The Mazda Foundation (USA) & Professional Race-Car Drivers, Neil Alberico and Dani Ferrarato, Join After-School All-Stars to Promote Youth Safety
After-School All-Stars (ASAS) is excited to announce that the Mazda Foundation (USA) and Mazda Motorsports professional race-car drivers Neil Alberico and Dani Ferrarato will be in Los Angeles on October 23rd to take part in “Lights On Afterschool” – a nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities.
The Mazda Foundation remains a steadfast supporter of afterschool programing. For a second consecutive year the Foundation has helped low-income children across America by supporting After-School All-Stars “Life Service Action” initiative with a $250,000 grant. The grant will fund student-led, curriculum-driven service learning projects to help students develop a stronger sense of social responsibility and civic awareness.
As part of the “Lights On Afterschool” celebrations, the Mazda’s Foundation (USA) has arranged for professional race-car drivers, Neil Alberico and Dani Ferrarato, to speak to 150 middle school students about their personal career paths and discuss the importance of youth safety. Neil and Dani will take questions from students and will also let them look under the hood and kick the tires of their newest race-cars.
“The Mazda Foundation (USA) is pleased to join After-School All-Stars in supporting “Lights On Afterschool” for the second consecutive year. “Lights On Afterschool” highlights the important role afterschool programs play in children’s lives and draws attention to the many ways afterschool programs help kids learn new things like robotics, healthy lifestyles and driver safety,” said Robert Davis, President, Mazda Foundation (USA), Inc.
“We’re grateful to the Mazda Foundation (USA) for their ongoing commitment to afterschool programing and for joining us for “Lights On Afterschool.” Mazda understands the important role that afterschool programs can play in children’s lives and the need to increase the number of programs available to students. “Lights On Afterschool” showcases the incredible opportunities After-School All-Stars programs provide to students every day from 3-6pm – the peak hours for juvenile crime and unsafe behaviors. Afterschool programs equip young people with the tools they need to make positive choices and changes in their communities while giving parents peace of mind that their kids are safe when they are at work,” explained Ben Paul, CEO and President of After-School All-Stars.