The San Diego County Board of Education is shopping around for $3 million to help fund programs in the red -- specifically, outdoor education and the school system's cable TV program.
Camp Cuyamaca, an outdoor school that has been around in San Diego’s backcountry since 1946 offers students to experience and learn about the world of nature.
The county’s Office of Education has launched a corporate sponsorship campaign to expand this outdoor program and save other programs like it.
Companies help fund the programs in exchange for the marketing rights or ownerships of the programs.
So far, Target has donated $50,000 towards scholarships for kids who can’t afford Camp Cuyamaca. Other stores, such as REI and Adventure 16, have spent $10,000 for equipment and other services, KPBS.org reported.
“I am a realist and very practical person and the main thing to me is that the kids come up here and have this experience,” camp principal Greg Schuett told reporter Ana Tintocalis.
“If we're going to be purists over where the money comes from, we're going to lose that battle and we're going to lose kids coming to outdoor school,” Schuett said.
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Another big name in sponsorships is Kaiser Permante. They sponsor a county education program called "The Green Machine" that teaches students about food and overall health. In exchange for $100,000, Kaiser gets their brand on the green van used in the program and on materials handed to children.
Spokesperson Jim Esterbrooks said the county is in negotiations with companies for the naming rights of Camp Cuyamaca.
