Long Beach Marathon Helps Local Kids Run to College
Operation Jump Start, a local non-profit organization that helps mentor disadvantaged youth and empowers and enables them to excel academically, has been selected as an official charity of the Long Beach Marathon. This creates the opportunity for increased funds to the program and also allows the students themselves, along with their mentors to run and raise funds for their own program.
Long Beach, CA (PRWEB) September 30, 2006 -- Operation Jump Start, a mentoring organization that empowers disadvantaged youth to excel academically has found a new source of fund-raising -- The Long Beach Marathon -- where the kids can get involved and run for their future college careers.
Operation Jump Start (OJS) was selected as an official charity for the October 15 Long Beach Marathon that takes place in the downtown area. Anyone sponsoring a runner can select the charity they wish to support.
With over 70 mentors and mentees running for Operation Jump Start, "This creates a wonderful opportunity for the community to support Operation Jump Start students who are working to make a difference in their own lives," says Dara Cerwonka, Executive Director for OJS. She goes on to say "Students can take part in fund-raising for their own program. They are proud and excited."
Dara Cerwonka will be out there herself, participating in the 5K Marathon with the kids -- while she is eight months pregnant. Dara's husband and friends have been inspired by her and will be out there with her. "It's a great community event and we want to support the kids and their futures," says Rich Warren, husband of Dara Cerwonka.
The work of OJS has resulted in 100 percent of the students in the program receiving their high school diplomas, with 96 percent going on to college (100 percent going to college in 2006) and 75 percent go to a four-year college directly (in 2006, 90 percent will attend four-year universities.) One graduating student last year won the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship. With results like this and with these students now empowered to make better lives for themselves, the whole community benefits.
To sponsor Dara, the students and members of the OJS team that will be out there running for a better future for these kids, you can visit http://www.active.com/donate/operationjumpstart.
For additional information on Operation Jump Start and their exciting first time participation in the Long Beach Marathon, contact Dara Cerwonka or visit www.operationjumpstart.org.
About Operation Jump Start:
Founded in 1994, Operation Jump Start (OJS) was started by community leaders who envisioned a day when all Long Beach children would have an equal opportunity to pursue a college education and no longer be limited by cultural or socio-economic circumstances.
Contact:
Dara Cerwonka, Executive Director
Operation Jump Start
562-988-2131
http://www.operationjumpstart.org
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