Friday, September 9, 2016

Our Pursuit Of Making Knowledge Available To As Many Minds As Possible

Ferguson Subaru is proud to call Oklahoma home. While there is plenty for Oklahoma to be proud about, it's well known that the education system in our state is hurting. According to the National Education Association, Oklahoma ranks 49th in expenditures per student [1] and 48th in average salaries for public school teachers [2]

On top of being paid well below the national average, Oklahoma teachers, on average, spend up to $500 of their own money, each year, on supplies for their classrooms. Needless to say, it's not always easy to be a teacher in the state of Oklahoma. 

At Ferguson Subaru we have a Love Promise commitment to making a positive impact in the world in which we live and work. It’s our aim to spread this impact as far as we can. As part of our Subaru Loves Learning initiative - to make the pursuit of knowledge available to as many minds as possible - Ferguson Subaru teamed up with Kendall Whittier Elementary for our 2016 Subaru School Supply Drive. 



Kendall-Whittier is an elementary school located in north-central Tulsa, just west of the University of Tulsa campus. The school has been providing students in the area a place to grow and learn for generations. Kendall-Whittier Elementary is a lighthouse to our community. According to the school, “As a Title I school, we don’t require that students bring school supplies at the beginning of the year to respect the limited financial situations of many of our families.” 

For the 2016 Subaru School Supply Drive, Ferguson Subaru raised school supplies during the month of August. At the end of the month, our Ferguson team, along with Fergie Bear - our Tulsa-area community mascot - drove a stuffed Subaru Crosstrek to Kendall-Whittier Elementary, and presented teachers with the donations. In the spirit of making a positive impact, Ferguson Subaru also donated $500 to Kendall Whittier Elementary! 

 
Kendall-Whittier Elementary Principal, Ronda Kesler with Fergie Bear


Ferguson Subaru’s focus on education in the month of August and September was part of the Subaru Love Promise, a pledge to do right in our communities and the world. 

Click here to learn more about Ferguson Subaru and the Love Promise.



Sources:
[1] Rankings of the States 2015 and Estimates of School Statistics 2016. Publication. NEA Research, May 2016. Web. 09 Sept. 2016. <http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/2016_NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates.pdf>. Page 39
[2] Rankings of the States 2015 and Estimates of School Statistics 2016. Publication. NEA Research, May 2016. Web. 09 Sept. 2016. <http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/2016_NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates.pdf>. Page 19