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Lawndale board hears RAP program update; summer 'RAP Quest' enrollment tops 1,000
Summary
District after‑school RAP leaders told the board the program expanded partners, launched leadership and RISE initiatives, added AM curriculum, and enrolled more than 1,000 students for its six‑week summer program.
District staff and RAP (Realizing Amazing Potential) leaders gave the Lawndale Elementary School District board a detailed update May 1 on after‑school and summer programming, reporting program growth, new curriculum, expanded partners and strong summer enrollment.
RAP director Dennis Howard described the school‑year theme “Level Up” and said the program enlisted roughly 34 community partners across arts, sports, technology and leadership activities to broaden student experiences. Howard said RAP implemented a year‑long Leadership Lab — a professional development and student leadership initiative created with partner Spark Reach and UCLA that uses design‑thinking methods to teach problem solving across staff and students.
Dr. Amaris Rivas (presented as Doctor Rivas in the meeting) summarized the district’s RISE program (Resilient, Intelligent, Self Determination, Excellence), which serves African American scholars. Rivas said RISE grew from 50 students across three sites when launched in 2021 to 108 students across all eight district schools this year, with weekly meetings and specialized facilitators. "RISE is an acronym. It stands for Resilient, Intelligent, Self Determination, Excellence," Rivas said.
Leaders also outlined the AM program (before‑school care), which launched a new FACTS curriculum — fitness, art, cultural, technology, science — and reportedly reached full capacity at some sites. Program staff said the AM program now exists at every district site.
Summer RAP details: Maggie Guillen described the summer theme “RAP Quest,” a six‑week, nine‑hour‑per‑day program that will include international cultural themes and field trips. Staff reported enrollment of more than 1,000 students already signed up for the summer sessions.
Board members praised the program. Clerk Claire Rudolph said RAP “is one of my favorite programs in the area” and credited it with supporting families. Trustee Phillips noted the program provides enrichment beyond childcare, and Trustee Morales described the program as "probably the hardest thing in the day" and praised its breadth of activities and family support.
Why it matters: RAP provides before‑ and after‑school care plus enrichment that district leaders and trustees say supports student learning and family needs. The expansion in partners, leadership development, and summer enrollment suggest growing demand and operational scale for the program.
Ending: District staff did not propose new board action on RAP at the meeting; the update signals further planning for summer logistics and continued partnership development.
