A Milestone Year: Celebrating SEAL’s Fifth Anniversary as an Independent Nonprofit

Introduction

This school year marks a particularly special one for SEAL — our 5-year anniversary as an independent nonprofit! Since our beginnings with Dr. Laurie Olsen and Sobrato Philanthropies starting in 2008, we’ve grown through collaboration, innovation, and a strong commitment to advancing equitable, multilingual learning environments. In July 2019 we launched as an independent organization and 15 of us are still here. A special thank you to those 15 team members who’ve been with SEAL since we became a nonprofit — your dedication has been invaluable.

This milestone isn’t just a celebration of our journey — it’s also a reflection of our dedicated teachers, school leaders, families and education champions who have worked alongside us to make SEAL what it is today.

A Year of Stories and Celebration 

To commemorate our 5th Anniversary, we’re dedicating the next year to sharing the stories that have shaped SEAL. Each month, we’ll highlight:

SEAL Team Members

Meet the dedicated individuals behind the work and hear about the moments that inspired them professionally and personally. It’s more than a job!

• ‍Hear Karen's story
• Hear Patricia's story
• Hear Jennifer's story

Partner Spotlight

From school districts to advocacy organizations, we’ll highlight our collaborations that have propelled our work forward.

Our Families

We can’t do this alone. We value our family partnerships and we look forward to sharing stories of how our work has helped to enhance their children’s education, welcoming school communities and pride in their home language.

Inspiring Moments

We continue to find ourselves touched by moments of transformation and celebration on school campuses and beyond. We look forward to celebrating why we know the future is multilingual and look ahead to expanding opportunities for all.

Looking Forward

Our mission remains steadfast: to put English Learners at the heart of California’s education system. We are deeply grateful to our partners, supporters, and friends who join us in this mission. As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to continuing our work together

Celebrate our anniversary with us throughout the school year by following us on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. You can also stay updated with the latest news in bilingual education by subscribing to our news and reading our blogs.