FAQ

• How can I purchase Jefferson High merchandise?

The Alumni Association is proud to sell Jefferson High merchandise for students, teachers, and general fans – past and present. Our online store is linked here. All merchandise is shipped within 30 days of placing the order.

• I‘m looking for ways to connect with my fellow Alumni and stay up to date on happenings at Jefferson High. Where can I look?

The Alumni Association has many different sources of information to keep up with current events at Jefferson High High School. If you are a registered alum, you may access a repository of all newsletters can be found here.

Additionally, we have a Facebook - tjhsdemos page, Facebook - Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-Los-Angeles group (for Alumni only), Instagram account and Twitter account.

We do our best to keep up with all of our Alumni, but with our growing number we are bound to miss things! If you have any updates to share that you think should be highlighted please email us at info@jeffersonhighschoolalumnila.org.

• How does the Alumni Association determine how to allocate money from the Demo Fund for teachers and student requests?

The alumni office partners closely with the Principal and other leadership to ensure that requests align with the priorities of the school and its initiatives. All allocations requests are then presented to our Allocations Committee who approves or denies each. Any fund requests that are more than $3,000 must also be ratified by the full Board. Decisions are largely based on the recommendations of school leadership and the status of our current funds.

• I‘m ready to donate! What are my options?

We accept donations by check or credit card.

If you would like to donate by check, please make it to ‘Jefferson High High School Alumni Association.‘ Our mailing address is:

1319 E 41st, Los Angeles, CA 90011
Los Angeles, CA 90011

If you would like to donate by credit card our options are listed on the donation page.

• I‘m interested in joining the Board, what is the process?

Elected Board members serve a one-year term. They must attend Board meetings, participate in committees, and contribute their expertise to better support Jefferson High students, faculty and alumni.

Nominations for the Board will open by January 1st (at the latest) and will close on January 31st. When it is time to submit nominations, it will be announced on this website and a linked form will be available. Nominees must be a current dues-paying member. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Once submitted, our Governance committee reviews the submissions, interviews the candidates, and make recommendations to the Board. Once the slate has been ratified, bios are presented to dues-paying members (including Lifetime members) who submit their vote electronically.

• What makes a great Board Nominee?

Our goal is to have a committed board that reflects the student body of the school‘s distinguished history, reflecting diversity in gender, ethnicity, age and occupation.

Preference is given to those who have a strong history of engagement and participation in Alumni Association committees and events.

• What is expected of Board Members?

Our Board members must feel comfortable in applying their expertise and relevant experience to benefit the Alumni Association. They must be a proponent for the mission statement and use it to guide their actions while serving in the position.

Expectations include:

1. Attending every monthly board meeting and any additional meetings that are scheduled as well as actively participating in at least one committee

2. Abiding by the ethical, conflict of interest and confidentiality policies of the Board

• Which scholarships do the Alumni Association currently manage?

The Alumni Association currently gives out about 5 scholarships every spring. The amounts awarded range from $500 to $1,000.

With annual college tuition continuously on the rise and some even approaching $35,000, scholarships play a crucial role in the feasibility for students to attend competitive universities. The Association does its best to support where possible.

• What are the requirements to start a scholarship?

Like with designated funds, in order to start a scholarship one must contribute a minimum of $5,500 and each year award a minimum of $1,000 to a student.

Consistent with most charities, all designated gifts including scholarships require a 10% Demo Fund contribution. This means a minimum gift of $5,500 equates to a $1,000 scholarship for 5 years.

NOTE: The minimums described above are only applicable to new scholarships. Scholarships that have been grandfathered in with different agreed on terms will still be honored.

• How are the winners determined?

As you can imagine, scholarships are highly competitive and require an extensive review process. We have a standardized application across all scholarships, which includes the following components:

1. FAFSA Report,

2. Letter of recommendation (preferably outside of Jefferson High),

3. Academic transcript, and

4. One essay question.

The required essay question may be specific to the scholarship, but the response must only be a maximum of 500 words.

Certain larger donors have specified additional criteria, but the Scholarship Committee is ultimately responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates based on the donor‘s intent. Similar to Allocations, this committee is open to all Alumni. If you are interested in participating, please send us an email: info@jeffersonhighschoolalumnila.org

 

[Last edited 06/30/19]