News Release
For Immediate Release Date: December 7, 2021
Contact: Jennifer Valdivia
(213) 414-4812, [email protected]
Board Member Mónica García and Board of Education Approve Funding for Upgrades to Football Field and Track at James A. Garfield High School
LOS ANGELES (Dec. 7, 2021) – Today, Board Member Mónica García and the Los Angeles
Unified Board of Education voted to define and approve upgrades to James A. Garfield High School’s athletic fields. The proposed project, with an estimated investment of $8,534,477, is set to include synthetic turf for the football and soccer fields, goal posts, a scoreboard, a rubberized running track, fencing, furnishings and fixtures, and more. These upgrades will not only support the schools’ athletic program, but the school’s physical education program and ensure ADA compliance. The project, strongly supported by community stakeholders, is much needed for the Eastside community and the current and future scholars of James A. Garfield High School.
“Thanks to today’s board action, beautiful new athletic facilities will soon be completed at James A. Garfield Senior High school,” Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said. “Students, staff and the entire school community will enjoy these facilities for years to come.”
“James A. Garfield High School and the Eastside have waited for this year of investments for a very long time and I am so happy and proud to celebrate this story of success,” Board Member Mónica García said. “I support the factors at our schools that lead to graduation, including our athletics programs, and am sure these upgrades will lead to greater outcomes. We continue to be grateful to voters and entire community for making these transformational investments possible. Sí Se Pudo!”.
“It is great that we are able to finally modernize the sports facilities at such a deserving high school that has had to live with substandard sports facilities for far too long,” Mark Hovatter, Chief Facilities Executive for Los Angeles Unified, said.
“We are thrilled about today’s Board approval to upgrade the athletic facilities at James A. Garfield High School,” Local District East Superintendent Jose P. Huerta said. “All students work hard and deserve to practice and compete in safe, top-notch, and modern facilities. Thank you to all involved for making this project possible for our Garfield High School community.”
“On behalf of our students, families, and community members, we are grateful to our LAUSD School Board members, and especially thankful to Board Member Mónica García, for her support and unwavering belief that our students and families deserve nothing less than the best school facilities and education we can provide. As Garfield High School, home of the Bulldogs, proudly approaches the celebration of its centennial year on 2025, it is appropriate that our historic school in East LA will have a state-of-the-art athletic facility to continue its legacy of pride and excellence. Our students will now have access to adequate, safe, and modernized athletic equipment and fields, all of which they have earned. This is a huge step in demonstrating with actions, that we are closing the gap of inequities in LAUSD for generations to come,” Lisa Davis, Communities of School Administrator for East Los Angeles, said.
“On behalf of all of East Los Angeles, I would like to thank the Board for their continued commitment to our school and the people that reside here,” Andres Favela, Principal for James A. Garfield High School, said. “The redevelopment of Garfield High School’s athletic facilities will be a benefit enjoyed by the entirety of our community. Their choice to rebuild our aging track and sports fields (which has already begun) is a much-needed improvement to a part of our campus in heavy use and enjoyed by so many different groups of people in our surrounding area. From the marching bands; the various football, soccer, softball and baseball teams; organizations like cheer, drill, and flags; to the individual groups of community members of all ages that work out and exercise here in the evenings after work and on the weekends, we thank you and look forward to enjoying many future activities on these newly remodeled facilities that you have made possible.”
“We are very excited that the Garfield Athletics project was approved by the Board of Education. Thank you to School Board Member Mónica García for her tireless efforts to improve our school facilities. Congratulations to the Garfield School Community! “Maria Brenes, Executive Director for InnerCity Struggle, said.
The project is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023 and completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.