Urban Youth Collaborative members Defend their Right to Equity in College Access

PRESS ADVISORY FROM URBAN YOUTH COLLABORATIVE

Student testimony and rally for Student Success Centers

WHAT:    100+ high school students and their allies will testify about a transformative model of college access that puts student voice and leadership into college access at four NYC high schools. The event will be entirely led by youth, who will ask Deputy Mayor Denis Walcott to renew funding.

WHEN:    Wednesday, June 3rd at 4:30 pm

WHERE:   New School University, 55 West 13th Street between 5th & 6th Aves. 2nd floor

WHO:      Over 100 high school youth members of the Urban Youth Collaborative; their allies; principals & school staff; Deputy Mayor Denis Walcott; Interim Acting Deputy Chancellor of Teaching & Learning Santiago Taveras; City Council representatives (City Council members have been invited).

WHY:      In the last few weeks of budget negotiations, the UYC will be asking Deputy Mayor Walcott to support Student Success Centers (SSCs). 15 year old UYC member Jorge Padilla says, "I never thought I could go to college because I'm poor. Now, I'm teaching other students that money doesn't have to be an obstacle." Student Success Centers (SSCs) are transforming college access for low-income students of color at four NYC high schools by training and paying high school students to help their peers navigate the college process. In just one example in a school with an SSC, numbers of applications and acceptances to private universities has more than doubled.

UYC members, all high school students, will present the compelling data around SSCs and will ask Deputy Mayor Walcott and Deputy Chancellor Taveras for their support in re-funding these programs.

As 15-year-old member Jauna Williams says, "This is about justice. Low-income students shouldn't bear the weight of the economic crisis -- we're always the ones who get burned, and we're not taking it. We need this."