NONPROFITS JOIN FORCES TO GIVE 500+ LOCAL STUDENTS A DR. SEUSS-INSPIRED EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURE

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May 19, 2015 (San Diego)--Four local non-profits along with the San Diego History Center have joined forces to benefit over 500 San Diego Title 1 elementary school students as “Ingenious! The World of Dr. Seuss” goes from field trip to in-class experience.   Students from among El Cajon are among those included in the adventure.

ArtsBusXpress, ArtReach, F.O.C.U.S. (Friends of Children United Society), the Linda Brandes Foundation, and the San Diego History Center have collaborated to create an in-depth educational experience. The adventure, which will benefit largely low-income students, transports them from their everyday classroom to the History Center where they will have a dedicated docent for the art experience. Twelve schools from throughout the San Diego County have participated in the program.  

A supporter of the arts, child welfare, and education, the Linda Brandes Foundation, has underwritten transportation costs through ArtBusXpress, a San Diego nonprofit, which has been providing the “missing link” of transportation services for arts and science-related field trips since 2002. For the current school year of 2014/2015, ArtsBusXpress has successfully connected over 2,500 students from the San Diego Unified School District and other schools in the county with arts and science experiences.

The collaboration was the brainchild of Patricia Smith, founder of ArtsBusXpress and former owner of Arts Expressions Galley of San Diego. Her 30-year career in art was inspired by a classroom field trip to the San Diego Museum of Art during grade school. “By collaborating, we have been able to create a comprehensive standards-based curriculum for these young minds. None of our organizations could have created this individually, but by working together, we’ve been able to create a memorable learning experience that may impact these children for the rest of their lives.”

F.O.C.U.S., a Coronado-based nonprofit dedicated to enriching homeless, disabled and abused children through education, has provided the tickets to the exhibition. Additionally, F.O.C.U.S created an educational gift bag for each child that contains their own Dr. Seuss book.  ArtReach completes the experience by partnering professional San Diego artists with K-6 classrooms for a hands-on art program.  

ArtReach and ArtsBusXpress plan to continue similar collaborations.  On May 31, Bodhi Tree Concerts will be performing a “random act of kindness” concert/fundraiser with the two organizations as beneficiaries. The concert, slated to start at 3:30 p.m., will feature Irving Flores Latin Jazz and Mariachi Chula Vista at the Pacific Beach United Methodist Church, 1561 Thomas Ave.  Tickets are $20 and are available through the website www.bodhitreeconcerts.org. or at the door.


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