ABX Newsletter April 2024
THANK YOU BUONA FORCHETTA AND MATTEO!
Matteo, the proprietor of Buona Forchetta Restaurants, hosts "Give-Back Saturdays," where donations are made to various charities across the county. During a recent ABX Cheers and Beers event, Matteo presented a check for $3,887.75. Our objective was to match this donation amount that night, and we are delighted to announce that we have raised $3,118.70 so far. Your support is greatly appreciated in helping ABX continue our field trips in the Arts and Sciences! Thank you Matteo, for helping ABX continue to connect students to arts and science field trips.
Matteo, owner of Buona Forchetta Restaruant presents ABX President Michelle Gilmore with a generous donation.
VENUE HIGHLIGHT
BIRCH AQUARIUM, SAN DIEGO
It’s a gem of a field trip experience.
From a rescued Loggerhead turtle, to Leopard Sharks, Sea Horses, Giant Kelp, tidepools and more, students explore diverse ocean ecosystems against the backdrop of a stunning ocean view. The colorful, majestic, living exhibits equal the view in magnificence. Birch Aquarium, a part of the famed Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, offers engaging learning experiences for every grade.
It is one of our most requested field trip experiences. During 2023-24, ABX has connected 33 teachers and 788 students to Birch Aquarium educational programs.
Each program offers engaging hands-on activities that deepen the understanding of ocean science and conservation efforts. From learning about the delicate balance of marine ecosystems to discovering the remarkable adaptations of ocean creatures, the aquarium inspires a sense of wonder and stewardship for the world's oceans.
Students from Wegeforth Elementary School enjoy the tide pools at Birch Aquarium San Diego!
LOOK AT US
KPBS HIGHLIGHTS ARTSBUSXPRESS
After years of Covid-19 shutdowns, students across San Diego County eagerly welcomed the return of field trips. But Buses to transport these students can cost hundreds of dollars. It’s a cost that districts often cannot cover. That’s where ABX comes in. However, the pandemic affected ABX resources too.
KPBS Education Reporter MG Perez talks to ABX about funding field transportation for the children who need it the most.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-FOUNDERS
OUR WAITING LIST NEEDS YOU!
We invite you to remember one of your first field trips. Hopefully, it was memorable, and maybe even life-changing! Many San Diego K-12 students have never been to the ocean, explored the Tidepools, or visited a museum in Balboa Park!
We've had a bumper crop of field study trip requests this year. Despite the value of these experiences, many school districts do not have a line item in their budgets for these trips.
We've connected nearly 8,000 students to field trip learning so far this year (for 4,000, it was their first field trip!), but our waiting list is nearly as long.
We have 274 classrooms, and 7,440 students waiting to go and discover!
We need your help! Your gift will make a difference. Field trips connect young people to the world of possibilities outside of their neighborhoods.
Please help us keep the buses rolling and consider donating today.
With gratitude,
Patty Smith & Jeri Denniston
ArtsBusXpress Co-Founders