Footlocker Chooses 5 Green Dot Art Students to Craft Designs for New Store

At Green Dot, community always comes first. This past spring, a Green Dot Public Schools California alumna encouraged students across our network of schools in South LA to pursue their passion for creativity.  

Diamond Jones, founder of the Clean Up South Central nonprofit, and a proud Ánimo Inglewood Charter High School alumna, connected five Green Dot students with Footlocker to participate in a collaborative art project, celebrating the grand opening of the footwear retailer’s Inglewood location. Jones, who took an art class while attending Ánimo Inglewood, worked with Footlocker to award each Green Dot student an Apple laptop to complete their individual art projects. Footlocker announced the art pieces will be printed on a limited edition T-shirt sold at its Inglewood location.

Janneth Johnson, senior director of counseling and college persistence at Green Dot, and former academic counselor, mentored Jones when she was a student at Ánimo Inglewood. “Diamond Jones embodies our mission of college, leadership, and life by returning to the community and making a difference,” Johnson said. “This is the impact we hope to achieve with all of our alumni.” 

The students participating in the art collaboration attend several of our schools: Ánimo Inglewood, Ánimo Venice Charter High School, Ánimo Ralph Bunche Charter High School, and Ánimo Jackie Robinson Charter High School. Rosa Joo, our teacher effectiveness support specialist, and a former art teacher at Ánimo Inglewood, coordinated this collaboration with our Green Dot students. “This project was so much more than a design challenge, with current students having the unique opportunity to learn about a Green Dot alum’s experience and getting a chance to collaborate with other students from across the organization around a shared passion: art,” Joo said. 

At Green Dot, our schools provide students with access to courses and opportunities that help promote well-rounded learning. Through courses such as art, students learn how to approach challenges creatively, while also exploring avenues of expression. Students across our network of schools are exposed to art through in-school electives and after school art clubs. Students who choose to dive more deeply into the discipline will soon be able to take advantage of our new art and design pathway program, coming this fall to Ánimo Compton Charter School. At Green Dot Public Schools, we’re dedicated to preparing our students with the tools necessary to be successful in college, leadership, and life.