An astronaut, an Olympian and an NFL athlete are just a few of the successful careers that blossomed following an education at El Camino.

This month, the El Camino Foundation launched “#LetsGoElCamino,” a campaign designed to raise money from EC’s alumni, who are connecting back to their roots by sharing their stories and donating.

Susan Warshaw, development officer of the foundation, spearheaded the campaign and described it as a means of connecting alumni to their alma matter, while giving them the opportunity to help current students.

“We wanted to find a way for Warriors to show their Warrior pride,” Warshaw said. “[A chance] to bring them back into the fold.”

The foundation aims to raise 400 donations by Oct. 30, and has collected 43 donations amounting to $3,765, according to its donation page.

The funds garnered by the campaign will be allocated to scholarships, student programs and academic opportunities, according to the fundraiser’s page.

EC alumni come from various backgrounds, some of whom emerged from broken homes or tough neighborhoods and persevered to obtain distinguished careers in the South Bay community, Warshaw said.

A series of videos posted on the campaign page feature testimonials from alumni who account their experiences at EC. Rochelle Bennett, director of The School of Dance and Music, which has three locations in the South Bay, described how EC positively shaped her future.

“I am that girl from Compton and I was supposed to be a statistic,” Bennett said in the video. “(El Camino) helped me live beyond my circumstances.”

Executive Director Andrea Sala hopes that alumni success stories like Bennett’s will pose as a framework of success.

“When you see people that have done it and are successful, it just inspires our students to keep working hard,” Sala said.

For more information on #LetsGoElCamino visit the campaign page.