More than 40 donors, trustees and friends of the Catholic Education Foundation participated in a first-ever Yellow Bus Tour May 22, designed to help donors see their donation dollars at work.

Riding on a yellow bus donated by a grant from the Steinmetz Foundation, tour guests departed at 9 a.m. from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and visited three Los Angeles elementary schools supported by the CEF --- Holy Name of Jesus, St. Turibius and Santa Isabel.

The tour began at Holy Name of Jesus in Jefferson Park where the school choir, liturgical dancers, guitar ensemble and drum line performed selections in the church. The students at St. Turibius in the Garment District hosted the second leg and welcomed donors to participate in their art lessons delivered by the Art Trek Program (provided by a grant from the Porteous Family Foundation). The Yellow Bus Tour concluded in East L.A. with lunch and a tour of Santa Isabel School.

"This tour opened our eyes to the incredible education our Catholic schools are providing to children in the inner-city areas," said CEF trustee Mark Hurst, who also chairs the board's Development Committee. "The principals and teachers are providing the students with a spiritual foundation, a strong character, and a vision that their Catholic school education will bring success in their lives."

The Catholic Education Foundation was founded in 1987 to ensure the viability and availability of a Catholic school education for everyone --- especially the poor and marginalized. Since its inception, the CEF has provided $82 million in tuition awards to over 88,000 children attending Catholic elementary and high schools in the five pastoral regions of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

For the 2008-2009 school year, the Foundation will support 9,000 students with $11.5 million in tuition awards --- a record for the CEF. To learn more about the Foundation or to join a future school tour, visit www.cefdn.org.