Students act upon their passions

At GPA, education extends beyond the classroom. We encourage our students to turn passion into action, which allows them to put their skills into practice by developing a project that yields social value and addresses a timely need. Our students' projects are plastered over news stations both locally and nationally.

Cool facts about our projects

THE OASIS SCV

10,000+

items distributed to the unhoused of Crenshaw and Santa Clarita

SIX FEET SUPPLIES

$27,500

worth of groceries delivered to at-risk individuals throughout Southern California

SIX FEET SUPPLIES

13,106

site visitors

CREATE CHANGE

$890

in donations raised at art show for the #SaugusStrong cause

CREATE CHANGE

$521

in donations raised at art show for Women for Women International

FROM THEIR FIRST

BREATH

1,000+

items collected to support educational workshops in Sri Lanka

RE(DRESS)

$840

in donations raised at fashion show for Labour Behind the Label

THE POETRY PROJECT

300+

in attendance for 5 different events

ReEnVogue

$500+

raised for Fashion Revolution at upcycling fashion show

FROM THEIR FIRST

BREATH

1,000+

items collected to support educational workshops in Sri Lanka

DISTORTEDLAND

$400+

in donations raised at interactive/arts museum for Amnesty International

AOC'S HELPING HAND

65 mentors assembled for a college-and-career readiness program

How our students develop projects

Our students' passions are rooted at the center of each project. Each project starts with an identified need, to which students draw inspiration from passed legislation, inaction or lack of empathy, grievances of others, and many more. Before a student can turn their passion into a tangible idea, there are several questions that must be addressed. By regularly engaging at GPA, students learn how to master the process of answering these questions, as well as pitching their idea to their fellow peers and instructors. Our students must go through this process before receiving approval to manifest their idea.

1. Identify the Problem: Be able to clearly articulate the problem that you've identified. Demonstrate profound research from credible, scholarly sources.

2. Users Affected ("Target Persona"): Who are the users affected by the problem (human or otherwise)? If they had an Instagram or Facebook, what would it look like? If they don't have one, what is their particular circumstances? Get on the ground and be uncomfortable.

3. Inspiration: Your project came from something inside of you. Trace your thru-lines and understand why this project matters to you.

4. Present: Use your research, your voice and your design and communication skills to make a presentation via Google Slides or other means that includes your Problem, Users, Inspiration, Approach/Methodology, Tentative Timeline, Landmarks, Measurables...Brand it. Make it consumable. Demonstrate the nature of your artifact.

5. Execution Checkpoints: At this point, your peers and instructors will offer feedback based on...

a. Desirability...do we need this project? What else is out there? How is your idea different?

b. Feasibility...is it possible?

c. Viability...are there measurables/solvency? What does success look like for this project? What will the world look like in 10 years because of this project?

6. Commitment: All founders and members will sign a Commitment that binds you to the project. If you do not fulfill the Commitment, you can not use on any application or resume.

7. Execute: Set up meetings on Google Calendar, organize teams, create social media/web presence/videos/other artifacts.

JOIN US AND TURN YOUR PASSIONS INTO SOCIAL VALUE ⟶

Our Process

Notable projects, created by our students