the Impact of your donation

24-25 School year Financial Meeting (03/06/2025)

We held our annual Financial Meeting on March 6, 2025. Here are the slides presented.

The 2024 - 2025 Dance education impact

Your Annual Giving donation directly impacts the dance education of your Braddock student! 

SBDES contracts with Conga Kids, whose Mission is to "Promote Social and Emotional Well-being and Inclusive Practices through Dance and Music!" The Conga Kids Teaching Artists utilizes the "CONGA KIDS®’ framework of social and emotional learning and core values of respect, teamwork, community, and inclusivity" to teach the Braddock 4th and 5th grade students social dances of the African Diaspora, and other dances originating from Colombia/Mexico, Dominican Republic, and the United States.

Through Conga Kids, the Braddock upper grade students transform into self-confident and socially aware citizens who can establish and maintain relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions -- all through dance!

In May 2024, in a momentously joyful day, the 23-24 Braddock Conga Kids Dance team placed 3rd in the LAUSD Semi-Finals! We couldn't be prouder of these Braddock 5th Graders who were chosen to represent Braddock against 9 other LAUSD schools (that's nearly 100 competitors)! Check out our magnificently proud Braddock Conga Kids Dance team after the Semi-Finals competition (below).

Your Annual Giving donation makes Conga Kids possible! No donation is too small! Every dollar counts toward reaching our annual budget of nearly $450,000. We aim for 100% participation because we want YOU to know how important Braddock is to us!

If within your budget, a suggested donation of $1,750 for each enrolled student at Braddock Drive Elementary School helps us reach our Annual Giving goal much faster! Please donate the amount that best fits your family's budget. 

Don't forget to check if your company matches donations to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like SBDES!

The 2024 - 2025 Field trips impact

Your Annual Giving donation impacts your student's in-school enrichment! 

The Field Trips Committee (comprised of a small handful of hard-working parents) spend the whole summer planning and securing field trips, managing and coordinating LAUSD permission slips, buses, and reminders to teachers during the school year. Even after your child goes on the field trip, the Field Trips Committee ensures all grants have been paid, bus invoices have been processed, and complies with any other grant requirements to make the field trip a success!

Their hard work results in your Braddock student happily going on field trips each school year!

However, with rising costs, many grants offered to Title 1 schools (like Braddock), do not fully cover the actual cost of transportation or the entrance fees to all of these field trip opportunities. This is where SBDES steps in to bridge the financial gap. SBDES wants your young Bobcat to go on these enriching field trips. All of this is only possible with your Annual Giving donation!

In the 23-24 school year, there were nearly 25 field trips! That's at least two field trips per grade! The Field Trips Committee expects the same number for the 24-25 school year!

Some places that your little Bobcat might go:

• Heal the Bay

• Petersen Auto Museum

• Skirball Center

• Ballona Saltwater Marsh

• 826LA

• Huntington Library

• Japanese American National Museum

• Griffith Observatory

Enriching field trips to culturally, artistically, or environmentally important locations greatly enhance your child's education outside of the classroom! We are so deeply grateful to the Field Trips Committee for their dedication to our Braddock students! And we are profoundly thankful for your Annual Giving donation!

Our goal is 100% participation. No donation is too small! Every dollar counts toward reaching our annual budget of nearly $550,000. If within your budget, a suggested donation of $1,750 for each enrolled student at Braddock Drive Elementary School helps us reach our Annual Giving goal much faster! Please donate the amount that best fits your family's budget. Don't forget to check if your company matches donations to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like SBDES!

The 2024 - 2025 Musical Enrichment Impact

Sounds Like LA {formerly known as Santa Monica Youth Orchestra (SMYO)} continues to execute on their planned expansion of music education for Braddock students! If you didn't know, Sounds Like LA is a non-profit organization that was formed to help meet the needs of the Santa Monica Pico Neighborhood, an under-resourced, predominantly Latinx community.

As part of the Braddock, SBDES, and Sounds Like LA partnership, we're excited to share how music is coming soon to your Braddock student! 

• 5th Grade began their World Music lessons where they're learning about musical instruments from all over the world.

• 4th Grade received their guitars and are beginning to embark on their Mariachi education! Don't forget to bring your guitars every Tuesday!

• New this year! 2nd Grade is receiving ukulele instruction and will be preparing for a performance in December. Don't forget to bring your ukuleles every Monday!

• In the Spring, 3rd Grade will have their turn at ukulele instruction. We're sure they'll enjoy learning to play the ukulele as much as the 2nd Graders.

Take a look at the below photos from last school year's Ukulele and Mariachi performances. This music education is made possible with your Annual Giving donation. No donation is too small! Every dollar counts toward reaching our annual budget of nearly $450,000. We aim for 100% participation because we want YOU to know how important Braddock is to us!

If within your budget, a suggested donation of $1,750 for each enrolled student at Braddock Drive Elementary School helps us reach our Annual Giving goal much faster! Please donate the amount that best fits your family's budget.

With the budget shortfalls from the State & District, SBDES uses the Annual Giving donations to bridge the financial gap and to enhance the learning experience for your Bobcat! We greatly appreciate your participation in the Annual Giving drive! We're looking forward to a fantastic 2024-2025 school year!

The 2023 - 2024 Impact

With your friendship, support, and participation, the 2023-2024 school year was amazing! Below are a few highlights of how your Annual Giving action makes a huge Braddock impact! With your continued action, the 2024-2025 school year will shine even brighter!

• 5th Grade Conga Kids started their social emotional dance lessons and are excitedly preparing for their performance in the Spring (performance details will be shared closer to event date). Our 5th Grade Conga Kids dance team placed 3rd in the regional dance competition!

• Santa Monica Youth Orchestra (SMYO) executed on their planned expansion of music education for all 1st through 5th grade Braddock Bobcats:

  • 5th Grade classes were so thoroughly enjoying their World Music lessons that they begged for 2 more classes! Of course, SBDES needed to make that happen!

  • 4th Grade classes are quickly learning their Mariachi songs for their Spring performance (performance details will be shared later). Great job bringing their guitars every Thursday!

  • 3rd Grade will be starting their ukulele lessons in the Spring.

  • 1st and 2nd Grade happily participated in their Introduction to Music classes in the Fall. Now, to continue building their love of music, they're taking turns checking out a ukulele, guitar, or violin for a weekend! Have fun with those "weekend pet instruments"!

• 3rd Grade began their Wallis Theatre classes -- an immersive experience on many facets of the performing arts. Not only do students learn how to perform, but they learn how to listen to their bodies, respect their fellow performers, and become more confident with their own voice. 2nd Grade starts in the Spring!

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade joyfully danced with Ms. Burton dance classes in the Fall and will soon learn Tony Award winning methodology from Mr. Martin's theater classes in the Spring.

• 5 NEW Instructional Aides are assisting our students! This is in addition to the 4 full-time Teacher's Aides and 6 Mandarin tutors! It's been so amazing to have all this help for our programs!

• In total, we've sent our Braddock Bobcats on over 10 field trips this Fall, with another 10+ field trips planned for the Spring!

That's not even the full list of your Annual Giving impact! There's so much more that SBDES supports to provide the most enriching education for your child!

The recommended Annual Giving donation is $1,750 per enrolled child. We aim for 100% participation and every donation counts! Donate your Annual Giving now to make the shiniest impact on your child's education!