Hi Everyone,

As some of you know and some of you don't, I have decided to raise money for the East Palo Alto Charter School.

"How?" you might ask.

Good question! I plan to offer you the opportunity to sponsor my effort to whip my lazy butt into shape by participating in the 23rd Annual Wildflower Triathlon. I will swim 1.2 miles, bike 52 miles and then run (hobble) another 12.

"Why?" you might ask.

You seem full of questions. Well, I have been involved with the East Palo Alto Charter School for some time now and the more I get to know it and and see the impact it has, the stronger I believe in it.

The East Palo Alto Charter School is a K-8 school located in the historically underserved city of East Palo Alto. It is a charter school and what this means is that it does not receive the same level of per pupil funding that other public schools nearby receive (see graph)

Despite this handicap, this school is excelling. It is providing an incredibly good education for a group of kids who, if the school didn't exist, would probably not have the same opportunity.

What it really boils down to is this: I was really lucky growing up and have had incredibly good educational opportunities. Without them, I would be in a very different place than I am now. The kids that EPACS are teaching would not get these same opportunities if it wasn't for the school and the incredibly dedicated and talented teachers there. I want these kids with limited access to resources to have the same opportunities that I did and thanks to EPACS they are.

"Point made, now why do they need my money?"

Ah, a good question as well. Despite the incredible performance of the school (see graph 2). It is ironically less supported than traditional public schools. Because it is a bold and successful approach to elementary and middle school education, it is dependent on the support of