Mad Props To Dejah and Marc!!

This past week Dejah Ault and Marc Pongnon graduated from high school. Both Marc and Dejah have been key organizers with AFSC's Student Career Alternatives Program(SCAP), they also both participated in SCAP's college prep and SAT tutoring program, and they both helped organize last year's Be The Change Youth Convergence.

Over the past four years it's been really exciting to watch Dejah and Marc grow as both human beings and community organizers. Last summer Dejah was granted a summer internship with AFSC and spent her time organizing youth in our Be The Change Crew. Dejah's outgoing, glowing personality made her a perfect fit for a role the required a lot of presentations, creative outreach, and leading teen workshops on social justice work. Dejah plans to attend Spellman and has been award the Gates-Millennium Foundation scholarship! The Gates-Millennium Foundation scholarship is basically a full ride all the way to a PHD! Way to go Dejah!

Marc got involved with AFSC during our campaign to stop the HOPE scholarship cuts last year and after just a few days ended up writing and giving a very profound speech during a press conference that clearly articulated the connection between a bloated military budget and education cuts. Marc stayed very active with SCAP ever since. Marc has received a scholarship to the University of New Haven, based on an essay he wrote about his experience organizing with AFSC.

Our hats are off the Dejah and Marc, we're so proud of both of you! No doubt that ya'll will continue to be the change our communities need!


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Students Demand; Keep HOPE Alive!!

Today at 4:30 at the Georgia capitol elementary, middle, high school, college students, and supporters gathered to demand that Georgia legislates reject HB 326 and keep the HOPE scholarship fully funded.

Keira Bruce, Kristen Barnard, Deborah Ault, Dejah Ault, Dumali Ault, Jamelia Willis, and Marc Pongnon all gave passionate beautiful speeches.

Sadly though, as amazing as each of their speeches were, if Governor Deal's HOPE cuts go through everyone of them will be priced out of an education.



Under HB 326 once a student loses HOPE, they can never get it back. No matter how well a student does once they less HOPE they lose it forever. HB 326 also takes effect immediately. Current students will have the rug pulled out from under them.

The new SAT requirements ensure that low income folk, especially people of color, will have much less access to hope. The SAT test is proven to be culturally biased. We also know that high income families can afford expensive SAT classes that regular working families cannot. Demanding a 1200 SAT course to qualify for HOPE will guarantee that those who need HOPE the most will have the hardest time getting it.

· HB 326 will price out low income folks. No question about it. The change in book fees alone will price out anyone that struggles to keep food on the table and electricity in the house. It would seem that this bill, by design, disenfranchises low income folks, especially people of color.

· We are not fooled; HB 326 DOES NOT save hope. HB 326 dismantles HOPE. We keep hearing folks say that 90% of hope will be available to students with a 3.0 or above. Not true. Nathan Deal himself admitted that that number is likely closer to 80% and that as soon as next year it could go down to 60%. The HOPE scholarship is certainly savable, the question is whether or not Georgia legislators are willing to make it a priority or not.

· The Hope scholarship is wildly popular. We will be paying attention to who’s voting to dismantle it. We hope our elected officials remember who they’re here to represent. There will be another election

After the press conference a candlelight vigil to save HOPE began on the steps of the Capitol. Coffins and tombstones lay around the steps of the capitol, many of the tombstones were being held by students who may soon by priced out of the education they've been promised for years; a promise Nathan Deal aims to break.

Some of the Press Coverage:

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/27102325/detail.html

http://www.aljazeerah.info

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/local_news/Protests-Planned-Against-HOPE-Scholarship-Changes-20110307-am-sd

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=181315&catid=40

http://thesoutherneronline.com/frontpage/http:/thesoutherneronline.com/news/hope-scholarship-changes-eligibility-requirements/


Photo's by Pastiche Lumumba and Josie Figueroa

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee