2018 Latina of Influence | Myrna Castrejón
Hispanic Lifestyle is pleased to recognize Executive Director, Great Public Schools Now Myrna Castrejón as a 2018 Latina of Influence. Ms. Castrejón along with our entire list of 2018 Latinas of Influence are invited to participate in Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2018 Latina Conference taking place April 4 and 5, 2018 in Ontario, California.
Myrna Castrejón leads the educational organization Great Public Schools Now (GPSN), a non-profit dedicated to creating improved educational opportunities for Latino children through Los Angeles.
As the head of GPSN, Myrna leads a team dedicated to improving public education by helping successful schools and educational organizations grow, either by increasing their campus capacity or by supporting key educators to grow professionally.
In 2017, GPSN donated $1.5 million to L.A. Unified to replicate two of the district’s best performing schools in South Los Angeles, King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science and Diego Rivera Learning Complex Public Service Community School. Both schools have long waiting lists and are using GPSN funding to open new, additional campuses in the fall of 2018, giving more students a chance at a high-quality education.
GPSN also spent $2.5 million to help Endeavor College Prep, a high-performing charter school in Boyle Heights, acquire a building in East L.A. Endeavor College Prep administrators and staff had spent nearly seven years searching for a permanent home while also helping students achieve academically, and GPSN believes that the educational gains should continue at a more rapid pace once educators can concentrate solely on teaching students.
In addition, to helping schools grow, Myrna and the GPSN team recognized that teachers are the most important factors at a successful campus, which is why GPSN also spent nearly $900,000 to fund initiatives that will help six educational organizations retain their best educators. The grants funded a series of innovative programs, including increased funding for parental leave, on-campus fitness programs, professional development for teachers, and sabbaticals.
These accomplishments are part of a lifetime of public service for Myrna, who worked at the California Charter Schools Association in various key leadership roles since 2003, including as the Acting Chief Executive Officer. She has also been a consultant to the state-funded Urban Education Partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she helped develop eight innovative early education service centers in the most high-need areas of city; the Vice President of School and Family Networks for the Los Angeles Alliance for Student Achievement; and the director for family engagement for the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project.
In these positions, Myrna saw parents’ deep desire to give their children real high-quality education opportunities when faced with so few choices. Her passion for this critical work comes from her background as a mother and an immigrant, and what she has seen is possible when commitment, opportunity and need combine to help families carve out better futures.
Nominated by Fabiola Prieto
Here is our nomination for the 2018 Latinas of influence List. VPE Public Relations is nominating her for her leadership role in the education sector and her success in advancing her organization’s mission throughout 2017.
Myrna Castrejón leads the educational organization Great Public Schools Now (GPSN), a non-profit dedicated to creating improved educational opportunities for Latino children through Los Angeles.
As the head of GPSN, Myrna leads a team dedicated to improving public education by helping successful schools and educational organizations grow, either by increasing their campus capacity or by supporting key educators to grow professionally.
In 2017, GPSN donated $1.5 million to L.A. Unified to replicate two of the district’s best performing schools in South Los Angeles, King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science and Diego Rivera Learning Complex Public Service Community School. Both schools have long waiting lists and are using GPSN funding to open new, additional campuses in the fall of 2018, giving more students a chance at a high-quality education.
GPSN also spent $2.5 million to help Endeavor College Prep, a high-performing charter school in Boyle Heights, acquire a building in East L.A. Endeavor College Prep administrators and staff had spent nearly seven years searching for a permanent home while also helping students achieve academically, and GPSN believes that the educational gains should continue at a more rapid pace once educators can concentrate solely on teaching students.
In addition, to helping schools grow, Myrna and the GPSN team recognized that teachers are the most important factors at a successful campus, which is why GPSN also spent nearly $900,000 to fund initiatives that will help six educational organizations retain their best educators. The grants funded a series of innovative programs, including increased funding for parental leave, on-campus fitness programs, professional development for teachers, and sabbaticals.
These accomplishments are part of a lifetime of public service for Myrna, who worked at the California Charter Schools Association in various key leadership roles since 2003, including as the Acting Chief Executive Officer. She has also been a consultant to the state-funded Urban Education Partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she helped develop eight innovative early education service centers in the most high-need areas of city; the Vice President of School and Family Networks for the Los Angeles Alliance for Student Achievement; and the director for family engagement for the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project.
In these positions, Myrna saw parents’ deep desire to give their children real high-quality education opportunities when faced with so few choices. Her passion for this critical work comes from her background as a mother and an immigrant, and what she has seen is possible when commitment, opportunity and need combine to help families carve out better futures.
