100 Teens Travel to UGA for College Experience
Thanks Taco Bell Foundation and the Tacos for Grads ProgramJuly 11, 2010
On July 8, 40 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta teens joined with teens from other Boys & Girls Clubs in Georgia at the Warren/Holyfield Club for the Taco Bell Graduate to Go kick off event. (Check out photos.)
The teens gathered with local Taco Bell franchise owners and leaders to talk about the importance of college and kick off their two-day college experience trip to the University of Georgia. The Taco Bell Foundation sponsored these teens to go on the trip to learn more about college, classes offered, campus life and more.
“When it comes to the topic of teen graduation, we cannot afford to ignore the reality that dropout rates are simply not improving,” said Patrick Mulkey, president of the Atlanta Taco Bell Association and local franchise owner. “Our vital partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Atlanta and programs like the Graduate to Go College Camp allow Taco Bell to provide teens with a necessary foundation for a successful future.”
Taco Bell also presented a check for $185,000 to local Boys & Girls Clubs to support high school dropout prevention programs.
Five of the BGCMA members who attended the trip also received a $5,000 scholarship for school through the Tacos for Grads program. Every year, the Atlanta Taco Bell Restaurant Association raises over $100,000 to support the TBFT mission of “inspiring teenagers to graduate.”
Through pledge cards, Taco Bell provides encouragement and incentives for potential graduates. Working with BGCMA and College Bound, the Tacos for Grads coaches worked with our students at the following high schools with great success for 2010: Gwinnett, Douglas County, Newnan, Maynard Jackson, and New Schools at Carver.
The Atlanta Taco Bell Restaurant Association has demonstrated that they will continue to go the extra mile, through facilitating programs like Tacos for Grads, in an on-going effort to increase graduation rates in the state of Georgia. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and the entire metro area school system are fortunate to have Taco Bell as a partner in this effort to “feed the need to graduate.” Check out your local Taco Bell for posters of BGCMA Tacos for Grads graduates from 2010!
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO ATLANTA
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s mission is to provide a quality developmental program that empowers metro Atlanta youth, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to become productive adults. Through 27 Clubs in 11 metro counties, trained and professional staff serve more than 3,000 disadvantaged youth (ages 6-18) daily through programs that foster academic success, healthy lifestyles and character and leadership development. BGCMA also has Camp Kiwanis, a 160-acre outdoor residence camp, and the Youth Art Connection (YAC), a gallery and workspace for young artists. To effectively serve those who need us most, BGCMA asks families to pay annual membership dues of only $35 per child and no child is turned away due to inability to pay. For more information, please visit www.bgcma.org.
About Graduate to Go
Graduate to Go is a multi-year campaign led by the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens to help shine a spotlight on the high school dropout crisis and encourage teens to get their diploma. Specifically, the initiative funds an array of real-world experiences, such as job training and college preparation, proven to motivate teens to stay in school. Since 1995, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and its supporting programs have helped more than 500,000 teens stay in school and on the path to graduation through its national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and affiliation with other non-profit organizations.
About the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens
The Taco Bell Foundation, Inc., also known as the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens (TBFT), a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, is committed to addressing the growing number of high school dropouts in the U.S. by providing at-risk youth with mentors and real-world experiences that will motivate them to stay in school and achieve more in life, and to collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations to garner greater impact. Since 1995, TBFT has donated more than $28 million to support teen programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and other teen-serving organizations with the help of on-going customer, franchisee and employee donations. For more information about TBFT, visit www.graduatetogo.com.
About Taco Bell Corp.Taco Bell Corp. ("Taco Bell"), a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, grilled stuffed Burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as Crunchwrap Supreme®, in addition to the 79-89-99 WHY PAY MORE®! Value Menu. Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.
