Dive Brief:
- The annual Pioneers and Purpose fundraising dinner raised $1.15 million — $150,000 more than last year — for The Silicon Valley Education Foundation, reports the San Jose Mercury News.
- Funds raised go toward foundation programing and supporting STEM education within Santa Clara County's 32 public school districts.
- At the dinner, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman was honored as the 2014 Champion of Education.
Dive Insight:
Friedman, who does not write about education but rather foreign affairs and trade, may seem like an odd choice. However, perhaps, SVEF views trade and global happenings as the next step in education. According to the Mercury News, Friedman spoke about the Common Core and the need for rigorous standards. He also blamed Washington for failures in the education system right now. "Washington is cracked and leaking. The politicians need to settle on a flight plan so it can move far ahead," Friedman said, according to the Mercury News.
