The Youth Center in Los Alamitos announced that Dr. Sherry Kropp, Superintendent of the Los Alamitos Unified School District will be the official chairperson of the 2014 Community Support Campaign. Dr. Kropp began her career in education in 1978 teaching English, math, and science at a middle school in Washington. During her six years teaching in Washington, she was also the head coach for volleyball and softball and was selected as the Teacher of the Year in 1982 and 1984.
She moved to California and began working for Los Alamitos Unified School District in 1985. Since that time, she has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal at Los Alamitos High School, a principal at Laurel High School, and a Director and Assistant Superintendent at the District office. She has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in Educational Administration, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership.
The Board of Education selected Dr. Kropp to be the superintendent, a position she considers her dream job, on July 1, 2011. As Dr. Kropp fondly says, “There is no finer place to live, work, or go to school.” During her tenure with the district, the schools and student groups have won multiple prestigious awards in academics, athletics, activities, and the arts. With a district Academic Performance Index (API) over 900, Los Alamitos Unified continues to be one of the highest performing districts in Orange County as well as the state. She is excited to continue working with the board, community, parents, and employees who place the highest priority on providing the best possible education to all students.
Dr. Kropp is well aware of the crucial role the Youth Center plays in the lives of so many children.
“Los Alamitos Unified is an extraordinary place to go to school because of the entire community,” Dr. Kropp said. “We have a community that loves and supports all children. We have organizations, such as the Youth Center, that reach out to help students from offering summer camps to free after-school supervision and free tutoring. Our partnership with the Youth Center makes our community even stronger and richer for the youth that we serve, ensuring that they will graduate from high school and are prepared to thrive as adults.”
The Los Alamitos Unified School District has an elite reputation and the Youth Center is honored to contribute to this outstanding educational system by playing an instrumental role in helping students perform to their fullest academically. The Youth Center offers children support with a safe and supervised free after school program where they can meet friends, talk with supportive staff members, and even get help with their homework by using the Youth Center’s free tutoring services in the learning center.
Cassidy Ruiz significantly improved her grades from barely passing in both Reading and science to the top of her class. She was able to accomplish this with the tutoring and support she found at the learning center, an integral component of the Youth Center’s free after school program. “I used to hate to study,” said Cassidy. “Now, I kind of look forward to it, I never thought that would happen, ever.”
This April, over 100 volunteers will come together to spread the word about the Youth Center’s mission and valuable work. This group of volunteers includes individuals, businesses, charity representatives, and other community officials who support the Youth Center because they share one common belief, that every child deserves an opportunity for a successful future. All of the funds raised during the Community Support Campaign go directly to services and programs at the Youth Center’s and financial aid scholarships for children from families in need for the elementary music education and summer camp programs. The Youth Center is able to impact the lives of over 3,000 children and their families each and every year because of the generous support of the community. To learn more about the Youth Center or help in any way, please contact Lisa Lee, Youth Center Community Relations Director at 562-493-4043 or email lisa@theyouthcenter.org.
