Clients in the News: Ocean Discovery Institute
New Frontiers Fund of Five Aims to Raise $500,000 for Ocean Discovery Institute
SAN DIEGO, CA—Ocean Discovery Institute announces the New Frontiers Fund of Five to support engaging urban youth in science through ocean research and conservation. The fund was designed to promote greater awareness and funding for Ocean Discovery Institute science programs. These programs have the potential to open new frontiers for San Diego youth in the community of City Heights, which has the lowest per capita income of any high school in the San Diego area. Student participants in the Ocean Leaders program at Ocean Discovery Institute are far more likely to attend college than students not in the programs –90% of Ocean Leaders attend a 4 year college in contrast to less than 30% of students from the same high school.
“In addition to opening the doors to college, Ocean Discovery Institute increases the number of young San Diegans from diverse backgrounds, ranging from refugees to first generation Americans, entering science-based college majors,” said Shara Fisler, executive director of Ocean Discovery Institute.
“In a competitive global economy that is increasingly science-based, we need innovative augmentation of the struggling California public school systems in science. We believe our ‘engage, educate and inspire’ mantra, coupled with our programs that range from grade school standards-based education through two month field research projects in Baja California, Mexico, opens new frontiers for our students and the larger community we serve in California - from green initiatives in business - to biotech - to classic fisheries science,” said Kurt Gering, Ocean Discovery Institute’s chair of the board of directors.
The New Frontiers Fund of Five aims to raise $500,000 by the end of 2009. An anonymous donor created the fund with a request to match their initial donation of $100,000 with four other donors. Three additional generous donors have already come forward with matching funds, leaving only the fifth donor to complete the New Frontiers Fund of Five.
“It is my hope that the New Frontiers Fund of Five will ignite support for Ocean Discovery Institute by challenging leaders from all walks of our community to make our initial funding goal a reality,” said the anonymous donor who initiated the fund.
About Ocean Discovery Institute
Founded in 1999, Ocean Discovery Institute’s vision is to empower urban and diverse youth to protect our ocean and natural environment, improve the health of our communities, and strengthen the quality of life in our world.
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