LA's Best celebrates its 25th year

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An educational program aimed at helping kids thrive in challenging areas of Los Angeles celebrated its 25th year today, boasting some surprising gains.

LA's Best is a free after school program that focuses on core academic skills, such as reading and math, and also offers fun activities.

Currently, 189 elementary schools participate in this program for children ages 5 to 12. The goal for these kids, who advocates say have the greatest needs and fewest resources in Los Angeles, is to stay in school and to improve their grades and test scores. 

Mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel, one of LA's Best earliest supporters, said the effects of the program are long-lasting.

"It matters what happens at our schools. It matters that kids have a safe go. It matters that we are going to create a safe environment for them. Help them not only in their homework but in all their variety of things that are so important," Greuel said.

A UCLA study found that participants are 20 percent less likely to drop out of school and 30 percent less likely than non-participants to commit a juvenile crime. They also have higher GPAs and score better on standardized tests than those who aren't in the program.

Carla Sanger, the president of LA's Best, said she believes the City of Los Angeles has created a program that other cities can look up to.

"The eyes of the whole country are on Los Angeles because we can work cooperatively and collaboratively," Sanger said. "And this has always from day one been a collaboration between the city of Los Angeles, the LA unified school district and the private sector."