Join the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA), Friends of Riggs-Lasalle Recreation Center (FORLR), Office of Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, DC Prevention Center Wards 3 & 4, Faith Moravian Church, Pepco, Friends of the Lamond-Riggs Library, and the Department of Parks and Recreation for a backpack giveaway to help kids ensure they are ready for school.
The backpack giveaway will be held on Saturday, August 22 from 11am to 1pm at Riggs-Lasalle Recreation Center (501-B Riggs Rd NE). There will be free backpacks, school supplies, snacks, and ice cream. Please note that a student must be present to pick up a backpack, and you must verify that you are a DC resident.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is offering a new paid internship opportunity for DC Public High School students in grades 9-12. Details from WABA below.
The VZYLI program empowers youth to become advocates for safer transportation in their communities. By partaking in meaningful professional development experiences, the student interns gain leadership skills, expand their knowledge of transportation safety and acquire the tools necessary to tackle one of the largest public health crises facing our nation today: traffic violence.
Over the course of the internship students will:
Host walk audits
Attend bike workshops
Learn from professionals in the fields of transportation, urban planning, and community outreach
Conduct research and complete a capstone project
Host the 2027 DC Youth Transportation Safety Summit – a free, one day conference for DC Public High School students
Speak with elected officials to advocate for safer streets
Please share this opportunity with DCPS students, teachers, administrators, out of school time programs, or organizations that work with youth. Seven students will be selected to participate in this program for the 2026-2027 school year.
Sharing information from ANC Commissioner Danielle Geong (4B09). LaSalle-Backus Elementary School Principal Shelly Gray will be leaving the school at the end of this school year for a new position in DCPS.
On May 27, DCPS is holding a community meeting about selecting the next principal. Info below.
LaSalle-Backus is seeking family, community, and staff input as we begin the process of selecting a new principal for the 2026 2027 school year. Join us to learn about the selection process and to share your ideas about the qualities needed to be a leader at LaSalle-Backus.
ANC Commissioner Danielle Geong (4B09) passed along information about a Notice of Intent (NOI) with proposed parking changes around 6th Street & Madison Street NE. DDOT is proposing to daylight the intersection of 6th and Madison by installing pavement markings and flexposts within 25 feet of the existing crosswalk.
DDOT issued a plan to update 4B09 residential parking signage and daylight the intersection at 6th/Madison St NE to improve safety (please reference attachment for details). This is the southwest corner by Riggs field, where a lot of W4-5 neighbors walk to LaSalle ES, the rec center etc. Parking in and around the intersection will be prohibited in accordance with existing city regulations if the NOI moves forward.
To view and submit comments on this notice of intent (NOI 26-129-TSA Daylighting and Parking Change), visit DDOT’s NOI portal at http://noi.ddot.dc.gov by May 28, 2026.
LRCA will award Academic Excellence Scholarships of up to $2,000 to eligible graduating high school seniors and eligible college or trade school students who demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, and a commitment to community impact. Must live within the boundaries of LRCA.
LRCA will award Academic Excellence Scholarships of up to $2,000 to eligible graduating high school seniors and eligible college or trade school students who demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, and a commitment to community impact. Must live within the boundaries of LRCA.
LRCA will award Academic Excellence Scholarships of up to $2,000 to eligible graduating high school seniors and eligible college or trade school students who demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, and a commitment to community impact. Must live within the boundaries of LRCA.
The DCPS point of contact is Matthew Dela Cuesta. He can be reached at matthew.delacuesta@k12.dc.gov.
The project will renovate and expand the existing school. Looks like the existing school is roughly 55,000 square feet, and the modernized school will be 79,000 square feet. The existing school will be gutted to put in new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. New playgrounds and an outdoor classroom will be constructed as part of the project.
Swing space will be at the old Sharpe Health School located at 4300 13th Street NW. Buses will be available to transport students between LaSalle-Backus and Sharpe during construction. More information about this will be provided as the process moves along.
The Greater Washington Urban League and Thursday Network are accepting applications for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $8,000 for the Fall 2026 college term. High school seniors and current undergraduate students are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Monday March 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
For full details, visit gwul.org/gwulscholarships or email your questions to scholarship@thursdaynetwork.org.
The Greater Washington Urban League and Thursday Network are accepting applications for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $8,000 for the Fall 2026 college term. High school seniors and current undergraduate students are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Monday March 2, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
The piece tracks what Social Justice School officials have previously shared about the school’s mission and its guaranteed income pilot for families. Check it out.
Ed. Note 8/15/2025: Given everything going on, I do not recommend that parents take their kids anywhere near police-sponsored activities.
Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center Annual Backpack Giveaway
On August 16, 2026, 11am-1pm, the Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Rec is holding a backpack giveaway at Riggs-LaSalle Rec, 501 Riggs Road NE. Must be a DC resident.
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MPD 4th District Backpack Giveaway
On August 21, 2025, 4pm-6pm, MPD 4th District officers will offer free backpacks and free haircuts while supplies last, 6001 Georgia Avenue NW. Child must be present to obtain a backpack.
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Metro Transit Police Department Annual Back to School Bash
On August 23, 2025, 11am-3pm, the Metro Transit Police Department is holding its annual back to school bash at Fort Totten station, large parking lot. Enjoy free food, drinks, haircuts, school supplies, live music, and giveaways.
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Lamond-Riggs Library Back to School Uniform Swap
On August 23, 2025, 2:30 pm-5:30pm, Lamond-Riggs Library is hosting a back-to-school uniform swap, 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE.
Please bring any lightly used school uniforms to the library. All clothing should be clean and free of serious wear and tear. Clothing should be sized to fit students aged 3-16. Accepted items include khaki pants, school shirts, belts, and school shoes. All leftover clothing will be donated to the PTA of the appropriate school.
While at the branch, get ready for the new school year by signing up your child for a Library card and registering for Beyond the Book!
UDC offers free workforce development and lifelong learning courses for DC residents. There are several Open House dates during the month of July for residents to learn more information about admissions and enroll for fall 2025.
Open House Location
University of the District of Columbia
3100 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE
Open House Dates
July 10, 1:30 pm-4:30 pm
July 17, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
July 24, 10:00am-2:00 pm
July 31, 1:30 pm-4:30 pm
Important Deadlines
August 8: New Student Application Submission Deadline
Eat out at &pizza and support a good cause! Place an order in the shop (show flyer) or order online and use code LSBPTO. Up to 30 percent of sales goes to support our neighborhood public school, LaSalle-Backus Elementary.
Can’t make it but still want to support the PTO? Donate via Venmo (@LaSalleBackusPTO) or Cashapp ($LaSalleBackusPTO)
Eat out at &pizza and support a good cause! Place an order in the shop (show flyer) or order online and use code LSBPTO. Up to 30 percent of sales goes to support our neighborhood public school, LaSalle-Backus Elementary.
Can’t make it but still want to support the PTO? Donate via Venmo (@LaSalleBackusPTO) or Cashapp ($LaSalleBackusPTO)
Passing along information I received about an upcoming Young Archaeologists’ Club program at Lamond-Riggs Library hosted by a DC educational nonprofit called Archaeology in the Community. Sounds pretty cool:
This is an opportunity for youth interested in archaeology to work with professional archaeologists and explore STEM-related topics through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Participation is free, but registration is required.
The program is designed for middle-school-aged students. The one-day engaging sessions go from now through August at different locations throughout Washington, DC and virtually. Participants can choose which days, locations, and topics work best for them. Our next sessions will be April 26-27 at the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library. If there is a way to reach out to families in the Riggs Park neighborhood about this opportunity, they can read more about the schedule and register on Archaeology in the Community’s website. Spots are limited!
Next Stop...Riggs Park 