LONG TIME DEAL: The Los Angeles Rams have reached a significant long-term agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs regarding the signing of Patrick Mahomes, which has been successfully completed.

To commemorate Women’s History Month and recognize the next generation, the Los Angeles Rams have awarded George Washington Preparatory Senior High and Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) with a $2,500 equipment grant each for winning the Rams Academic Challenge. GALA achieved the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA), with eight out of 15 athletes earning a perfect 4.0, while Washington Preparatory showed the most improved GPA among the nine local high school girls flag teams participating. The Academic Challenge was a collaboration between the Rams, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), and USA Football.

Madison, a 10th grader from Washington Preparatory and a member of the girls flag football team, expressed her excitement about receiving the grant, emphasizing the team’s dedication to improvement both on the field and in academics.

Coco, a 10th grader and co-captain of the girls flag football team at GALA, shared the challenges of balancing daily practices with homework, highlighting the team’s support system on and off the field.

Following the official recognition of high school girls flag football in California, the Rams’ 2023 Academic Challenge marked the inclusion of girls flag programs for the first time. To honor the winning programs, the Rams hosted assemblies featuring speeches from Rosa Garza, a Rams consumer insights analyst, and Jesse Thomas, a Rams partnership account manager, emphasizing the importance of academics alongside sports.

Jesse Thomas praised the dedication of the student-athletes and encouraged them to recognize their roles as leaders and trailblazers.

Throughout the Academic Challenge, teams engaged in various activities to promote college readiness and academic progress, including meetings with NCAA representatives, alumni talks, weekly study halls, and academic monitoring.

Noel Grigsby, Rams associate manager of social justice and football development, emphasized the importance of exposure to successful role models for students.

GALA’s 11th-grade co-captain, Ameerah, echoed the sentiment of balance between academics and athletics, expressing gratitude for the Rams’ support and feeling inspired to uplift women in sports.

According to the NCAA Eligibility Center, California has the highest number of college non-qualifiers from Black/Brown communities, highlighting the importance of initiatives like the Rams Academic Challenge.

The Rams’ goal with the Academic Challenge is to empower LAUSD football players to excel both on the field and in the classroom, encouraging them to pursue success beyond sports.

Ahmad Mallard, the athletic director at Washington Preparatory and girls flag football head coach, emphasized prioritizing academics alongside athletics.

Compared to the previous year’s grants, the Rams, USA Football, and Riddell have doubled the equipment grants awarded this year, totaling $16,000 distributed among eight football programs.

Grigsby acknowledged the crucial support of USA Football and Riddell in implementing programs that aid youth development in Los Angeles.

Since its launch in 2017, the Rams Academic Challenge has provided over $33,000 to varsity football programs across Los Angeles.