2 Educators Visit D.C. in Fund-Raising Effort

A principal and a social studies teacher in the Ventura Unified School District have each won a vacation to the nation’s capital for the Fourth of July weekend as part of a national education fund-raising program.

Buena High School Principal Jaime Castellanos and Ventura High School teacher Cynthia Johnson were two of 24 educators from across the country who were selected because of their schools’ participation in the “School Fund-Raising Made Simple” effort.

The program is one of nine named in an initiative called Take Charge of Education sponsored by Minneapolis-based Target Stores.

Other company programs involve scholarships, school uniforms and employee volunteerism.

Under the program, the company donates to a designated school 1% of every purchase made on a store credit card, said Denise Workcuff, a company spokeswoman.

“I applaud efforts of school staff to support such a program.

“I think schools are very wise to take advantage of opportunities to fund-raise,” said Patricia Chandler, a district assistant superintendent.

Both Castellanos and Johnson were to arrive in Washington, D.C., by Thursday.

Their stay will include tours of the White House and Washington Monument and seats from which to view a fireworks show, Workcuff said.

The fund-raising program continues through October. At that time, Target officials estimate that some 75,000 schools will share $4 million, Workcuff said.