Microsoft Donates $1 Million in Software to Los Angeles Unified School District
Parents' engagement in academic progress is key to their children's future success, and Microsoft is committed to helping in this effort.
Today, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner visited Garfield High School alongside Superintendent-elect Dr. John Deasy to celebrate Microsoft's announcement of a major contribution to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Educational Foundation. The donation comes in the form of $1 million in Microsoft software to be installed in more than 500 Parent Centers across the district. LAUSD Parent and Family Centers serve as the hub for school volunteerism and provide trainings for parents to support their child's academic success. Microsoft's donation will help parents to play an effective role in their children's education through the use of technology.
Turner and Deasy were joined by more than 50 attendees, including School Board Member Yolie Flores; LAUSD Chief Information Officer Ronald S. Chandler; LAUSD Administrator of Parent and Community Services Chris Downing, Garfield Principal Jose P. Huerta, Asst. Principal Ramiro Rubalcaba and Parent Center Resource Liaison Rosie Marquez. Also in attendance were parents that have used the LAUSD Parent and Family Centers, including Alicia Aviña, parent of an 11th-grader, Nicolasa Aquino, parent of a 10th-grader, Rosa Moreno, parent of a 10th-grader and 12th-grader and Maricela Huizar, parent of an 11th-grader.
Board member Flores referenced the recent budget news, remarking that she "hopes that during this time of budget cuts, the leadership of Microsoft will spark a trend of other business that will help the students and families within the Los Angeles community."
Turner discussed the academic challenges that face Los Angeles students and shared Microsoft's ongoing commitment to positively impact the lives of students by bridging the gap between students, parents and teachers - all through the use of software resources. With a dropout rate of almost 60 percent in Los Angeles, parents need to be engaged with their kids and schooling and do better for themselves to show their children that there is something to work for. Microsoft's contributions will encourage parents and guardians to support their children academically, ranging from lessons for kindergartners to finding scholarships online for seniors preparing for graduation.
"This donation is a testament not only to our strong partnership with LAUSD, but also of our belief in the value of investing in this community and the opportunity to impact the lives of more than 50,000 parents and households locally," said Turner. "At Microsoft, we're passionate about providing tools and technology training aimed at education and workforce development and this grant will empower parents to shape and actively participate in future opportunities for their children."
We are committed to our continued dedication to the Southern California communityand look forward to highlighting additional news here on the blog. To find out more about this initiative with LAUSD, check out the Microsoft News Center.
Captions for the below photos:
- Garfield High School Marching Band greets the attendees and speakers
- Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner addresses the crowd
- Superintendent-elect Dr. John Deasy remarks on the current education landscape in Los Angeles
- Los Angeles parents and Parent Center participants attend the event
- Microsoft General Manager Enterprise and Partner Group Southwest District, Tyler Bryson is interviewed by local press
- LAUSD Chief Information Officer Ronald Chandler offers insights to attendees on the role of technology in education
- Garfield High School Principal Jose P. Huerta takes the podium
