Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, on Jan. 29 joined officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Saugus Union School District in touring an LAUP preschool to see first-hand how early education is preparing children for the future and benefiting society as a whole.

CAPE Award
The California Council on Excellence has announced that LAUP is once again a recipient of the "Bronze-Level" Eureka-level California Awards for Performance Excellence (CAPE). LAUP received the same award in 2008.

It's a known fact that being prepared for an emergency is a sound business practice, especially for preschool providers for whom the responsibility for children's lives carries a heavy responsibility.

Celia C. Ayala, Ph.D., COO of LAUP, recently told parents attending a "Parent Conference" hosted by LAUSD's Migrant Education Program that a quality preschool education opens up endless possibilities for children.

Editor's Note: The following Op-Ed article co-authored by LAUP CEO Dr. Gary Mangiofico and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News.

By Lee Baca and Gary Mangiofico, Ph.D.

Recent statistics indicating that crime in Los Angeles has dropped to the lowest level in more than 40 years is most encouraging. Above all, it's a testament to the joint efforts of our political leaders and law enforcement agencies working together to improve our quality-of-life.

Early Education is a Hot Topic in Nation's and State's Capitals

If you are a supporter of early childhood education, then two recent budget proposals show reason for optimism in Washington, D.C., and a great cause for concern in Sacramento.

Pre-K Lessons Tied to TV Shows Found to Spur Gains

Video and interactive games are effective in teaching disadvantaged preschoolers the literacy skills they need for kindergarten, according to a large-scale evaluation financed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

It's the kids. We do it for the kids. And that is where your donation goes: to programs, classrooms and quality education that directly benefits the kids of Los Angeles County. Your investment in the children of our community pays a lifetime of positive returns. Your donation, no matter what size, helps another child move that much closer to obtaining a high-quality preschool education, which prepares them for a successful future thanks to the proven benefits of preschool education. On behalf of all the children of LAUP, we thank you for your donation and welcome you to the LAUP family.