Los Angeles View Park Prep is awarded a $20,000 grant by the Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, “Reimagining School Sports in America,’’ has awarded Los Angeles View Park Prep for a $20,000 grant because of its role in preparing young people for life through sports.

Project Play launched a national search to find trailblazers in eight school types, from large and small public urban high schools to rural high schools to suburban high schools to private and charter schools.

A $20,000 award is given in each category, and View Park Prep won for charter schools.

The initiative aims to make sports and physical activities accessible to all students by identifying strategies that administrators and other leaders can adopt, aligned with the mission of schools and within the context of a comprehensive education.

View Park earned praise for exposing its students to sports beyond the usual. It has a successful girls’ rugby program. Despite no gym and no full field, View Park offers 10 interscholastic teams that compete in the City Section, five intramurals programs, strength training, general fitness classes, a cutting-edge P.E. program, and an afterschool action sports program that includes surfing.

“We’re really happy,” View Park athletic director David Hughes said of the grant. “It’s huge for us because our budget is extremely tight.”