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Mark Wahlberg works with Taco Bell Foundation to promote teen graduation
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June 7, 2010
The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation have committed to a two-year partnership to address America's teen graduation crisis. Actor/Producer Mark Wahlberg will appear in a June national campaign to raise awareness and encourage support to prevent the one in three students who drop out of high school without receiving a diploma.
Now through June 15, participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide will invite customers to give $1 to support the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens' "Graduate to Go" initiative. Money raised will provide local grants to organizations with a track record of empowering teens, like the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For their support, customers will receive a free taco coupon.
"Through my foundation and great organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America, I have witnessed incredible success stories where youth programs play life-saving roles keeping at-risk teens on track," said Mark Wahlberg in a news release. "I'm proud to team up with the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and its Graduate to Go initiative to help more young people earn their diplomas and realize their dreams."
Graduate To Go is a long-term effort to raise awareness of the high-school dropout crisis and encourage teens to get their diploma. The initiative funds real-world experiences, such as job training and college preparation, proven to motivate teens to stay in school.
"Our new partnership with Mark Wahlberg and his foundation is a natural fit given our shared commitment to help teens graduate to a better life," said Bob Fulmer, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens. "Our goal through the Graduate to Go initiative is to reach 100,000 teens annually through real-world experiences and help cut the high school dropout rate in half by 2018."
The television spot takes place in a high school where Wahlberg interacts with students in a classroom, by the lockers and in a gym, reinforcing the importance of being involved. Entitled "The Power of One," the spot was directed by acclaimed film director David O. Russell, who has worked with Wahlberg on four movies including the upcoming feature film "The Fighter," to be released later this year.
Wahlberg delivers startling statistics about teen dropout rates and provides a compelling message about how one person can make a difference in a teen's life. The spot urges viewers to support the graduation initiative through the Taco Bell fundraiser. In addition to the national TV and online spot, there also are radio spots and poster displays in participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide.
In addition to the annual national fundraiser and local grant giving, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens will look to partner with other like-minded groups and corporations to provide real experiences such as job training and college preparation for teens to stay engaged in school and prepare for their future.
Since 1995, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and its supporting programs have helped more than 500,000 teens stay in school and on the path to graduation through its national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and affiliation with other non-profit organizations. The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens is the largest teen program donor to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, giving more than $28 million to support teen programming since 1995. In addition, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens provides grants to other worthy programs designed to help teens stay in school and on the path to graduation. This year, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens will distribute $1.8 million in local grants to nearly 300 organizations.
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