Catholic education at St. Lawrence of Brindisi school is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and the road to improving the quality of life in the inner city. At St. Lawrence of Brindisi, service has become a very important aspect of the Catholic identity of our school. There is a true sense of respect, assistance to others, and a duty to serve the both local Watts community and the greater Los Angeles area.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.- Matthew 6:21
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Operation Progress, or “OP,” was founded by LAPD officers in the Southeast Division who work with the city’s most at-risk youth in the South Central Los Angeles community of Watts. As a team, these officers are dedicated to empowering youth through personal mentoring and scholarship assistance. OP has grown into a “network of opportunity,” guiding students through life’s challenges, from elementary school through college graduation. The effectiveness of OP is the result of LAPD mentoring, partnerships with local private schools, after-school providers, and college preparedness programs.
The mission of Operation Progress is to empower underserved youth to become educated, capable, ethical and productive people who will in turn lead, mentor and contribute to society at large. To do this, we guarantee our commitment to supporting students from kindergarten with the help of high school and beyond through our comprehensive program called Ten Pillars of Success. Through Academics, Arts, Athletics, Coping Skills, Ethics, Long-term Commitment, Mentoring, Parent Involvement, Service Work and Skills Training we believe hope, opportunity and success can be achieved.
The Friends of St. Lawrence – Watts Youth Center is a diverse group drawn from the South Los Angeles (Watts) area and neighboring communities. Its membership includes members of several Catholic parishes, and persons of other faith traditions and communities. As a support group, it aims to help the youth in the surrounding communities, without regard to religious affiliation. The Friends pool resources, both human and financial, to provide the following kinds of programs and support:
In all of its endeavors, Friends is motivated by humanitarian ideals and spiritual values. It is guided in all it does by the message of faith, hope and love.