Inside a Luncheon to Benefit Los Angeles High Schoolers

Nearly 85 percent of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) live near or below the poverty line, while only 80 percent of the district's students graduate from high school. But organizations like Communities In Schools (CIS) are working to increase graduation rates and get students into college. On October 19, CISLA's third "Lunch with a Leader" event auctioned the opportunity for guests to dine with leaders from the worlds of technology, entertainment, sports, and more. This year, leaders included Norman Lear, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Frank Lutz, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Guests included CISLA alumni, as well as Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu; California State Treasurer John Chiang; Nick Melvoin, LAUSD Board of Education Vice President; and Town & Country editor in chief, Stellene Volandes.

CIS works with nearly 1.5 million students in 25 states and Washington, D.C. The Los Angeles branch, founded in 2007, serves 10,000 students annually in 9 high need middle and high schools. In the last decade, 40,000 students and their families have been supported. Last year, 100% of CISLA seniors graduated from high school.