Rather than the traditional, honorary trip to the White House this year, the 2010 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers teamed up with NBA Cares and President Obama last week to join members of The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washingon for an afternoon of education and service projects.

Take a behind-the-scenes look as the President and the Lakers assemble care packages and write letters for wounded military servicement and women, put together supplies for DC homeless, and compete in the "Big Brain Academy Challenge" game which builds skills in thinking, memorization, computation, analysis, and identification.

Watch the activities with the kids below — President Obama congratulated the Los Angeles Lakers on their 2010 NBA Championship in a brief ceremony.  (Watch that here or read the transcript.)

(Sarah Bernard is the White House Director of Online Engagment (and a native of LA who loves the Lakers)