With education funding scarce and the achievement gap growing, schools are forced to find creative ways to drive money to their programs. The annual fundraiser for the Garfield High School Parent Teacher Student Association is a prime example.
It s ridiculous that we have to go to these extremes to fund school programs, but this is the way it is, said parent Phil Sherburne.
Parents are trying to raise $80,000 to fund career counseling and academic support services for next year. They re programs that help underachieving students get back on track academically and guide others into employment.
Twenty percent of Garfield freshman read and perform math significantly below grade level, said Sherburne. We can t let that continue.
But $80,000 is a bit more than a school can raise with a typical bake sale. Organizers at Garfield say the traditional way to raise money for schools has run out of gas, parents are on empty. So, they're turning to alternative sources to fuel their school. This year s pledge drive is a raffle. A raffle for an $85,000 Tesla all-electric sedan.
One ticket is $100. Only 1,650 will be sold. There is a two-year wait to buy a Tesla. On Wednesday, Garfield parents descended upon Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood -- home of Amazon and the city s young urban affluent.
We're the nerds who like high tech electric cars and all that stuff, said Aaron Giddings, who bought two tickets for a friend. It's the perfect location the probably the perfect giveaway.
More than 1,100 tickets have already sold. If the winner doesn t want the car, he or she can take $50,000 in cash, but you do have to pay income taxes on either. The winner will be drawn at Garfield High School s Raise the Woof Auction on March 1 at Showbox Sodo, 1700 1st Ave S near 9 pm. For information how to buy tickets email garfieldptsaraffle@gmail.com
