LAUSD Honored for 4 Teen Programs

The Los Angeles Unified School District was honored Tuesday by the state Senate president pro tem for implementing four Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programs in the district.

The district received four five-year grants from the California Department of Education last year to fund the programs in four school clusters, including Grant High School in Van Nuys.

The grants, funded last year with $10 million of Proposition 98 money, provide each school cluster with $182,000 annually for five years to fund the special prevention programs. In addition to Grant High, the Van Nuys cluster includes Erwin Street School, Kittridge Street School, Monlux elementary and Madison Middle School.

Representatives from state Sen. Bill Lockyer’s (D-Hayward) office honored the district Tuesday with citations for the prevention program that educates students from kindergarten to high school.

The program also educates parents on ways to communicate with their children on sex education, districtwide coordinator Linda Ward Russell said.

“We’ve been able to do so much with the money from the grant,” said Traci Williams, program coordinator for the Grant High cluster. “Teenage pregnancy is an important issue and we’ve been able to develop a strong program that promotes decision-making skills and self-esteem.”

Also at Tuesday’s LAUSD meeting, board member Valerie Fields recognized Prudential Health Care for its donation of 200 computers to District 4, which she represents.

Seven schools will receive the computers: Hart Street elementary, Fullbright Avenue elementary and Canoga Park elementary in Canoga Park; Germain Street elementary, Chatsworth Park elementary and Lawrence Middle School in Chatsworth, and Napa Street elementary in Northridge.