Produced by CauseConnect
For three consecutive years, CauseConnect produced the Design Challenge, an inventive and interactive fundraising event benefiting the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP). Proceeds supported LAEP’s programs serving students, educators, and schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District, particularly in high-poverty communities.
The annual event featured:
- Awards presentations honoring notable champions of education
- A high-energy “Design Challenge” competition, where teams made up of business leaders, educators, elected officials, and celebrities raced against the clock to envision and pitch innovative “schools of the future”
- Audience engagement through live feedback, voting, and collaborative input
This dynamic format embodied LAEP’s mission of community-driven solutions to transform education—inviting everyone to play a role in reimagining what’s possible for L.A. students.
About LAEP: Founded in 1984 by education reform pioneers Peggy Funkhouser and David Abel, LAEP emerged in response to the landmark report A Nation at Risk, which documented the urgent need to improve public education. Today, LAEP is a recognized leader in whole-child, whole-school transformation—serving over 60,000 students and 1,400 educatorsannually through early learning, community school partnerships, educator training, and college and career readiness initiatives.
To learn more: www.laep.org