GALS LA Prepares Students and School for the Future

The first tuition-free, public, all-girls middle school in the San Fernando Valley is dutifully embodying its commitment to environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.

In Fall 2024, Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles (GALS LA) opened its new building’s doors to students and families alike. GALS LA is the only school in Los Angeles County made entirely out of recycled shipping containers, a construction tactic which has minimal impacts on the surrounding environment.

The school – entering its ninth year of operations and second year in its new building – is leading the way when it comes to climate emergency preparedness and environmental diligence.

Emergency Preparedness

GALS LA works to ensure its students are given agency to support the world around them. After all, nearly 99% of children across the globe have been exposed to at least one environmental disaster in their lifetime, leading to significant climate anxiety in youth.

In 2024, the school won a “Listos” – or “Ready” – grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. During the 2024-2025 school year, GALS LA students used the grant to venture out on local conservation field trips, learn from climate experts and first responder guest speakers and more. In fact, 12 students and 1 teacher have gone so far as to earn national FEMA credentials in disaster preparedness and emergency response!

These FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certifications empower middle schoolers to lead and support their families and communities during critical incidents. Following January’s LA wildfires, these certifications have never been more critical. When GALS LA students acquire these qualifications, they show their fellow LA tweens and teens that they can similarly uplift and protect their environment and communities.

Environmental Support

GALS LA is taking steps – big and small – to minimize its environmental footprint and empower students to take action.

This past year, the school installed all-new LED lightbulbs throughout its campus to increase energy efficiency. LED lightbulbs, which last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent lights, are proven to dramatically cut down carbon emissions, reduce carbon footprints by up to one third and are 100% recyclable.

GALS LA is also welcoming a second electric school bus to its fleet of free transportation offerings for students. This new bus will also allow the school to expand its services to students in Pacoima and Panorama City. This is a huge distinguishing feature for GALS LA from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where local students typically attend.

The school launched its first electric school bus in September 2024 with support from both the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)’s Commercial Electric Vehicle Rebate Program, LADWP's Community Emission Reduction Grants Program and partnerships with Buswest and Student Transportation of America.

Just 2.9% of U.S. school buses are electric, making GALS LA a national leader in this shift. Only 54 school buses within LAUSD are electric. Electric school buses emit zero tailpipe pollution, have reduced greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance costs and operate both cleanly and quietly – a huge benefit for surrounding communities, such as Van Nuys.

Looking Ahead to the Future

As GALS LA advances into its 2025-2026 school year, the school is participating in two programs: SoCalGas LivingWise and EmPowered Schools.

These two programs fold perfectly into GALS LA’s rigorous, college-preparatory science curriculum and units on energy resources, which take place during the fall and winter months. In these programs, students learn about energy efficiency and green careers while participating in hands-on learning activities.

In the future, GALS LA leadership hopes to continue minimizing its school footprint by building a garden and implementing on-campus solar panels.

GALS LA is currently enrolling students for its 2025-2026 school year. For more information and/or to enroll your student, please visit www.galsla.org or www.galsla.org/enroll.