Search results for

Students Gear Up for Second Year of Aspen Challenge: San Diego The Aspen Challenge returns to San Diego in February, empowering 15 student-led teams from public high schools to drive change in their communities and beyond. The Aspen Challenge, a program of the Aspen Institute and founded with the Bezos Family Foundation, is thrilled to announce the return of Aspen Challenge: San Diego for its second year. Partnering with San Diego Unified School District, the program empowers students from high schools across the city to address critical community issues through youth-led initiatives. On Tuesday, February 4 at Building 177, 15 student-led teams and educators will hear from “Expert Challengers,” leaders and innovators presenting challenges on key topics such as providing resources for the unhoused community of San Diego, combatting discrimination against LGBTQ+ population, ocean pollution, the way overuse of technology can negatively affect mental health and substance abuse. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Aspen Challenge, an incredible opportunity to elevate student voice, foster leadership, and inspire civic mindedness among our young people,” said Dr. Fabi Bagula, Interim Superintendent for the San Diego Unified School District. “This initiative empowers our students to tackle real-world challenges with creativity and innovation, reminding us all that the future lies in their capable hands. Together, we are building a generation of leaders ready to shape a better world. May the youth lead the way!" After the February forum, teams will have nine weeks to create and implement innovative solutions within their communities. They will reconvene on April 15 to present their projects at the Aspen Challenge Solution Showcase. A panel of judges will then select the Grand Prize winning team, who will travel to Aspen, Colorado in June to present their work at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “It’s wonderful to be back to San Diego for the Aspen Challenge,” said Katie Fitzgerald, Managing Director of the Aspen Challenge. "I hope the country watches as the youth of San Diego once again solve some real issues we see in all communities across the country. There will be 15 mini revolutions led by teams of high school students in San Diego that will transform their community and we can't wait to witness it." Expert Challengers and speakers include Jerry Troyer, Urban Street Angels; Aaron Ngan, The San Diego LGBT Community Center; Alex Ferron, Surfrider Foundation; Eisha Buch, Common Sense Media; Courtney Esparza, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Participating Schools: Canyon Hills High School Clairemont High School Crawford High School Patrick Henry High School Logan Memorial Educational Campus Mira Mesa High School Mission Bay High School Mt. Everest Academy Point Loma High School San Diego High School San Diego Metropolitan Regional and Technical High School San Diego SOAR Academy- Youth Transition Campus Scripps Ranch High School University City High School The inaugural Aspen Challenge launched in collaboration with Los Angeles Unified School District in 2013. Since its inception, the Challenge has expanded to include partnerships with school districts in Denver, Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Louisville, Miami, New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Boston. For more information on Aspen Challenge: San Diego or to attend as a covering member of the media, please contact: ben.berliner@aspeninstitute.org. The Aspen Challenge provides inspiration, tools, and a platform for young people to design solutions to some of the most critical problems humanity faces. For more information on Aspen Challenge, please visit www.aspenchallenge.org. The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org. San Diego Unified School District is the second largest school district in California, with 175 schools, 95,011 students UTK-12, and over 17,000 employees. While the school district is largely influenced by its close proximity to the US-Mexico border, over 75 languages are spoken in schools situated in diverse suburban and urban communities. The district has a core focus on equity and belonging so all students and staff in San Diego Unified may thrive in school and beyond. The Bezos Family Foundation envisions a world in which all young people reach their full potential and meaningfully contribute to society. The Foundation pursues that vision by making grants and by operating their own programs, with the aim of fueling the science of learning and enabling its application in a variety of settings. The Foundation’s mission is to invest in the science of learning and the experiences that youth need from birth to high school to pursue their own path for success. For more information, visit www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org.

The Apple TV+ series emerged as an engrossing puzzle box of a show when it first debuted three years ago. And it just got even more surreal.

Some 400 to 600 Asian elephants are believed to remain living in the wild in Cambodia. Researchers said the study's findings underscore the potential of a "national stronghold" for the species.

More than a thousand people who worked to keep American agriculture free of pests and disease have left the federal workforce in President Trump's massive government downsizing.

We are thrilled to bring you our annual fundraiser, “The Next 45: Building a Sustainable Legacy”. This evening event will celebrate the San Diego Diplomacy Council’s storied past, evolving present, and hopeful future. We hope you will join us on our mission to connect people and improve the world. Each year, the San Diego Diplomacy Council holds one event to raise funds in support of our mission. In a world where conflict continues to run rampant, diplomacy plays a crucial role in building meaningful connections and mutual understanding. By supporting our annual fundraiser, your are contributing to initiatives that build global peace, facilitate cross-cultural exchange, and empower the next generation of global leaders. Help us do the work, and create a more unified and inclusive future. We are honored to be hosting high school students from Kiribati in San Diego, who will be joining us at this event. As a nation with a young population and uncertain future, Kiribati is investing in its young leaders, ensuring they have tools and opportunities to rise above their uncertain prospects. As we celebrate 45 years of the San Diego Diplomacy Council and look toward the next 45 and beyond, we want to be intentional about what it means to build a sustainable legacy. Not just for our organization, but for global leaders everywhere. Visit: “The Next 45: Building a Sustainable Legacy”, presented by the San Diego Diplomacy Council San Diego Diplomacy Council on Instagram and Facebook

In the last two months another two San Diego neighborhoods finished having their power lines put underground. The city’s about a third of the way done with a project it started in 1970.

Nonprofit art space The Hill Street Country Club, founded in 2012, has served as a hub for art, music and community. The gallery's final exhibit, Marisa DeLuca's "What Goes Up Must Come Down," is a study of Oceanside's lost or abandoned buildings — and the grief therein.

President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imported goods, which were higher and broader than many expected. The new import taxes are expected to raise prices and slow growth in the U.S., while pushing many other countries into recession.

The Tropicana, the third-oldest casino on the Las Vegas Strip, closed in April after welcoming guests for 67 years. An elaborate implosion reduced it to rubble on Wednesday.

San Diego resident Yvonne Elkin was determined to get her $100 dollars back.