Praised for the quality education the Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) provides to students, many people often cite the way the school system is run as one of the primary reasons families decide to reside in Torrance. As such, the community places importance on supporting TUSD to continually improve its educational curriculum year after year.  As a long-time business in this community, Torrance Refinery has always been proud to aid that effort.

Torrance Refining Company LLC (TORC) helps support Torrance teachers and students in numerous ways. TORC is especially pleased to be able to support nonprofits focused on education, like the Torrance Education Foundation (TEF). TEF Executive Director Shireen Ossanlo raises funds for the entire school district to provide scholarships and resources to enhance students’ learning experiences.

In the spirit of our partnership, TORC is pleased to offer this space in our community newsletter to TEF to provide an update on its activities for interested Torrance residents.

A Message from Torrance Education Foundation

TEF during the Pandemic

The Torrance Education Foundation (TEF) has been very active during these past few months! Even though many businesses are closed, more people are staying indoors, and distance learning has become the norm. The pandemic has not slowed TEF down one bit; instead, it has given us a bigger purpose. Here are some TEF highlights from the past few months!

TEF hosted the first-ever, Virtual Event and Auction on May 27, 2020, where we raised over $145,000 for Education. Thank you to our donors and sponsors, including Torrance Refining Company, Continental Development, Toyota Motor Company, Balfour Beatty, Surf Management, American Honda Motor Co. and many others for supporting our Torrance students and schools!

TEF hosts an annual summer enrichment program each year, the South Bay Enrichment Academy. This year our summer classes went virtual. We offered distance learning for grades K-12 and enrolled over 725 students.  The Elementary online program was specially designed for small groups. Each class had a maximum of 10 students for a more intimate learning experience.

TEF donated $60,000 to Torrance Unified School District to continue supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in our schools! Funds will provide resources and materials in science labs for an engaging learning experience for all students. In partnership with our community businesses, TEF offered scholarships to 17 deserving seniors as they prepare for college and career. We are pleased to announce that we provided a total of $29,000 in scholarship funds this year.

To be a part of the fantastic work TEF is doing in the community, help support our Annual Campaign. Your contribution will help raise money for Torrance students and schools in some of the ways highlighted above and beyond!

Our Dollar-A-Day Campaign asks each TUSD family to contribute a minimum of $180 for the 180 days of school they will have in the 2020-2021 academic year. Funds from this campaign will contribute towards refillable bottle stations at all TUSD schools. As we prepare our campuses for students to return to safer and healthier learning environments, refillable bottle stations are not only environmentally friendly but essential! Join us in making an investment in the future citizens of our community by donating at www.TEF4Kids.org/donate. 

Thank you,
Shireen Ossanlo
Executive Director