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Executive Summary

A LEGACY OF IMPACT: HONORING THE PAST, INSPIRING THE FUTURE

For over three decades, LA’s BEST has been a trusted partner for families and communities, offering no-cost, afterschool enrichment where it is needed most. In this 2024 Annual Report, we highlight the stories of resilience and innovation that have shaped our journey. By supporting students in neighborhoods with limited access to resources, we are not just fostering academic success, we are ensuring they are truly Ready for the World. As we reflect on this legacy and envision what lies ahead, our CEO and Board Chair share their thoughts on how we can continue shaping brighter futures together.

As the new CEO of LA’s BEST, I am profoundly humbled to step into a role shaped by over 35 years of transformative work. The legacy of this organization is one of unwavering dedication: a commitment to equity, opportunity, and empowerment for the children and families of Los Angeles. It is a legacy that honors those who built it while challenging us to dream even bigger for the future. This legacy of impact is evident in every corner of our work, from the students whose lives have been transformed to the families who have found a trusted partner in LA’s BEST. It is seen in the tireless efforts of our staff, the steadfast support of our community partners, and the investment of donors who believe in our mission. While we celebrate our rich history, we recognize that our work is far from complete. The needs of our students continue to evolve, and the challenges faced by our families demand innovation, collaboration, and resilience. With this in mind, our focus is twofold: honoring the principles and achievements that have brought us to this point while innovating and expanding to meet the demands of the future. As we reflect on the past, we are inspired to imagine a future where every child has the tools to thrive, every family feels supported, and every community is empowered by greater access to high quality educational experiences. As we move forward, let us remember the values that have guided us—compassion, excellence, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every child. Let us honor the past by staying true to our roots and inspire the future by daring to dream of what’s possible. Together, we have created something extraordinary: a foundation of hope and opportunity that reaches across neighborhoods and generations. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, we will continue to create a legacy of impact that uplifts generations to come. With gratitude and vision,

Michele Broadnax

President & CEO LA’s BEST

As we reflect on the past year, we honor the Legacy of Impact that has defined LA’s BEST for over three decades. This legacy is rooted in our steadfast commitment to delivering scalable, meaningful programming that meets the evolving needs of the children and families we serve. Today, our reach extends to more than 200 schools and an additional 12 morning sites, showcasing the breadth of our work. At the same time, the depth of our enrichment programs—including arts, sports, STEM, literacy, wellness, and more—demonstrates the transformative impact we strive to achieve for every student. This year, we’ve scaled our efforts to address the needs of our community, reviving beloved citywide events like the Dance & Drill Team Showcase and fostering spaces where students and families can reconnect and thrive. These initiatives go beyond academic support, equipping LA’s BEST students with the social and emotional skills they need to succeed. This holistic approach is a cornerstone of our legacy, preparing the next generation to lead with confidence, compassion, and resilience. Our impact would not be possible without the dedication of our remarkable staff and the unwavering support of our invaluable partners: including the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District, philanthropic supporters, and an incredible network of donors. Together, we are building more than an afterschool program—we are creating a foundation for equity, opportunity, and lasting success in our communities. Looking ahead, we remain committed to deepening our programs, expanding our reach, and scaling our work to meet the growing needs of children and families across Los Angeles. As we prepare to celebrate our 35th anniversary, we are inspired by how far we’ve come and energized by the possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you for being an integral part of LA’s BEST. Your belief in our mission makes this work possible. Together, we will continue to build a legacy that transforms lives and strengthens Los Angeles for generations to come.

Damián Mazzotta

Board Chair LA’s BEST

Executive Summary

Impact

YEARLONG LEARNING ACROSS LOS ANGELES

Academic Year 2023 – 2024 | 201 LA’s BEST Afterschool Sites

Afterschool Programs Across Los Angeles

During the academic year, LA’s BEST provided enriching afterschool and morning programs in 201 schools across Los Angeles. These programs positively impacted 16,200 students, from neighborhoods spanning San Pedro to Sylmar and Venice to East LA.

Morning Programs in Schools

In 2024, LA’s BEST expanded its reach to include morning programs at 12 elementary schools, serving 200 students each day. Operating from 6:30 AM until the start of the school day, the program provides students with a nutritious breakfast and engaging enrichment activities. LA’s BEST is committed to further expanding its Before School programs in the coming year.

Summer Learning Program

During the summer of 2024, LA’s BEST Summer Learning Program operated at 169 schools, providing 6,800 students with opportunities for growth, creativity, and discovery through dynamic educational and recreational activities.

Impact

ENRICHING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Experiential learning has always been at the heart of LA’s BEST, supporting whole-child development by helping students feel safe, build confidence, connect with others, and grow into leaders in their communities.

We are grateful for the strategic partnership of the City of Los Angeles and LAUSD, along with generous support from individuals, foundations, and corporations, all of whom help make these transformative experiences possible.

Nutrition & Wellness

The BEST Fit Department ensures every LA’s BEST site includes 30 minutes of daily physical activity and that all students take part in at least one nutrition program each year. In the 2023–2024 school year, 328 staff from 186 schools joined physical activity programs, and 386 staff from 152 schools attended nutrition workshops.

BEST Fit offers training on outdoor classroom management, safety, and non-elimination fitness games that focus on teamwork and skill-building. Based on student feedback, water games are added in the summer to keep activities fun and engaging.

Along with physical activity, BEST Fit partners with agencies to provide nutrition and cooking programs like Small Bites, Happy Healthy Me, and A Yummy Curriculum. These hands-on lessons feature simple, healthy recipes, and the department created its own LA’s BEST After School Snacks recipe book.

Together, these programs help students build healthy habits, share them with their families, and enjoy a positive, educational experience.

Seasonal Sports & Dance & Drill

During the 2023–2024 school year, LA’s BEST ran 489 seasonal sports programs across our 201 school sites, featuring Kickball, Flag Football, Basketball, Soccer, and Dance & Drill Team. Many sites hosted multiple sports, with a total of 9,135 student participants throughout the year.

The seasonal sports program is designed to give students and coaches safe, positive, and meaningful experiences through both play and learning. With weekend tournaments and training for coaches, the program helps students build fundamental skills, practice teamwork, and grow as leaders, all while having fun.

Beyond the games, our focus is on whole-child development. Sports become a space for social-emotional learning, community connection, and confidence building. We are committed to continuous improvement, making sure students have a voice in shaping their experience through leadership opportunities, age-appropriate modifications, and celebrations that showcase their growth and participation.

Literacy & Academic Support

The LA’s BEST Young Authors Program, inspired by the work of Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy on Transformative Education, empowers students from UTK through 6th grade to discover “the author within.” Along the way, they build self-efficacy, deepen their appreciation for diversity, and develop a sense of agency to help make the world a better place.

The program has been implemented at over 190 LA’s BEST sites, with strong results from post-program surveys:

7 out of 10 students said they learned more about themselves.
Many felt they improved their reading and writing skills in English.
75.2% said they enjoyed being part of the program.

Through this experience, students gain confidence as writers and take pride in publishing their own books.

STEM & Digital Learning

Since launching in 2014, the Droids Robotics program has expanded from 8 sites to 18, engaging 208 students this year. Another 32 sites joined robotics trainings, introducing students to coding and programming. Twice-monthly staff meetings support the program’s growth, building skills and a strong sense of teamwork.

Participation continues to grow as staff deepen their robotics skills and support each other, creating a connected and motivated community.

As Caiden Valadez from Latona Elementary shared, “My students who joined the Droids program at first were nervous and didn’t know if they were going to be able to code their robots. A few weeks later, some new students joined our club, and those same students who were once nervous about coding were teaching the new students.”

Arts

This year, 600 students participated in eight visual and performing arts residencies.

The Theatre Phoenix program has reached over 600 students across eight schools through residencies and assemblies focused on theatre and improvisation. Nearly 20 years since its start, the program continues to evolve to meet students’ needs, offering 10-week residencies and assemblies that teach theatre etiquette, improvisation, and creative storytelling.

Theatre Phoenix helps students build confidence, express themselves, and develop life skills like collaboration and problem-solving. Many have formed new friendships and found a positive outlet for self-expression, including one student who called her Theatre class the highlight of her day during a difficult time.

Theatre Phoenix’s long-standing partnership with the LA’s BEST arts program continues to provide a meaningful and transformative experience for students.

Impact

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

In its first year, the Workforce Development department has made strong progress in improving recruitment, creating staff resources, and building partnerships that support both educational and professional growth. One major milestone was launching the Student Worker programs.

Through this initiative, over 200 high school students from more than 30 LAUSD schools gained real-world work experience by supporting over 40 LA’s BEST sites. Student workers helped with homework, led engagement activities, and supported the safety of afterschool and summer programs.

Alongside its own Part-Time Program Helper position, LA’s BEST partnered with the District’s Office of Transition Services, LAUSD Linked Learning, and the Mayor’s Office Student to Student Program to expand these opportunities.

Staff Development

The Staff Development Department’s team of seven Learning Facilitators provided training to nearly 900 LA’s BEST Program Workers through the 5-day New Staff Orientation (NSO) held from July 2023 to June 2024. Originally in person, NSO shifted online during the pandemic and has since returned to in-person sessions. The training covers LA’s BEST values, program structure, safety procedures, and strategies for creating positive learning environments, along with important topics like self-care, employee burnout, and psychological first aid.

This year’s Professional Development Day (ProDay) at Los Angeles Trade Technical College brought together nearly 1,000 staff members for a full day of learning and growth. Attendees joined more than 35 workshops on STEM programming, classroom management, resume building, mental health awareness, fitness, digital learning, songwriting, social-emotional learning, team building, and resiliency.

Leadership Development

In the 2023–2024 school year, the Leadership Department supported staff at all levels through a robust training program. A total of 87 participants took part in the LA’s BEST in ME Mentor Cohort and Institute.

The team hosted 14 Area Program Supervisor meetings, each training 55 to 70 participants on topics like school openings, threat assessments, and programming. Regional meetings drew strong attendance, including 300 participants at “Breaking the Silence” and three joint sessions.

Four additional regional meetings brought together 70 participants at each location to focus on topics like “The Big Picture” and “Fostering Meaningful Connections.”

Specialized trainings also expanded, with 55 participants in “I Can, You Can, We Can,” 45 in “Developing Little Minds,” and 60 in incident reporting. Summer Huddles reached 300 participants via Zoom.

The department also led organizational growth efforts, offering anti-racism workshops for 47 participants and additional “Breaking the Silence” sessions for 55 departmental staff.

Impact

PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS

Since our founding by Mayor Tom Bradley in 1988, LA’s BEST has built strong partnerships with the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District, growing from 10 schools to more than 200. Along the way, we have expanded both access and quality in our programs while serving as a leading voice in advocating for afterschool programs for children across the state and country.

This year, LA’s BEST continued working with City and State officials to build support for the next chapter of our work. A major win was the Governor and Legislature’s decision to protect $4 billion in ongoing funding for expanded learning, despite a significant budget deficit, preventing cuts to these critical programs. To support this effort, LA’s BEST brought 12 staff members to Sacramento, joining more than 500 participants.

At the same time, the organization faced a significant cut to City funding due to the budget deficit, affecting salaries, transportation, supplies, and staff training. This challenge has only strengthened our commitment to deepen engagement with the City.

This included President & CEO Michele Broadnax testifying at City Council and a visit from former Council President Paul Krekorian.

“The recipes are so well planned, and it makes it easier for my staff and students to create snacks that not only include fruits and vegetables, but also shows them how to create a well-balanced meal.”

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul and when you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.”

“I like coaching to teach the kids to work as a team. Apart from that, I like giving them the chance to play against different school teams, something other kids don't always get the opportunity to do.”

“I like to dance because I can express myself in any way I want through my body with no words.”

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul and when you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.”

Supporters

OUR PARTNERS

Our partners are a core part of the LA’s BEST community. Thanks to their generosity, we’ve expanded enrichment opportunities and made a lasting impact in neighborhoods across Los Angeles.

If you would like to explore a partnership with us, please contact Brian Lam at brian.c.lam@lacity.org.

We would like to thank a few partners in particular:

The Green Foundation

The Green Foundation and other generous partners have provided crucial unrestricted support during this challenging time, helping LA’s BEST continue serving our communities. Their contributions have met immediate needs while strengthening our foundation for long-term success. With their backing, we’re able to adapt, grow, and keep advancing our mission to uplift communities across Los Angeles.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente, one of our earliest and most committed partners, has consistently supported LA’s BEST since our inception. Their significant investment in a new Learning Management System (LMS) is a major step forward for our professional development efforts. This innovative platform will enhance in-person training while creating new opportunities for staff to connect, collaborate, and learn. These improvements strengthen our community and elevate the quality of our programs.

AdvoCare Foundation

Since 2016, AdvoCare has been a dedicated partner in supporting the health and wellness of LA’s BEST students. Through their investment in hands-on nutrition education and a diverse range of physical activities, they help students build healthy habits and develop the skills to lead active, balanced lives.

Supporters

Alumni Spotlight

Elizabeth Rocha, a proud alum of LA’s BEST, grew up in Wilmington as one of seven siblings. From 3rd to 5th grade (2000–2002), she looked forward to field trips, sports, and creative activities she otherwise wouldn’t have experienced.

Through LA’s BEST, she discovered new experiences, from visits by the LA Kings to an Easter egg hunt at Richard Riordan’s home. She thrived on the drill team, guided by mentors like Ms. Nunez and Ms. Rubio, who helped her build confidence and life skills that inspired her high school cheerleading journey.

Today, Elizabeth reflects on LA’s BEST as a safe, supportive space that shaped her growth and provided crucial help for her family. Now, through her workplace philanthropy, she gives back to ensure future generations have access to the same opportunities that meant so much to her.

As a 3rd to 5th grader, I begged my mom to sign me up for LA’s BEST. We weren’t a family of means, but I saw they had field trips, sports, and activities that I wanted to experience. Coming from a family of seven, outings like those weren’t something we could often do. But through LA’s BEST, I was able to stay active, get involved, and have experiences that shaped my development and deepened my connection to the community. Now, as a parent myself, I understand how hard it is to find affordable child care in a safe environment. Programs like LA’s BEST provide that security while offering kids the kind of enrichment and opportunities that make a lasting impact.

Elizabeth Rocha

Supporters

EVENTS

Introducing Michele Broadnax: Leading the Way in Her First Year as CEO | January 2024

LA’s BEST is entering an exciting new chapter under the leadership of CEO Michele Broadnax. Since joining the organization, Michele has brought deep experience, a clear vision, and a strong commitment to empowering children and communities through transformative afterschool programs.

With a passion for education and equity, she has been building on the legacy of LA’s BEST while setting bold goals for the future. Her leadership is expanding opportunities for students, strengthening our programs, and deepening partnerships that support our mission.

As a champion of innovation and inclusion, Michele is guiding LA’s BEST through a period of reflection, growth, and celebration as we honor more than 35 years of impact and renew our commitment to creating brighter futures for the children of Los Angeles.

Locally Grown: A Garden Party | March 21, 2024

On a beautiful evening, the LA’s BEST community gathered for Locally Grown: A Garden Party, an unforgettable celebration featuring exceptional dishes crafted by an incredible lineup of talented chefs.

We are profoundly grateful to Chef Neal Fraser and Amy Knoll Fraser for once again hosting this cherished event at their stunning Redbird | Vibiana garden.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and guests, we raised nearly $90,000 to further the impactful work of LA’s BEST.

A heartfelt thank you to Emmy Award-winning actor Terrence Terrell, whose inspiring story and passion for our mission captivated everyone in attendance.

Thank you to everyone who made this event a success!

Financials

Annual Reports

Executive Summary

Impact

Supporters

Financials