Eighty-three percent. This past year, the Fleet Science Center has engaged students in or from 83% of San Diego County zip codes. 

This a tremendous accomplishment, and we are excited to see the impact of our educational programs on nearly every student in the county. In the coming years, we are dedicated to increasing students served from 83% à 100%.

Earlier this month, it was our pleasure to host our 2018 fundraising gala, Busting the Myths of Wine! We want to express our gratitude to our Presenting Sponsor , Audrey Geisel and the Dr. Seuss Fund as well as our exceptional Lead Sponsors , Laurie Sefton Hensen and the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation Fund. We are grateful to our Gala Committee for their outstanding work this year and to the Fleet's Board of Trustees. I want to offer my personal thanks as well to the Busting the Myths of Wine Co-chairs, Fleet Trustee Gary Phillips and WineSellar & Brasserie owner Gary Parker . Thanks to the support of these generous donors and so many more, we raised over $200,000 to support our educational and engagement programs, such as 52 Weeks of Science, High Tech Fair and Suds & Science.

During the gala, we had the opportunity to hear from Shannon Smith, who is an Associate Scientist at Illumina, a member of the Fleet's BE WiSE Advisory Board and an alumna of the first cohort of BE WiSE. In her touching speech, 

Shannon speaks about being a young woman interested in science and how BE WiSE gave her the tools and mentorship she needed to pursue a career in STEM. To see Shannon's video and hear her speech, please CLICK HERE.

So how do we get from serving 83% of San Diego County to 100% and ensure we help students like Shannon pursue a career in STEM? The answer is: YOU. Our donors and friends make programs like BE WiSE possible, which open doors to the power of science for students like Shannon. Your support opens doors for endless possibilities for our community. Thank you.