The Many Stories Behind

High-quality education comes with high operational expenses. As many know, current tuition doesn’t cover the entire cost of educating a student at De La Salle. When you also factor in our pledge to make a Lasallian education accessible to families whose financial resources are limited, it is clear why our school seeks out additional ways to help bridge its monetary gap.

The most significant financial impact comes from our donors. Through the support of alumni, parents, grandparents, alumni parents, faculty, staff, and friends, De La Salle has been able to provide the resources needed for each student to nurture his talents on his personal journey toward becoming a ManofFaith,Integrity,andScholarship in the spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Like the educational needs that they satisfy, donations make their way to De La Salle in many shapes and sizes – from cash gifts and pledges to the Annual Fund and legacy giving through our various named endowments, capital projects, and everything in between. The truth is no amount of giving is too small because, cumulatively, all donations help us fulfill our mission and keep tuition affordable. What follows are just four examples of how donations are currently changing the lives of our students.

Maurice Jones-Drew ‘03 found success on the football field at De La Salle as part of its record 151-game winning streak, including his four touchdowns in a nationally televised upset of Long Beach Poly. He went on to become a UCLA All-American running back and an NFL player with a nine-season career and three NFL Pro Bowl appearances.

These days, Maurice can be found on the NFL Network, where he has been a long-time color analyst covering the Los Angeles Rams. However, you will also find him on Winton Drive’s Owen Owens Field, during football season, coaching De La Salle student-athletes throughout the week.

He believes a key to his success is the Brotherhood that he experienced at De La Salle. “You learn to navigate that path of how to respect other people, whatever their experience was,” he explains. “The experience I got at De La Salle – the opportunity I got there – helped me become the person I am today.”

It is a sense of Brotherhood that has propelled him to not only give back on the De La Salle football field but to also support students by establishing a named family fund for financial aid. His hope is to interact with students and get them ready for college through a foundation within De La Salle’s Spartan Success program, which was created more than 25 years ago as a specialized academic program to help incoming freshmen find their personal success in the areas of Math, Study Skills, and English.

“The plan is to push students toward college so they can see a different environment. For me, it’s always about the next step,” he said. only helps students through their four years of high school but also sets them up to navigate the next 40 years after De La Salle.”

Maurice believes in the Spartan Success program so much that he is also taking an active role in mentoring the recipients, as well as other De La Salle students. He continues to engage the community and works with teachers to stay informed about when a student may need additional support and attention. It is an approach that is greatly appreciated by faculty on campus, including varsity head coach Justin Alumbaugh ‘98.

“Maurice is one of the great success stories that our school has had; his involvement with our student-athletes has been a true blessing,” said Alumbaugh. “His energy, perspective, and love for the school are palpable, and his willingness to give back is a true embodiment of what it means to be a Spartan.”