ISANA News

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Itzel Magana, Communications Manager
Phone: (323) 220-5809
Email: imagana@isana.org

ISANA Nascent Academy Celebrates Major Campus Upgrades Through Ongoing Partnership with Heart of America and CIM Group

Los Angeles, CA – December 18, 2025 – ISANA Nascent Academy (Jefferson Campus) is thrilled to share the latest enhancements to its school site, made possible through the continued generosity and partnership of Heart of America (HOA) and by CIM Group’s financial support and dedicated employee volunteers. The newest phase of improvements, unveiled early December, marks another milestone in a multi-year collaboration dedicated to creating vibrant, equitable learning environments for students.

“Children deserve places to move, explore, and spend time outside. These new play spaces will make such a difference for this community,” said Jill Hardy Heath, President of Heart of America. “At HOA, we consider the whole student, creating environments that blend learning and play so every child can shine.”

This year’s project focuses on transforming the school’s outdoor play space to better serve upper-grade students while remaining welcoming and accessible to younger learners. Upgrades include new areas for basketball, soccer, and volleyball; refreshed asphalt games; an outdoor lounge space; updated doors; a revitalized sunshine mural; and a brand-new mural centered on growth mindset and affirmations.

The partnership between ISANA Academies and Heart of America began in 2024, when the Jefferson Campus received its first set of enhancements, a dedicated play area for its youngest learners, including a sensory panel board, mobile basketball hoops, a playhouse, a balance beam, and other features that immediately enriched students’ daily experiences.

“Working with Heart of America has made a meaningful impact on our students’ lives. We are deeply grateful for their continued support, and I look forward to growing this partnership,” said Ian Eddy, Principal at ISANA Nascent Academy (Jefferson Campus). “This entire project was made possible thanks to the generosity and involvement of CIM Group, a community-focused real estate company which was introduced to the endeavor by HOA.”

This is the second major project completed through the ISANA/HOA/CIM Group partnership, each one strengthening ISANA’s commitment to providing students with safe, joyful, and inspiring spaces in which to learn and grow. CIM Group, through its volunteer and community service program, fully funded the latest project and a team of more than 20 employee volunteers aided in making the project a reality.

ISANA Academies is proud to collaborate with organizations like CIM Group and Heart of America, which have been leaders in expanding access and equity in education for more than 28 years. Their impact continues to transform learning environments across the country, and ISANA is honored to be among the communities benefiting from their work.

“At ISANA Academies, our top priority is the well-being, safety, and academic excellence of all our students. We are incredibly grateful to Heart of America for their dedication, love, and support for our school communities,” said Nadia Shaiq, Chief Executive Officer of ISANA Academies. “The geographic area where ISANA Nascent Academy is located is more urban and has limited play space, so being able to provide this space for our students is truly transformational.”

As part of this year’s upgrades, ISANA Nascent Academy is also partnering with artist Ayomi Chisolm, known professionally as Sano. Originally from East Cleveland, Ohio, Sano’s name carries multiple meanings—Simple Art Nice Outlines, Sunny and Always Nice Outside, and Styles Always Number One. He turned to art as an escape from hardships in his childhood, and as his talent gained recognition, he went on to work for several high-profile companies as a designer and artist.

Funded through a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, which supports murals focused on social justice, this project centers on literacy. ISANA’s new Nascent mural will symbolize the internal “brainstorming” that ignites young minds and leads to the creation of beautiful surroundings.

ISANA Nascent Academy extends heartfelt thanks to Heart of America for their dedication, creativity, and unwavering commitment to students. Together, we are building environments where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

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About ISANA Academies:

Founded in 2005, ISANA is a nonprofit charter management organization that operates six high-quality, tuition-free public charter schools throughout Los Angeles County. We serve approximately 2,600 students from Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade in Compton, Jefferson/Leimert Park, South Los Angeles, Glassell Park, North Hollywood, and Sun Valley. 

For more information, visit www.isana.org.

About Heart of America:

Heart of America is a 501c3 nonprofit that transforms learning spaces and helps bridge resource gaps. Our work focuses on the whole student, knowing that the physical spaces where young people learn are just as important as what they are learning. Since 1997, we’ve worked towards education equity by renovating nearly 1,400 spaces in classrooms, libraries, STEAM labs, college/career centers, school gymnasiums, and community centers, and more. We have provided current resources, including over 4.4 million books, and infused over $14.3 million in technology. heartofamerica.org

About CIM Group: 

CIM is a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer. Since 1994, CIM has sought to create value in projects and positively impact the lives of people in communities across the Americas by delivering more than $60 billion of essential real estate and infrastructure projects. CIM’s diverse team of experts applies its broad knowledge and disciplined approach through hands-on management of real assets from due diligence to operations through disposition. For more information, visit www.cimgroup.com.