Ford Motor Company and Cuban American Council (CNC) to implement Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Program (Ford PAS) in CNC Alternative Schools in Miami.
Ford Motor Company Fund donates $40,000 to the CNC to support two alternative schools with PAS curriculum.
MIAMI, FL, March 2, 2005 - Ford Motor Company Fund continues its pioneering efforts to develop the next generation of science, engineering and business professionals and announces a new collaboration with Cuban American National Council (CNC).
Through this collaboration, Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Program (Ford PAS), an academically rigorous, standards-based program that introduces students to the concepts and skills necessary for future success, will be implemented in two alternative Miami schools. Ford Motor Company Fund has donated $40,000 to the Cuban American National Council to support the Ford PAS program in these two alternative schools, Hialeah Institute and Little Havana Institute.
"The academic knowledge, interpersonal skills and business concepts that are the cornerstone of the Ford PAS program will help students in South Florida discover new meaning in their academic pursuits and to stay on course for promising careers and successful lives," said Raquel Egusquiza, director of National Programs and International Strategy, Ford Motor Company Fund.
The Ford PAS is an educational program developed by Ford Motor Company, in conjunction with the Education Development Center, as part of its efforts to make high school courses more challenging as well as encouraging students to build successful careers in business, engineering and technology. The Ford PAS program links classroom learning with the challenges students will face in post-secondary education and the expectations they will face in the workplace.
"We are excited to partner with Ford Motor Company Fund in order to implement this program that will provide a high-quality learning experience to the students of South Florida," said Guarione Díaz, President, Cuban American National Council, "This is another example of Ford's commitment to the Hispanic community in South Florida."
Hialeah Institute, an alternative school of 180 students, will integrate the challenging curriculum with realistic applications in areas such as design and product development, information systems, environmental sustainability, global economics, business planning and marketing this semester. The Little Havana Institute, an alternative school of 260 students will also began piloting the program this semester.
The CNC is a non-profit organization based in Miami. CNC has pioneered alternative education models in South Florida and to date has helped more than 3,000 at-risk students to remain in school.
Ford Motor Company Fund, the charitable arm of Ford Motor Company, supports programs that enhance and enrich the communities where Ford Motor Company does business. The Fund is committed to creating educational opportunities that stimulate creativity and promote cultural diversity.
In 2003, the Fund dedicated more than $80 million to educational initiatives, cultural sponsorships, nationally touring exhibitions, performing arts events, university scholarships, and programs geared towards school children. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, visit www.ford.com.
Ford makes $20,000 donation to local schools through it's South Florida Salute to Education initiative.
MIAMI, March 1, 2005 - As part of an educational activity that ties math and science to golf, Spanish PGA Tour star Jose Maria Olazabal and Ford played host today to Miami high school students on the first tee of the famed Doral Blue Monster golf course.
About 20 students and their teacher from the Hialeah Institute, an alternative school administered by the Cuban American National Council, took part in a presentation where they learned science and math concepts through the evolution of the golf ball. The clinic was held in conjunction with the upcoming Ford Championship at Doral golf tournament.
The scientific golf clinic is an example of the hands-on approach to learning in the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS), an academically rigorous educational program developed by Ford Motor Company, in partnership with Education Development Center, Inc. Ford PAS teaches critical-thinking, problem-solving, communication and teamwork skills in a real-world context to prepare high school students for college and careers in business, engineering and technology.
Ford also made an additional $20,000 donation to local schools through its South Florida Salute to Education (STE) initiative. STE is a non-profit entity with a mission to impact education in South Florida, which is made possible by Ford Motor Company and 21 Southern Florida Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers. Since the program's inception in 1994, STE has granted more than $2.35 million in scholarships to more than 2,500 students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. It currently is one of the largest private scholarship programs in South Florida.
"Ford continues to recognize a need to develop the next generation of Hispanic scientists and engineers," said Raquel Egusquiza, director of National Programs and International Strategy, Ford Motor Company Fund, the charitable arm of Ford Motor Company. "The PAS Golf clinic and Salute to Education donation represent two excellent opportunities to inspire Hispanics to achieve their personal educational and career dreams, one of the core philanthropic goals of Ford Motor Company since its inception."
"This is such a fun way for the students to see the connection between science and math, and the real world," Cristobal R. Garcia, science teacher said. "We are very thankful for Mr. Olazabal for taking time to work with us and Ford for hosting it. This is something the kids will not soon forget."
"This golf clinic is another great example of how Ford is reaching out to the local South Florida community," expressed Guarione Diaz, president of the Cuban American National Council and CNC Hialeah Institute administrator. "Whether it is Ford's support of the Hispanic Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, Cuban American National Council and National Hispanic Corporate Council, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund or the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities conference, the company truly is setting the standard for outstanding corporate citizenship."
Ford Motor Company Fund supports programs that enhance and enrich the communities where the automaker does business. The Fund is committed to creating educational opportunities that stimulate creativity and promote cultural diversity.