By Arneidra Austin-Lloyd

Meet the founding school counselor at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy High School in South Seattle: Allen Crosby, also known as Ms. "L."

Ms. “L” is a native of Washington DC with 20 years’ experience working with underserved and underrepresented communities. No stranger to Green Dot Public Schools, Ms. “L” worked at Destiny Charter Middle School as the school counselor and McKinney-Vento Liaison during the 2017-2018 school year.

Ms. “L” graduated from the University of Maryland University College with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in African-American Studies. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trinity Washington University.

To further broaden her work, she is currently pursuing her PhD in Counseling Education and Supervision with a focus on Trauma and Crisis at Walden University. As a mental health professional, social justice advocate, educator and mentor, Ms. “L” is passionate about the positive impact that access to mental health has on communities of color.

Outside of her practice as a psychotherapist, Ms. “L” brings a wealth of professional expertise to the Rainier Valley Leadership Academy network. She has worked on Capitol Hill, in the non-profit sector, for DC government, and for DC Public Schools. Her experience includes working with those who were justice-involved, living with HIV/AIDS, and plagued by homelessness.

In her spare time Ms. “L” enjoys traveling, interior design, antique shopping and spending time with family and friends.

Ms. “L” is delighted to serve as the founding school counselor and to be a support to the students and families of Rainier Valley Leadership Academy High School.

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy’s High School will open in August 2018 as a public, tuition-free, college-preparatory charter school serving a diverse population in Southeast Seattle. Enrollment has already begun for the first ninth-grade class, and the school will roll gradually up to a full 9-12 high school over the next four years.

With a mission to help transform public education so allstudents graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life, RVLA is a Village Partner in HomeSight Community Development Corporation’s Southeast Economic Opportunity Collaborative (SEOC) in the heart of Othello Station. The school joins dozens of other community-based organizations to create a culturally relevant, integrated, and welcoming place that supports communities at risk of displacement and engages and celebrates the diversity of the Othello Station and larger Rainier Valley community.

To learn more, Rainier Valley Leadership Academy High School is hosting an Informational Meet & Greet on Wednesday, June 6. They invite you to learn more about how their supportive environment for students helps to put every student in their inclusive, small, diverse community of learners on the path to college.

Learn more about the upcoming meet & greet on Facebook.
Learn more about RVLA or register your rising ninth-grader at: wa.greendot.org/rvlahs/.

Arneidra Austin-Lloyd is the founding principal of Rainier Valley Leadership Academy High School in Seattle. She believes in a school culture where families and the community are an integral part of school-based decisions and the students' education. A South Seattle native, she feels honored to have the opportunity to come back home in service to her community and make a positive impact by establishing a school where students will receive a high-quality, equitable education.