**Founding Board Members Jan Kern, Joel Polachek, and Dr. Helen DuPlessis**

On September 25, healthcare providers, educators, and civic leaders gathered at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Downtown Los Angeles for The L.A. Trust’s annual Salute to Student Health gala. The event raised awareness and funds for student health while honoring exceptional individuals — Founding Board Members Dr. Helen DuPlessis, Rick Ellingsen, Jan Kern, and Joel Polachek, along with LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. All honorees were recognized for their leadership and commitment to the health and well-being of students and communities.

Julie Park and Maryjane Puffer's opening remarks

In her speech, Dr. Julie Park, Board President of The L.A. Trust, celebrated the organization’s unwavering commitment to student health and equity in Los Angeles. She highlighted recent challenges, including attacks on science, diminishing public health funding, and fear among immigrant families, and reaffirmed The L.A. Trust’s mission to provide accessible care for all students regardless of background. Dr. Park praised The L.A. Trust’s impactful work through school-based Wellness Centers and data-driven advocacy, while also paying tribute to retiring Executive Director Maryjane Puffer for her transformative 15-year leadership. She closed with gratitude for supporters and a hopeful call to continue the fight for student well-being.

In her heartfelt farewell address, Executive Director Maryjane Puffer reflected on the challenges of 2025 and the resilience that has defined the organization’s journey. She honored the collective strength of staff, board members, LAUSD partners, researchers, and clinic teams who have stood united in the face of youth mental health crises, political attacks, and threats to healthcare access. Highlighting groundbreaking achievements like the Data xChange and the peer-to-peer Wellness Youth Advocates (WYA) program, Puffer emphasized how The L.A. Trust’s work is shaping a healthier, more just future for Los Angeles students. As she prepares to step down after nearly 15 transformative years, she leaves The L.A. Trust stronger than ever, confident in its leadership and unwavering mission to uplift student health through compassion, data, and community power.

Student speaker Christine De La Cruz powerful speech

**Executive Director**
Maryjane Puffer and
Christine De La Cruz

Christine De La Cruz, a recent Carson High graduate and nursing student, shared a deeply personal story of overcoming depression, self-harm, and a suicide attempt during her early high school years.

Everything changed when she joined the WYA program. What started as a space to help others became the place where she learned to heal herself. The WYA program taught her to talk openly about mental health, find her voice, and support her peers.

With the help of mentors and the WYA community, Christine grew into a leader and found her true calling in nursing, driven by her own lived experience. She ended with a message of gratitude, saying: “Because of WYA, I didn’t just survive high school—I found my purpose.”

LAUSD leaders stand for student wellness

This portion of the event began with a video message from LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, this year’s Champion Honoree. In his message he expressed deep gratitude for being recognized at the Salute to Student Health and praised The L.A. Trust for its unwavering partnership in advancing student and family wellness. He emphasized the urgency of supporting immigrant and marginalized communities amid renewed threats to their safety and well-being.

Carvalho reaffirmed the district’s commitment to making schools safe havens for all students. He highlighted key collaborations with The L.A. Trust, including peer-to-peer health education, expanded prevention initiatives, and student and family Wellness Centers offering medical, dental, and mental health services. He also underscored the power of data to better identify needs and deliver meaningful, student-centered support. His message closed with a strong call to keep health and education deeply connected, so every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Following the video, Dr. Smita Malhotra, LAUSD’s Chief Medical Officer, accepted the recognition on behalf of the superintendent and shared her personal perspective as a first-generation immigrant. She spoke about the fear and uncertainty many families face navigating systems not built with them in mind and stressed that health should meet students where they are: in schools.

She praised The L.A. Trust for helping create school environments that provide not just learning, but safety, belonging, and wellness. Dr. Malhotra closed by affirming that investing in whole-child health is not just supportive of students, it’s a transformation of Los Angeles’s future.

Reflecting on The L.A. Trust’s founding vision

**Executive Director Maryjane Puffer and Jan Kern**

In a lively Q&A session, Executive Director Maryjane Puffer engaged with The L.A. Trust’s Visionary honorees founding board members who shared personal stories about the organization’s origins. Jan Kern recalled her early work in adolescent health and teen pregnancy, and how a partnership with John DiCecco helped shape the initial structure and mission of The L.A. Trust. Joel Polachek expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve alongside dedicated colleagues and gave special thanks to Maryjane Puffer, recognizing her as the embodiment of The L.A. Trust’s mission.

Board members reflected on the early days of building the organization from the ground up, emphasizing the importance of creating a dedicated board, establishing actionable goals, and securing funding. Dr. Helen DuPlessis, the former LAUSD medical director, spoke about revitalizing the dormant nonprofit to expand school-based health centers and the need to integrate physical, behavioral, and social health services into comprehensive Wellness Centers. The conversation highlighted the collaborative spirit and foundational work that transformed The L.A. Trust into a vital force for student health and wellness across Los Angeles.

Bidding for good

The evening also featured a chance drawing and an exciting live auction, with prizes including trips to Mexico, the Grand Canyon, and more. Generous “Fund-a-Need” pledges helped raise thousands of dollars in support of The L.A. Trust’s student engagement programs.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our honorees, attendees, and auction bidders, we proudly surpassed our $125,000 fundraising goal. Much of this year’s success was made possible by our four Visionary honorees—Jan Kern, Rick Ellingsen, Dr. Helen DuPlessis, and Joel Polachek—whose generous contributions, along with the support of their friends, family, colleagues, and extended networks, played a pivotal role in the evening’s impact.

We also extend deep gratitude to our event sponsors for making this celebration possible:

Gold Sponsors:

Dr. Helen DuPlessis
Jan Kern
Joel Polachek
Rick Ellingsen

Silver Sponsors:

· Anthem Blue Cross

· Anton Consulting, Inc.

· Health Net

· Kaiser Permanente

· Kautz Family Foundation

· Smile America Partners, Big Smiles

Bronze Sponsors:

· AltaMed

· Blue Shield of CA Promise Health Plan

· Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP

· DentaQuest

· HMA

· John and Debbie Edelston

· L.A. Care

· St. John’s Community Health

· To Help Everyone (T.H.E.)

· UMMA Community Clinic

With your support, we move forward empowered to expand student-centered health programs and ensure that every young person in Los Angeles has access to care, compassion, and the opportunity to thrive.

GALA MOMENTS

Celebrating student health and those who make it possible

Bright Spots in school wellness