At LumenSparQ, we have the privilege of recognizing local heroes in education who are making a significant difference in their communities. Today, we are thrilled to honor and share the story of our newest Lumenary, Naomi Lara, the Principal of Da Vinci RISE High School in Hawthorne.
Naomi’s journey into education is a testament to her resilience, dedication, and passion for serving students. Born into a tight-knit family with roots in Mexico, she gained insight from her maternal grandfather’s transition from business owner to janitor, and her paternal grandparents’ work as migrant farm laborers. These family circumstances shaped her understanding of the importance of grit and taking pride in one’s work, regardless of the job.
“Growing up in Compton, with my parents and extended family, I learned the values of hard work, entrepreneurship, humility, and the importance of family.”
Naomi Lara
Her family’s journey to California is a story of resilience and adaptability. Her mother’s side, originally from Tijuana, Mexico, and her father’s side, farm laborers from Colorado, both settled in Compton, where they found a sense of community and mutual support. Naomi’s parents met in kindergarten, and their families grew close, looking out for each other in this new environment. In these years, Compton was undergoing significant demographic changes. Social commentaries might label this phenomenon “white flight,” where the white population was gradually replaced by black and brown families. People of color and new immigrants often found safety and solace within their own communities.
Naomi’s grandparents played a significant role in instilling the values that guide her today. Her grandfather, who owned a business in Mexico, had to pivot when he arrived in the U.S., finding work as a janitor at St. John’s Hospital. Despite the change he took immense pride in his work, teaching Naomi the importance of caring about what you do no matter the job. Her other grandparents, migrant farm workers who later worked in a broom factory and as a teacher’s aide, showed her the values of perseverance and dedication to family.
Naomi’s path into education was not a straight line. She began her studies in civil engineering, inspired by her dad, who began work as a gardener and eventually earned his way up to supervisor for city maintenance. However, while working her way through this area of study, she was discouraged by a professor who told her,
“I don’t think you are qualified for this major because you didn’t pass Calculus Three.”
Even though she loved math, this encounter shook her. She felt she didn’t have the courage at that time to stand up for herself, so she switched to a liberal arts path, and education became her focus.
After receiving her B.A. in Liberal Arts and starting her teaching credential, Naomi took a break from schooling to work as a camp counselor in Washington, DC, at the Junior National Young Leaders Conference, a conference she herself participated in as an 8th grader. Here, she found her passion for mentoring teens. She returned to California and found teaching opportunities at nontraditional schools like Independent Study High School and Learn for Life. These institutions focus on helping students who struggle with traditional schooling or have had negative experiences in school or life that prevented them from remaining on a conventional school campus.
It was during these years that she recalls seeing billboards with “Rethink High School” and “Form a Team Now” as advertisements for RISE High School.
RISE High is a unique educational institution. It serves students navigating foster care, housing instability, probation, and other circumstances that have disrupted their academic journeys. As their website states,
“RISE’s three learning sites are embedded within or near multiple social-service-provider locations in high-need areas across Los Angeles to create a citywide campus allowing RISE students to master a real-world, project-based college- and career-ready curriculum in the ways – and in the places – that work best for them. These partnerships give RISE students access to counseling, case management, tutoring, job readiness training, career pathways, internships, extracurricular opportunities, leadership development, and more.”
Naomi joined RISE as a math teacher in 2018. She loved her work as a math teacher and built strong relationships with her students. She quickly realized, however, that she could have a more significant impact by moving out of the classroom and into administration.
When a leadership position opened at RISE in the fall of 2020, Naomi applied but didn’t get it. Looking back, she considers this a blessing in disguise as it allowed her to stay in the classroom with her students during the COVID pandemic. This experience was a period of immense learning and growth for Naomi, as she experimented with curriculum design and led her team on interdisciplinary work.
The following year, a new leadership position opened. Naomi applied and was selected as Principal. Today, she travels between all three sites during the day and all week, ensuring that she is present and available for her students and faculty across all locations.
RISE High operates across three campuses located at existing centers: Richstone Family Center in Hawthorne, New Earth Arts and Leadership Center in Culver City, and A Place Called Home in South Los Angeles. A fourth site at El Camino Community College is also set to open. This new site will give students access to dual enrollment courses and the experience of being on a real college campus, providing a new level of awareness and preparedness.
Naomi and her faculty are committed to providing trauma-informed care to their students who are navigating complex life circumstances. In fact, 45% of students at RISE are foster care students or impacted by the juvenile justice system, and 35% receive special education services.
Naomi envisions transforming this trauma-informed care into healing-centered care, shifting the focus from “What happened to you?” to “What is working for you?”
Her commitment to her students and her passion for equity in education make Naomi a true Lumenary. She is driven by the urgency to make the aspirational vision of “opportunity and access” a reality for her students. Her motivation is fueled by the profound impact she can make when she intentionally cultivates meaningful relationships with her students. She recounts the stories of students who have grappled with depression, who are fervently passionate about social justice, and who have demonstrated remarkable determination to transition from RISE to a college or future career. These narratives serve as a constant reminder of the significance and worth of her work.
On our recent visit to RISE, we had the opportunity to deliver creative tools and supplies to the classroom based on feedback from Naomi about how best to support the organization. The aim of this gift is to empower the students to explore their creativity and engage in hands-on projects that foster their artistic abilities, entrepreneurial pursuits, and critical thinking skills. The students’ excitement and determination reminded us of the transformative power of education and the profound impact that devoted educators like Naomi and her team can have on students’ lives.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Naomi and the entire RISE High School community for their dedication to nurturing these bright minds. They are providing an environment where students can flourish and find success, even through the challenges they may face.
As we continue to focus on our mission, we are honored to stand alongside educators like Naomi, who are making a tangible difference in the lives of their students. We look forward to witnessing the good work and achievements that will RISE from the creative journey embarked upon by these students.
Together, let us illuminate the path to a brighter future through education, innovation, and unwavering support for our local heroes and the people they serve.
Author: John Umekubo • Editor: Isabel Umekubo