JACK IN THE BOX FOUNDATION MAKES $100K GIFT TO UC SAN DIEGO’S PREUSS SCHOOL

November 09, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Education News
Students attending The Preuss School at the University of California, San Diego don’t have to worry as much about transportation troubles this year thanks in large part to support from The Jack in the Box Foundation. For the fourth year in a row, The Jack in the Box Foundation is providing $25,000 for busses to transport students to and from Preuss, an innovative public charter school for low-income middle and high school students.

“Thanks to generous donors like The Jack in the Box Foundation, we’re able to provide much needed transportation for our students, many of whom would have no other way to get to school,” said Preuss Principal Doris Alvarez. “Continued support from Jack in the Box in this area has catalyzed support from other corporate supporters, as well as individual donors.”

In addition to donating $25,000 in transportation funds for the 2006-07 school year, The Jack in the Box Foundation also pledged $75,000 in scholarship funds for Preuss graduates who plan on attending UCSD. The Jack in the Box Foundation will distribute these scholarship funds in three annual payments of $25,000. In recognition of the gifts, the Foundation will be recognized by the Hispanic Scholarship Council at UCSD’s annual Fiesta de las Estrellas celebration next April. These gifts contribute to the $1 billion fundraising goal of The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What’s Next.

“We saw two barriers preventing Preuss students from reaching their highest potential—a lack of transportation to and from The Preuss School, and escalating costs to continue their education post graduation, including tuition, books and housing,” said Carlo Cetti, president of The Jack in the Box Foundation. “We’re pleased that we can help the deserving students at Preuss overcome these barriers, and we encourage others in the community to lend their support as well.”

The Preuss School is a charter middle and high school dedicated to providing a rigorous college prep education for motivated low-income students who become the first in their families to graduate from college. With 760 students in grades 6-12, Preuss has a record high Academic Performance Index (API) score of 879. One-hundred percent of Preuss 10th graders pass the high school exit exam, and the school administers over 730 Advanced Placement (AP) tests to 341 high school students. For more information on The Preuss School, visit http://preuss.ucsd.edu.

About The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What’s Next:
Since its founding just 45 years ago, the University of California, San Diego has rapidly achieved status as one of the top institutions in the nation for higher education and research. To keep UCSD at the forefront of academic and research excellence, the university launched The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What’s Next in July 2000. Donations to the comprehensive $1 billion fundraising campaign will help support students and faculty, expand academic programs, fund research endeavors and strengthen innovation funds to meet the highest priority needs. The Campaign for UCSD has generated more than $935 million to date, with less than $65 million to raise before the campaign concludes in June 2007. For more information, please visit www.campaign.ucsd.edu.

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