Independence Elementary

Funding for this project is provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, which awarded TreePeople with a Green Schoolyards grant to transform 12 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) campuses into greener, more sustainable environments. This project addresses the urgent need for shaded, green spaces in schools that are predominantly covered in heat-absorbing asphalt.

The initiative focuses on improving air quality, reducing extreme heat, enhancing stormwater capture, and providing educational and recreational opportunities through the planting of climate resilient trees and native understory plants. Each school will benefit from a comprehensive greening effort, including the removal of impermeable surfaces and the creation of outdoor gathering and learning spaces.

TreePeople’s holistic approach to greening prioritizes the voices most affected by this work: the school community. TreePeople facilitated bilingual listening sessions and workshops for parents, students, and faculty to better understand what the school community envisioned.

This school greening project also includes environmental education, providing lessons and activities to the school communities emphasizing hands-on learning, outdoor activities, and real-world applications. While each school is being designed and “greened”, students, teachers, and parents will learn the importance and benefits of having a green school and how to steward it.

At Independence Elementary, located in South Gate, the school greening initiative includes the removal of more than 40,000 square feet of asphalt and the planting of more than 60 trees and 850 native plants. The school will receive a large shaded, multi-purpose sports field surrounded by a running track, and multiple outdoor learning and gathering spaces for students and faculty to enjoy.