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Media Advisory: July 13 2021

MEDIA ADVISORY: San Diego Salutes Students, Teachers Who Continued Their Education by Taking Part in the ‘Summer of Learning and Joy’
Posted on 07/13/2021

30,000 students and counting have participated in summer programs

WHAT: Level Up Teacher and Student Appreciation Event at San Diego Loyal SC vs. Orange County SC 

WHEN: Wednesday, July 14 - Rally begins at 6:30 p.m. Game begins at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Torero Stadium: 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92111 

BACKGROUND: To celebrate teachers, staff and nonprofit partners who have worked to provide the Level Up SD Summer of Learning and Joy program to more than 30,000 students this summer, the San Diego Unified School District and the San Diego Loyal are hosting an appreciation event at Wednesday’s soccer match. Thanks to generous support from Mission Fed Credit Union, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Cal Coast Credit Union, and the San Diego Loyal, close to 2,500 free tickets have been made available to our teachers, school staff and students, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students from kindergarten through high school, from all reaches of San Diego Unified, have participated in Level Up academic and enrichment programs this summer. Meanwhile, space is available in new programs through August. More information and a list of open programs is available here: https://levelupsandiego.org/en/search 

DETAILS: A rally will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Jenny Craig Pavilion just steps from the stadium and will feature Loyal Manager and U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan with words of encouragement for students and families, along with a soccer juggling exhibition and competition involving fans. 

Exhibits in the pavilion will showcase what students have been learning and the activities they have been involved in this summer through Level Up SD. 

Amalea Ribeiro, a junior at the San Diego School of the Creative and Performing Arts, will sing the National Anthem. And to cheer the Loyal on to victory, foam rally light sticks will be handed out to fans.  

One of the highlights of halftime entertainment will feature teachers showcasing their ability to kick a soccer ball onto the crossbar to win a prize.

At the conclusion of the match, students will have the opportunity to go down to the field and walk a celebratory lap.  

TV: The match will be broadcast live on FOX 5.

Special thanks to the following sponsors: Mission Fed Credit Union, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Cal Coast Credit Union, and the San Diego Loyal SC

Level Up SD, a Summer of Learning and Joy was created this year by the San Diego Unified School District and The San Diego Foundation thanks to a $31 million commitment by the San Diego Unified Board of Education. It features in-person classroom instruction in the mornings at neighborhood schools with San Diego Unified teachers and afternoon summer activities offered by more than 70 local nonprofits in communities across the city. Level Up SD is part of a comprehensive effort by San Diego Unified to help provide area students with a summer of learning and joy to prepare them academically and emotionally for the fall. More than 30,000 students have signed up for #LevelUpSD. While the academic portion of Level Up SD will be ending on July 30, the enrichment portion will be continuing through August and more programs are being added each day. San Diego Unified students can head to Level Up SD to register for free.  

San Diego Unified School District: The second largest school system in the State of California and fastest improving school district in the nation, San Diego Unified students have earned a reputation for hard work and achievement. This success was recently recognized when President Biden selected San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten to serve as his Deputy Secretary of Education. Despite the national recognition, San Diego Unified remains firmly rooted in the communities it serves. “Our schools make San Diego a better place” is more than a slogan. It is a systemwide commitment to San Diego’s “City of Villages” growth strategy, where every neighborhood is home to a high-quality public school. To learn more, follow #BetterSD and visit sandiegounified.org. 

San Diego Loyal SC: The San Diego Loyal Soccer Club was founded on June 19, 2019 and is a member of the USL Championship which is a highly competitive professional soccer league. The Club is led by Andrew Vassiliadis and coached by Landon Donovan, one of the greatest men’s soccer players in the history of the United States. The Club currently plays at Torero Stadium located at the University of San Diego and is currently in their second season.

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