Education
Inspire Opportunity
K
arl “Andy” Andrew Achterkirchen is a retired
engineer and professional volunteer. After
starting his career designing communication
systems for spacecraft in Los Angeles, Andy
moved to San Diego and managed 200
engineers who designed aircraft communications systems. After
reading an article about Barrio Logan College Institute, Andy
decided to take his knowledge of math to the students he felt
needed it most in Barrio Logan. Since 1999, Andy has tutored
students in math, chemistry and physics. Andy is on BLCI’s
Advisory Board, is one of their longest giving donors and one of
the first donors to Inspire Opportunity: The Campaign for Barrio
Logan College Institute.
Through the years, Andy has tutored hundreds of students,
but one in particular really stands out for him; Jose Vallejo.
Jose was part of one of the first graduating classes from BLCI.
52 GBSAN.COM | DECEMBER 2019
Tutoring the future
With the help of staff and tutors, he was accepted into Yale
University, one of the top universities in the country, earning his
Bachelors of Science in Economics three years later. Andy and
Jose still see each other at BLCI events where they catch up
and reminisce about the days Andy tutored him in economics.
One aspect that drew Andy to BLCI was his belief in the
organizations mission and goals. BLCI’s mission is to break
the cycle of poverty by preparing underserved students to be
the first in their families to go to college through after school
programs that begin the third grade. Andy shared with GB
Magazine, “I volunteer at BLCI because the work that is being
done by this organization is so important to the community. It
will help future generations break the cycle of poverty through
education.” Because of volunteers like Andy, 100% of BLCI
graduates enroll in college.
To learn more about BLCI please visit www.blci.org.