LAEP Design Challenge

For three years, CauseConnect produced an annual fundraising event called the Design Challenge for Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP); proceeds of which supported LAEP’s educational programs and services for students and teachers of Los Angeles Unified School District. During this interactive event, after an awards presentation to notable supporters, teams of business leaders, educators, elected officials, celebrities and others compete against the clock and engage the audience in designing schools of the future. This inventive approach in collaborating and including the community in creating solutions is a hallmark of LAEP’s approach to transforming education for students in high-poverty areas of Los Angeles.

Founded in 1984 by influential leaders in education reform and public policy Peggy Funkhouser and David Abel, today, LAEP produces college- and career-ready graduates through initiatives ranging from birth through high school. The book “A Nation at Risk,” which chronicled the decline of quality public education, was the inspiration to start an organization such as LAEP. Now known for proven, effective programs and responsive collaboration, LAEP currently serves over 60,000 students and nearly 1,400 educators each year. To learn more, visit www.laep.org.