Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA) was established in 1978 by visionaries of varied cultural backgrounds who felt that the Los Angeles community needed a school that would prepare children for life in an increasingly international environment. Because the majority of the founders had French backgrounds, they chose the proven French educational system as the foundation for LILA’s curriculum. Since its inception, LILA has continually evolved. From its very first campus – a small house in Van Nuys with seven students – to four formal campuses with over 900 students. LILA has earned an esteemed reputation with the placement of graduates in top universities all over the world.
LILA then… in 1978
LILA was originally named College d’études françaises (“C.E.F.”) co-founded by my pioneer visionary parents Jacques & Pierrette Gaspart and Monique & John Mickus with her mother Madame Christiane Bayet more than 35 years ago… That’s me on the picture with my friend and first alumni Catherine Mickus – it was 1978 and we are painting the house for our very own back to school! with all the other people involved. This was my school as a student from 1978 to 1981 where I graduated with French Baccalaureate. Back then we received one on one instruction supported by the CNTE ( Centre National de Télé-Enseignement) French correspondence courses. I was also a teacher at LILA from 1994 to 2009. Today, my own children born in the US are bilingual and are LILA alumni.
LILA TODAY …
on August 28, 2013, a brand new secondary campus in Burbank opened its doors due to the generous financial contributions of many LILA parents and other benefactors. The one-story building was built in the 1960s by General Motors Corporation for training purposes, and, until recently, was primarily used as a meeting and training venue for automotive-related events and filming. LILA purchased the property in June 2012 and has been in the process of converting it into an appropriate secondary campus. The corridors are bathed in natural light. Striking blocks of bright color give the building a joyful feel. The basketball courts await students, the parking spaces are striped, and the ‘Stop’ signs are in place. Students will find 23 spacious classrooms, four labs, an auditorium, an art room, two indoor sports rooms, two outdoor volleyball courts, and basketball courts. Future phases of development will bring additional indoor facilities and outdoor structures for students.
LILA’s new secondary campus is located in the Rancho Equestrian District, perhaps the most famous neighborhood in Burbank due to its equestrian zoning, numerous parks, open space, connections to riding trails in Griffith Park, and proximity to Warner Brothers and Disney Studios. The campus is on Riverside Drive, the Rancho’s main thoroughfare, lined with sycamore and oak trees. It is quite common to see people on horseback along Riverside Drive’s designated lanes!
Burbank is known as the “Media Capital of the World” located only a few miles northeast of Hollywood, across Griffith Park. Many media and entertainment companies are headquartered or have significant production facilities in Burbank, including The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Nickelodeon.
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Very well done, Guylaine. You were one the first students at Lycee International de Los Angeles, LILA. We are very proud to be the Co-Founders of our LILA.
Jacques and Pierrette Gaspart