Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE:BPI) donated $25,000 to help the San Diego County Board of Education reach their $30,000 goal in a campaign to raise funds to send low-income students to what has been a San Diego institution for the last 60 years – 6th grade camp. As part of the campaign, dubbed “Mark’s Mustache Must Go,” County Board of Education president Mark Anderson agreed to shave his 42-year-old mustache if the $30,000 goal was reached. Bridgepoint Education stepped in with a dollar-for-dollar match up to $25,000 for all funds raised. Ultimately, more than $48,000 was raised and off went Anderson’s facial hair in a shaving ceremony held Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) headquarters in Linda Vista.
“I am quite honored and privileged to be a part of this,” Anderson said during the ceremony. “To those who’ve donated, thank you for all your support and generosity. Letting go of the mustache was worth the sacrifice to help more than 100 students who otherwise couldn’t afford it to get out of the city, go to the mountains and make a lifetime of memories.”
SDCOE, which operates the camps, has kept the cost of attending 6th grade camp very low but, due to budget cuts, the number of students who are able to attend has diminished. The SDCOE has supplemented camp for students by paying the difference between what a district/parent pays for a student to go to camp and the actual cost of running a camp. Unfortunately, this funding model is no longer sustainable.
“Our organization believes in promoting education and in supporting youth in the communities we serve,” said Bridgepoint Education chief executive officer Andrew Clark. “We are proud to support the efforts of the San Diego County Office of Education to provide San Diego’s youth with an opportunity to experience 6th grade camp and learn at an outdoor school.”
An estimated one million students have attended 6th grade camp in San Diego County. The outdoor school serves about 12,000 students each year, providing them with hands-on learning opportunities that incorporate the state science framework.
To donate, visit the Outdoor Education website.
About Bridgepoint Education
Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE:BPI) improves the way individuals learn. By harnessing creativity, knowledge and proprietary technologies, such as Constellation, Thuze and Waypoint Outcomes, Bridgepoint Education has re-engineered the modern student experience with innovative solutions that advance learning. Its accredited institutions – Ashford University and University of the Rockies – embody the contemporary college experience. Ashford University offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs while University of the Rockies offers master’s and doctoral degree programs. Both provide progressive online platforms, as well as traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa (Ashford University), and Colorado Springs, Colorado (University of the Rockies). For more information about Bridgepoint Education, visit www.bridgepointeducation.com or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.668.2580.