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From starting each day with physical education class to being the only LAUSD girls’ school in the San Fernando Valley, Girls’ Athletic Leadership School is all about standing out.
But perhaps most noticeable is the school’s new Van Nuys campus, built entirely from recycled shipping containers.
“We have 32 shipping containers, 16 on the first floor and 16 on the second floor. And once you’re inside, you really don’t know,” said GALS Executive Director Vanessa Garza.
Garza has been involved with independent charter school GALS since its founding in 2016, but until this year, the school shared space with another school in Panorama City.
Currently, students are enjoying their first year in their own space, including transporting containers.
“A lot of the sustainable construction that’s happening in Los Angeles has come out of the crisis, like FEMA trailers and affordable housing,” Garza said. “And here we wanted to take that idea and expand on it and create a sustainable school.”
This is one of the innovative aspects of an already innovative school.
The curriculum focuses on movement and the mind-body connection, starting each day with sports and dance, before incorporating movement into other classes.
“Schools like this are great because they’re small so you can focus on your studies, and you can also do sports and club activities,” said 8th grader Jamie Barbes. “Sometimes boys can be silly. There aren’t that many boys who do that, so they’re really confident in themselves. Sometimes the boys laugh, but here we’re all in a group, in a community. There, everyone feels each other.”
Jasmine Yumur, a sixth-grader, said she loved the athletic aspect of the curriculum.
“I’m really hyper, so moving around really gives me energy. Sometimes I get a little antsy because I’m tired, but it’s really fun,” Yumur said. “All the girls here are very friendly, so it’s very easy to make friends.”
GALS’ unique design makes it earthquake and fire resistant, while its curriculum makes the learning experience even more enjoyable for students.
Public charter schools are completely free.
Approximately 96 percent of the student body is comprised of people of color, primarily Latinos. The majority of the school’s population comes from low-income households.
GALS is currently recruiting new students.
“We are stewards of our own future. That’s what we’re teaching our girls. So we’re modeling that and building the first schools across Los Angeles County using only shipping containers. There’s no better way than to do it,” Garza said. “This model is needed in Los Angeles. For families who choose to have a single-gender experience for their middle-school-age child, doing so with GALS is now an option.”
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