReadersPLUS also organizes an annual writing contest and an interactive booth for the LA Times Festival of Books.
USC Troy Camp: $58,430
Community Partner: Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School (Shirley Crout)
University Partner: USC Campus Activities (Jennifer Perdomo)
Website: www.troycamp.org
USC Troy Camp is a youth development organization that enriches the lives of children, broadening their horizons through long-term mentoring experiences with USC undergraduate students. USC students operate the program, which begins in May with a weeklong summer camp at Idyllwild Pines in Idyllwild, CA, with oversight from a small advisory board. The 210 children who attend the annual camp are third through fifth grade students from 19 partner schools in South Los Angeles. Counselors facilitate character development through daily programs such as swimming, horseback riding, hiking, arts, and athletics. The mentoring relationship between counselors and campers continues after camp with a series of monthly Kids Events, including trips to museums and a USC football game. Throughout the school year, Troy Camp also hosts after-school tutoring and endrichment opportunities for students. To date, Troy Camp has served more than 11,000 children in the south Los Angeles community.
Young Researchers Program: $9,300
Community Partner: Manual Arts High School (Michelle Park)
University Partner: Young Researchers Program at USC (Erin McParland)
Website: http://youngresearchers.usc.edu
The Young Researchers Program pairs 15 local high school students with USC PhD student mentors for a six-week summer research experience in USC science, technology, engineering, and mathematics laboratories. Besides this hands-on research work at USC, participating students also take part in weekly lunch seminars on college preparation, field trips to the USC Wrigley Marine Institute on Catalina Island and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a poster symposium, during which they present their projects (including a written paper and research poster) to USC faculty, graduate students, and their teachers, peers, and families. Since 2009, the Young Researchers Program has paired 74 local high school students with graduate student mentors working in a wide range of the sciences. Past participants are studying in STEM fields at universities such as USC, Emory, Carnegie Mellon, and Brown.
USC-LAMDL Debate Partnership: $21,000
Community Partner: Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League (Cameron Ward)
University Partner: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism (Jaime Carias)
Website: http://www.lamdl.org/
The purpose of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League is to improve the academic achievement of their students by helping them develop their research, reading comprehension, conflict resolution, public speaking, and teamwork skills. By strengthening debate programs at four schools in the Good Neighbors service area and engaging students across our network on USC’s campus, young students in under-served LA public schools receive support and empowerment to improve academically and achieve higher matriculation rates. Additionally, LAMDL supports their students to graduate on time and helps them matriculate to college thereafter.
Empowerment for Independent Living: $23,750
Community Partner: Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (Johnson Ng)
University Partner: USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology (Maria Henke)
Website: http://gero.usc.edu/
PACE partners with the USC Davis School to train 40 individuals from the UPC & HSC areas to become certified & registered home care providers serving LA’s growing senior community. The program creates living wage jobs with benefits & a career ladder in the high growth healthcare industry. Participants undergo a 2-month specialized, home care aide training program utilizing curriculum which has been developed in-house by PACE in partnership with our wholly-owned healthcare subsidiary, PACE Care. Upon successful completion of the training, participants receive certification and are registered in the State of California Department of Social Services caregiver’s database. One of PACE’s main goals is to enhance the quality of life for older adults in our community by training home care providers to assist them in their homes, thus allowing seniors to remain in their homes surrounded by friends and family.
Leadership Computer Science Academy (Lead CS): $23, 2000
Community Partner: TXT: Teens Exploring Technology (Oscar Menjivar)
University Partner: University of Southern California Iovine and Young Academy (Lynn Miles)
Website: http://exploringtech.org/
Lead CS helps bridge the digital divide and stop the school-to-prison pipeline in South Los Angeles by introducing low-income middle school boys to computer science and tech entrepreneurship. The Leadership Computer Science Academy (Lead CS) is a quarterly, eight-week program for middle school boys from South Los Angeles located on the USC University Park campus. Led by Teens Exploring Technology (TXT) and students from the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy, this program introduces middle school students to computer science, entrepreneurship, and tech careers. The main goal of this project is to inspire middle school students to study computer science, explore tech careers and become tech entrepreneurs. Computer science education equips students with in-demand skills and provides a pathway out of poverty.
STEM-After School: $8,300
Community Partner: Legacy LA (Maria Lou Calanche)
University Partner: STEM Community Outreach for Graduate Students (Ryan Roberts)
Website: http://www.legacyla.org/
STEM After-School is a major project of the USC STEM Community Outreach for Graduate Students (SCOGS) which focuses on utilizing the experience and knowledge of the USC graduate school students to provide tutoring, homework help, and hands-on experience to middle school- aged children. USC graduate students volunteer as members of SCOGS to provide homework help, lead hands-on experiments and activities, and to act as professional role-models to middle school students participating in the Legacy LA after-school program. Students in this program are from schools with large minority populations, and are often first-generation U.S. citizens. One of STEM’s main goals for this year is to help maintain or increase the grades of 80% of their participants in STEM topics.
GRHS-USC #FutureFrame: $17,400
Community Partner: Gertz Ressler Academy High School (Carlos Espino)
University Partner: University of Southern California (Trixy Wattenbarger)
Website: http://anim.usc.edu/
#FutureFrame is an animation program designed to teach a variety of animation techniques, highlight the value of collaboration, connect students to USC community members, and present animation as a career option. The graduate students and faculty of the USC SCA Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts share their skills and knowledge with the students of Gertz-Ressler High School through a new animation program called “GRHS-USC #FutureFrame.” This new initiative provides students with a unique form of expression through the art of animation and digital media. It also teaches the importance of collaboration and communication through a multidisciplinary approach inside and outside the classroom. The program also aims to present animation as a viable career option by introducing students to professionals in the animation field, and by providing guidance in developing students’ portfolios and demo reels. One of the main goals of this project is to provide mentorship in the creation of competitive portfolios necessary to apply to higher education.
Digital Promotoras
Community Partner: Las Fotos Project (Eric Ibarra)
University Partner: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism (Amara Aguilar)
Website: http://lasfotosproject.org/
Digital Promotoras empowers girls to become agents of change in their communities by providing photography and storytelling tools to capture and share stories. They document health disparities in their community and use social media to raise awareness and share resources to help find a solution. The program is modeled after the culturally and linguistically competent community-based health education “promotora” model with an infusion of artistic expression through participatory photography, digital media storytelling and social media. The Digital Promotora Program aims to enhance community engagement and address the cultural stigma held in Latino communities in talking about health and diseases, specifically related to obesity and diabetes. By using photography and digital media storytelling as a tool to identify and address health disparities, 12 Digital Promotoras create photography exhibitions, multimedia screenings and social platforms that showcase stories about local residents affected by these chronic diseases.
USC Thornton Outreach Program: $30, 400
Community Partner: Vermont Avenue Elementary School (Patricia Ferguson)
University Partner: USC Thornton School of Music (Susan Helfter)
Website: https://music.usc.edu/departments/scholarly-and-professional-studies/community-engagement/
The USC Thornton Outreach Program (TOP) is a diverse and far-reaching music education-oriented program that supports local in-school music programs with supplemental learning opportunities for students in the community and significant service-learning opportunities for Thornton students. The mission of the USC Thornton Outreach Program (TOP) is to provide low or no-cost, high-quality music-learning opportunities to underserved students in the USC community while developing, concurrently, the teaching, mentoring, and community engagement skills of USC Thornton students. USC Thornton students in TOP are called “mentors,” given the role they play for the younger students in the community. Student learning is enhanced through TOP mentors assisting our local teachers, current in-school music programs and providing supplemental programming in schools where possible. One of the main goals of the TOP program is to facilitate student learning of core musical skills and knowledge through vocal and instrumental music-making.
Fuente Initiative: $7,300
Community Partner: LAUSD Murchison Elementary School (Jeremiah Gonzalez)
University Partner: University of Southern California School of Pharmacy (Lily Fu)
This project uses the educational resources of the University’s School of Pharmacy to coordinate pharmacists and student pharmacists to provide poison prevention education and appropriate drug use and self-management education. It also promotes information about pharmacy school and how to become a pharmacist. This program collaborates with pharmacists and student pharmacists from USC who share resources at three neighborhood elementary schools about how to prevent accidental poisonings, improve the quality of life, and increase health education in the surrounding community.
Expanding STAR/EHA Program: $48,000
Community Partner: Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School (Luis Lopez)
University Partner: University of Southern California School of Pharmacy (Daryl Davies)
Website: http://pharmweb.usc.edu/USCSTAR/
USC Science, Technology and Research (STAR)/ Engineering for Health Academy (EHA) program prepares high school students, including underrepresented minorities, for careers in life sciences, biomedical engineering & bio therapeutics. Key components of the program include mentoring and hands-on experiences. A main goal for this project is to provide life science and bio-engineering/biomedical education for inner city high school students. Students conduct their own research project with a mentor who guides them through hands-on scientific investigation and discovery. Additionally, students gain exposure to an inquiry-based and problem-solving learning environment that facilitates science literacy.
Bridges to Business Success Program: $22,500
Community Partner: Economic and Workforce Development Department (Miguel Acuna)
University Partner: USC Civic Engagement (Sergio Gascon)
The Bridges to Business Success (B2BS) Program provides a bundled business training program focused on building the capacity of minority small business owners to secure contracting opportunities and create and retain jobs. The USC Bridges Program focuses on helping minority, women, and veteran small businesses. As part of an innovative public/private/ non-profit partnership between Citi Community Development, MBDA Business Center, the SCMBDC, the Los Angeles Housing Department, the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic and Business Policy, City of Los Angeles Community Development Department Business Source Network, SBA SCORE, and three ethnic minority chambers (Latino Business Chamber of Greater LA, Black Business Association, and Asian Business Association), BsBS continues to provide technical assistance to many small businesses in the local community.
Living Advantage Dropout Prevention Services (LADPS): $31,300
Community Partner: Living Advantage, Inc. (Pamela Clay)
University Partner: USC Rossier School of Education (Matt DeGrushe)
Website: https://rossier.usc.edu/
LADPS decreases dropout rates while enhancing educational outcomes that improve the quality of K-12 underserved students. It is a tutoring & case management service that offers an alternative learning environment that includes STEM/Robotics tailored to engage in academia and career development. The main goal of this project is to reduce drop-out rates for underserved high school students; focus on in-school academic support/tutoring, mentoring, peer to peer support and case management; increase student grade point level in at least one core curriculum subject. Another major goal of this project is to increase STEM exposure by introducing students to hands-on computer science based STEM activities and/or events.
Adventures Ahead After School Program: $21, 400
Community Partner: Redeemer Community Partnership (Lauren Tigrett)
University Partner: Executive Director of the Sol Price Center for Social Innovation (Richard Parks)
Website: https://priceschool.usc.edu/
Since 1996, Adventures Ahead has partnered with community members to help local elementary school students reading below grade level become lifelong readers ready to reach their full academic potential. California standardized testing showed two schools Adventures Ahead partners with, Weemes Elementary and Mack Elementary, have only 7% of fifth graders demonstrating proficiency in Math, and only 17% in English Language Arts. With 85% of the students who arrive to Adventures Ahead testing below grade level in reading, this program aims to increase students’ reading abilities and improve their overall school performance. The goal of Adventures Ahead is to improve education outcomes for elementary students (grades K-5) by achieving grade-appropriate literacy and nurturing each child’s development as a lifelong reader.
Concurrent Enrollment Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program: $46,000
Community Partner: West Los Angeles College (Carmen Dones)
University Partner: University of Southern California (Theda Douglas)
Website: https://communities.usc.edu/
The USC Concurrent Enrollment Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program is an Allied-Health Career-Path workforce development program for 11th and 12th grade high school students. The program is designed to be a pipeline for high school and college students interested in pursuing medical professions. Students gain medical training, hands-on experience and job-readiness skills that prepare them for success. Students who complete required exams are then placed in internships to connect them with other professionals in their field.
Health and Sports Programs
Garden Gateway Nutrition Education Project: $28,500
Community Partner: Community Services Unlimited (Neelam Sharma)
University Partner: Professor of Communication and Spatial Sciences at USC School for Communication (Francois Bar)
Website: http://www.csuinc.org
The Garden Gateway Nutrition Education Project improves the health of children and adults by teaching gardening and healthy cooking skills, thus increasing their opportunities to access and consume fresh fruits and vegetables. Three series of gardening and healthy cooking workshops are offered: one for community residents of all ages at the CSU/EXPO Urban Mini-Farm at the EXPO Center; one for community residents of all ages at the Wellness Center at LAC+USC Medical Center; and a third for pre-school age children and their families at the Ralph Parsons Preschool at the EXPO Center. Workshop participants are provided with garden supplies, fresh produce, and information they can use to implement their new skills and knowledge at home.
Ramona Gardens Women’s Health Initiative: $30,400
Community Partner: Clinica Monsenor Oscar A. Romero (Ana Grande)
University Partner: USC Health Science Campus Community Partnerships (Zul Surani)
The Ramona Gardens Women’s Health Initiative includes 20 trained “promotoras” whose focus is to improve the health outcomes of 300 women ages 18-60 living in the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects. Through health education training, case management services, and text reminders, the Women’s Health Initiative aims to increase women’s knowledge about the leading causes of cancer and preventive measures that can be taken to avoid future health complications.
USC PT Fit Families: $16,900
Community Partner: Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School (Luis Lopez)
University School: USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy (Cheryl Resnik)
Website: http://pt.usc.edu/fit_families/
Fit Families provides pro-bono preventive and wellness physical therapy services to 6-17 year-old
USC Trauma and Critical Illness Recovery Program: $20,000
Community Partner: The Wellness Center at the Historic General Hospital (Janina Morrison)
University Partner: USC Keck School of Medicine (Subarna Biswas)
Website: http://www.thewellnesscenterla.org/
The USC Trauma and Critical Illness Recovery Program empowers survivors of critical illness and their families in improving their health outcomes. This unique community-based approach provides care plans, case management services, education, and support groups for trauma survivors and caregivers. This project seeks to lessen the burden on trauma and emergency patients, and their caregivers, by partnering with the Wellness Center at the Historic General Hospital. The Wellness Center is a 3-year old non-profit organization dedicated to providing culturally sensitive wellness and prevention services to residents and patients. One of the main goals of the USC Trauma and Critical Illness Recovery Program is to construct a multidisciplinary plan for recovery for each patient, with surgeons, nutritionists, physical therapists, pharmacists, and Wellness Center Health Coaches.
USC Dental Screening Initiative for Foster Children: $20, 700
Community Partner: The Violence Intervention Program (Astrid Heger)
University Partner: The Pediatric Dental Clinic (Thanh Ton)
Website: http://www.theviolenceinterventionprogram.org/
Dental and oral health care remains one of the most difficult health services to access for children and teens in foster care. Approximately 35% of children and teens enter foster care with significant dental and oral health problems. Common dental and oral health problems include bottle tooth decay in very young children, multiple dental cavities in older children, and malocclusion. Students receive training from the medical and dental staff and under the supervision of a USC professor in pediatric dentistry. As part of their training to become dental assistants in the Concurrent Enrollment program, high school students need to go into the community and do an internship. One of the main goals for this program is to provide oral hygiene demonstrations, caries risk management, and oral health education to 1000 families.
The USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Geriatric Van Program: $25,900
Community Partner: USC School for Early Childhood Education (Sandra Urena)
University Partner: Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry (Piedad Suarez-Durall)
Website: https://www.usc.edu/dental
The USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Geriatric Van Program (GVan) is the only school-based mobile dental clinic for a geriatric prevention program in the City of Los Angeles. It focuses on providing preventive dental care and nutritional and oral education at no cost to older adults. The USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Geriatric Van Program (NMDGVP or GVan) is unique to Los Angeles because it is the only comprehensive geriatric mobile provider for preventive oral health care and education for older adults in the communities around USC. The USC GVan’s long-term goal is to reduce the prevalence of dental disease in older adults in the immediate USC Neighborhoods, adjacent to the SECE sites, by offering preventive oral health care, health education and assessment of the dental needs of this population and active referral to treatment sites.
Body Works: $13,000
Community Partner: Proyecto Pastoral (Betsy Blanchard)
University Partner: Keck School of Medicine of USC / Children’s Hospital (Patricia Castillo)
Website: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty/patricia-r-castillo/
Proyecto Pastoral and Dr. Patricia Castillo work with 45 Boyle Heights families through 3 sessions of the Body Works Program, a 10-week obesity prevention and education program for caregivers of young children, designed to secondarily prevent diabetes onset. Proyecto Pastoral operates two early childhood education centers within the Boyle Heights community. Our larger center, Centro de Alegria, is located within the USC Keck Neighborhood Boundaries. These centers serve a low-income population of primarily Latino families who qualify for state-funded early childhood education programs due to their income levels or engagement in the child protective services system. The goals of the program are to improve the health of Boyle Heights families, reduce the rates of obesity within the community, and prevent the onset of diabetes within the community.
USC Community Ostomy Support Group: $6,000
Community Partner: USC Physical Therapy Oncology Rehabilitation (Marisa Perdomo)
University Partner: Keck Medicine of USC (Kaitlin Alderete)
Website: http://www.keckmedicine.org/patient-resources/
The Ostomy Support Group based in the East Los Angeles Area is partnering with USC Norris, USC keck, and LAC+USC in starting a Bi-Lingual Ostomy Group. We know 100’s of ostomy surgeries are performed in this community and no local support group currently exists. Because CSAC understands the struggles of life with and after cancer we understand the need for a USC Community Ostomy Support Group. This group is a be Bi-Lingual English/Spanish community-based support group. The most important goal for this project is to support ostomates and their caregivers with their appliance application.
Public Safety Programs
Get It Straight (GIS): $27,550
Community Partner: Hollenbeck Police Activities League (Edwin Rodriguez)
University Partner: USC School of Social Work (Rosemary Alamo)
Through the Get It Straight (GIS) Program, neighborhood law enforcement officers, parents, and schools work together to reduce juvenile delinquency by offering case management, delinquency prevention training, and parent skills training. IN addition, GIS offers comprehensive mental health and coaching to children ages 9-17 at Sheridan Street Elementary School. GIS staff is trained in evidence-based intervention methodologies, including motivational interviewing, problem-solving therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy, to help students stay in school and improve their personal, social, and academic progress. Parents are encouraged and equipped to be confident, strong, and knowledgeable advocates to support their child’s path toward a successful future.
The Peer Mediation Program: $45,000
Community Partner: Institute for Nonviolence in Los Angeles (Avis Ridley-Thomas)
University Partner: USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative (Kimberly Thomas-Barrios)
Website: http://invla.org/usc/
Formally adopted as a project of Community Partners in 2010, the Institute for Nonviolence in Los Angeles provides peer mediation services to schools throughout the city. The Peer Mediation Program is actively involved at Foshay Learning Center, 32nd Street Visual and Performing Arts Magnet, USC Media Arts and Engineering High School, Vermont Ave Elementary School, and Alexander Science Center. Conflict resolution and peer mediation help individual students feel safer at school, improve their academic performance, alleviate stress, and prepare for challenging situations in their lives. These methodologies also improve school climate and, by extension, make communities safer, as students’ household members learn about constructive ways to resolve disputes.
USC Department of Public Saftey Cadet Program: $11,300
Community Partner: 32nd Street/USC Performing Arts Magnet (Ezequiel Gonzalez)
University Partner: USC Department of Public Safety (John Thomas)
Website: https://dps.usc.edu/about/cadets/
The Cadet Program is designed to offer youth ages 13-21 opportunities to develop professional and academic skills while working with Department of Public Safety officers and the surrounding community. Cadets and recruits perform under the supervision of full-time Department of Public Safety officers who serve as Post Advisers and mentors. Participants explore careers in law enforcement and public service, broadening their employment and academic options within the university communit
A Fotonovela on Hyptertension: $30,000
Community Partner: Clinica Monsenor Oscar A. Romero (Samuel Pierce)
University Partner: USC School of Pharmacy (Mel Baron)
This project produces and distributes a fotonovela, an effective health communication tool, to increase knowledge on hypertension among low-income, low-literacy Latino and African American families in the neighborhoods surrounding the USC campuses. The mission of the USC School of Pharmacy Health Literacy Program is to develop, distribute, and evaluate health-related media for underserved and low-literacy Latino and African American populations. The main goal for this project is to develop, produce and distribute a fotonovela to serve as an education tool on hypertension.
LGBTQA Healthy School Climate: Stand Up, Speak Up Against Bullying: $13,250
Community Partner: Community Partners/Latino Equality Alliance (Eddie Martinez)
University Partner: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (Paula Cannon)
Website: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty/paula-cannon/
The program supports Latino Equality Alliance (LEA)’s effort to sharply promote a healthy school climate for LGBTQ youth and create a safe pathway towards a higher education. The project will engage LGBTQ youth and parents for education, skills building, leadership development and community service. Through collaboration with partners and local schools, LEA encourages students and parent advocates to transform schools into more accepting environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) students, as well as to advocate for programs/policies that eradicate barriers to education for LGBTQ students. The goal of the program is to improve the mental health and leadership skills of LGBT youth and parents in the Boyle Heights area by building healthy school climates. The intention is to build a safe environment that will support youth’s desire towards a higher education.
Francisco Homes Writing Workshop: $7,300
Community Partner: Francisco Homes (Teresa Groth)
University Partner: University of Southern California (Stephanie Bower)
The Francisco Homes Writing Workshop provides a weekly creative writing space for paroled prisoners along with community outreach events designed to foster reintegration and promote restorative justice. By providing forums where residents and community members can meet, understand, and learn from former prisoners, this program helps ex-prisoners healthily reintegrate into their communities. The workshop’s writing/adult literacy, outreach, and engagement projects promote restorative justice and community integration for paroled prisoners.