Hundreds of students from area schools visited the Aquarium of the Pacific this week, thanks to a donation from SAVOR…Long Beach. The corporation donated to the Aquarium’s scholarship program for the twelfth consecutive year, allowing children to visit during the Grand Prix of Long Beach, when the Aquarium is closed to the general public. Over 1,000 students from Polytechnic High School, Rancho Dominguez Prep, King Elementary, Mann Elementary, New City School, and Hamilton Middle School in Long Beach had the opportunity to visit the Aquarium to partake in ocean educational programs under the scholarship. Since 2003 SAVOR…Long Beach has donated more than $140,000 in scholarship funds, providing Aquarium visits for more than 12,000 students.
In 2011 the Aquarium officially dedicated its outdoor classroom in recognition of SAVOR’s continued commitment to sustainability and education. The SAVOR Watershed Classroom serves thousands of students each year. SAVOR, the food and beverage division of special event venue management company SMG, currently provides food and beverage services as well as catering and special event services to more than 100 facilities around the world, including the Aquarium of the Pacific. “We are able to introduce thousands of students to ocean learning while inspiring them to become stewards of our planet, thanks to the generosity and ongoing support of SAVOR,” said David Bader, Aquarium of the Pacific director of education. “We hope that other organizations are also inspired to help support our year-round scholarship program to benefit students at underserved schools.”