Water safety, ocean activities and environmental stewardship front-and center at annual event for local students
Today, aspiring college-bound students from the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) traveled to Mission Beach to participate in the 4th annual “Calling All Beach Lovers” event. The annual event put on by Outdoor Outreach with support from San Diego Gas & Electric(SDG&E), I Love a Clean San Diego (ILACSD) and the San Diego Junior Lifeguard Foundation featured a beach clean-up, followed by surfing, paddle boarding and kayaking, as well as lessons on water safety and protecting the environment.
“This event hits the sweet spot of our mission—inspiring youth to connect with nature, experience the value of our natural resources and become environmental stewards in their own communities,” said Outdoor Outreach Executive Director, Ben McCue. “This partnership provides students with tools to feel empowered and recognize the difference they can make protecting our region’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy.”
A bay-to-beach clean-up with SDG&E’s Vice President, Operations Support and Sustainability and Chief Environmental Officer, Michael Schneider and 125 SDG&E employee volunteers provided a hands-on educational opportunity on protecting our environment to give students the tools to inspire change within their own communities.
“At SDG&E, we call the nonprofits who are dedicated to environmental stewardship ‘Champions’ because they make it their mission to provide the next generation with the tools they need to sustain San Diego as America’s finest city. What makes today special to me is that it is more than a beach clean-up – this event recognizes the importance of having fun and enjoying our beaches,” said Schneider.
BLCI students also participated in activities that mirrored the San Diego Junior Lifeguard Program, which is taught to thousands of local youth each year. The Junior program is designed to introduce youth to the ocean environment with a focus on safety.
The afternoon was capped off with a group barbeque for students and volunteers to relax reflect and meet new people.
To learn more about Outdoor Outreach, visit outdooroutreach.org.
Outdoor Outreach is a San Diego based 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission to connect youth to the transformative power of the outdoors through comprehensive recreation, education and civic engagement programming.
The San Diego Junior Lifeguard Foundation is dedicated to the advancement of water safety and drowning prevention through programs such as Waterproofing San Diego, Learn to Swim programs for underserved youth, and scholarships for disadvantaged family participation in the JG Program each summer.
San Diego Gas & Electric is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides safe, reliable, clean energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. More than 4,300 employees work to provide the most reliable and clean energy in the West. The company has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in addressing climate change, was the first to meet California’s goal of delivering 33 percent of energy from renewable sources, has fueled the adoption of electric vehicles and energy efficiency through unique customer programs, and supports more than 600 non-profit partners.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is a private 501© (3) nonprofit corporation that offers a broad range of expertise in environmental education program design and implementation. ILACSD works to promote regional awareness of environmental issues including resource conservation, waste reduction and recycling, community enhancement, and pollution prevention.
Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) breaks the cycle of poverty by preparing disadvantaged students to be among the first in their families to attend and succeed in college.