HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR GRADUATES OF UCLA-LAUSD COLLABORATIVE: Thanks to his own diligence and the support of his teachers – not to mention the seven Advanced Placement courses he aced – Ugonna Nwankwo will be graduating next month at the top of his class from George Washington Preparatory Senior High School. “Hard work pays off,” said Nwankwo, who moved with his family from Nigeria when he was a young boy. “I learned to constantly go after my dream, and not give up.” Read More…

CRENSHAW GRAD IS ‘COLLEGE READY’ AS SHE HEADS TO BERKELEY: If there was ever any doubt that Asia Abdur-Rahim’s would fulfill her dream of attending a university, just consider that the club founded by the Crenshaw High School senior is called College Ready. And that’s her mindset now, as she prepares to graduate with a 4.19 grade-point average and to attend the University of California at Berkeley in the fall. Read More...

ANONYMOUS LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT SPURS UNIVERSITY HIGH GRAD TO THE IVY LEAGUE: Ask University Senior High School graduate Jacob Abraham to list the people who have most influenced his life and he’ll name his parents, various mentors – and someone whose identity he’ll never know. The advice came from an anonymous admissions official at an Ivy League university who was responding to a letter from Abraham – who was then in eighth grade – asking what it would take to be a successful applicant.  Abraham recalled receiving a huge packet of information, along with a handwritten note of encouragement... Read More