Posts with the tag Students for Obama

donate towards education

MIKE from Brooklyn, NY — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:00:17 EST

3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD DONATE

IT GOES TOWARD EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL,HIGH SCHOOL,AND COLLEGE.
IT HELPS THEM GET A GREAT CAREER.
THEY WILL BE SO HAPPY THEY MIGHT BECOME A LAWYER AND WORK FOR YOU

History Class Pro-Obama

Mikaela — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:56:27 EDT

I'm pretty positive my history class is entirely pro-Obama or anti-McCain if undecided. One girl has stenciled Obama's face onto a pair of canvas tennis shoes and our class has adopted forming an "O" with their hands when discussing a recent debate. McCain's symbol consists of two thumbs-down and Palin's is a also a thumbs-down. McCain's nickname is McCan't and many people are calling the Obama campaign Jobama or Obiden. Although we are not eligible to vote yet, I believe we students have a powerful impact on our teacher, older siblings, and parents who can vote. One step at a time, we can elect Barack Obama.

GO "O"!

The Record: Get informed about the issues and vote for Obama

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:36:18 EDT

College of Saint Benedict sophomore Stephani Kortan writes in The Record:

Many of my best friends are McCain supporters, yet when I ask why they support him, they have consistently avoided justifying any of his policies. They honestly don’t know about his policies or stances on issues. Political support — no matter the candidate — must only come after careful deliberation of his or her issues and his or her policies.
To help you become a knowledgeable and responsible voter, I’m going to give you a brief rundown of each candidate’s stance for a few key issues in the upcoming election:
When it comes to taxes, McCain supports tax cuts for those making more than $250,000 and would maintain cuts to capital gains tax and cut corporate tax from 35 percent to 25 percent.
Obama’s tax plan offers permanent tax cuts for 95 percent of Americans while simplifying the tax code, closing corporate tax loopholes and reforming the current regressive tax structure.
In the education department, McCain supports school competition and vouchers as ways to improve quality of education and give parents a choice in schools.
Obama supports increasing Head Start and Early Start funding to cover more at-risk children and a $4,000 annual tax credit for higher education.
When dealing with the environment, in 2005 McCain voted against funding renewable energy and standards requiring 10 percent of electrical energy to come from renewable sources by 2010.
Obama supports policies reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent, investing $150 billion over ten years to renewable energy and requiring 25 percent of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.
To all Americans voting in the next election, I ask these questions: Do you know the issues that each candidate stands for? Are you satisfied with where the country is headed? Or do you want change for our country to move back in the right direction?
Once you have answered these questions, you’ll see the choice is clear: Barack Obama is the right candidate.
As college students, we are truly the future of this country. After we graduate, most of us will be working or spending more money on college loans to get through grad school.
We can decide how our futures play out. Do we want to pay more in taxes and to have our school loans and the unemployment rate keep increasing? Or do we want our economy back to where it was 10 years ago? Maybe we should get our government out of huge debt by stopping the spending of $10 billion a month in Iraq.
To me, there is no choice or debate about whom I’m voting for. This country is ready to make a difference in the lives of its citizens and ultimately the world. This country is ready for change.
When Nov. 4 rolls around, be ready to make the change and to make history.
We’ve come to a turning point in our country’s history. The time has come for a new person to rise up and lead us. That leader is Barack Obama.

One of the greatest ways to get involved and turn your enthusiasm for Barack into action, is to join Students for Obama.

GO at The Melting Pot

Tom Lloyd — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:27:00 EDT

On Wednesday, September 24th, GO-IDAHO hosted a meet ‘n’ greet mixer for students and young adults, and we had a great time. Due to the excellent hospitality afforded to us by the owners of the Melting Pot, we took over the patio for a warm, fall evening full of wine, cheese fondue, and politicking! We always know an event like that is a success when people are walking in off the street just because they saw our signs and wanted to become a part of the movement.

Some local supporters voiced their diverse opinions on why it matters so much to them that we elect Barack Obama:

- “As a student, it’s very important to me that we have a president who understands how hard it is to pay for college these days. I think more than any other candidate in my lifetime, Barack Obama knows what it’s like to be fresh out of college looking at a painful student loan debt.” – Justine, Student at Boise State University

- “The thing that drew me the most to Obama is his stance on immigration. When I listen to him, I can tell that he has lived outside the country and understands how hard it can be for families to be torn apart by a broken system.” – Chryssa, Advertising Professional

- “I support Barack Obama because we all need a breath of fresh air!” – Jenny, Student at Boise State University

- “I support Barack Obama because no candidate in my voting life has ever made me think he or she is really for the American people until now. He doesn’t take money from corporate fat cats who want to own his administration. He really will lead this country in a direction that favors its citizens - and he actually will do it, and he will CHANGE this country.” Lisa, Community Organizer

- “The reason I support Barack Obama is because he's inspirational at a time when people need a leader, not someone to fix their problems, but someone to inspire them to work harder, do more, use less, and come together to make a greater America.” Ahmad, IT Specialist

Sound like fun? We’d love to see you plan some other events in your own area of Idaho. Planning and hosting an event is easier than you’d think! Through the use of various new media tools (including my.barackobama.com, facebook, and myspace), we spread the word effectively and had a strong group of supporters. These supporters met other, like-minded young people and learned of some great upcoming canvasses and other campaign events in which they could get involved. If you’d like to get involved with GO-IDAHO, or would just like information on how to start your own group, you can find us through any of the following means:

1. Check my.barackobama.com to find, post, and host local events to support Obama;

2. Check our grassroots site, which has been active for longer than most of our volunteers and continues to keep timely updates: www.idahoforobama.org;

3. Join the GO-IDAHO myspace page at www.myspace.com/idahogo; and

4. Find our facebook page by searching Groups for “Generation Obama Idaho.”

GO-IDAHO's Mission Statement: As the next generation of civic, political, and social leaders in Idaho, we between the ages of 18 and 35 have the unique responsibility of framing the future of our remarkable state. The mission of the Idaho chapter of Generation Obama (GO-IDAHO) is to harness the enthusiasm and awareness that Barack Obama has brought to the young people of Idaho, and to translate that passion into active engagement of our peers, service to our community, and new voter turnout in November. Although we are often dismissed by our predecessors as being uninvolved, apathetic, and inexperienced idealists, the truth is that we wield an awe-inspiring power to effect real change throughout Idaho. GO-IDAHO intends to impact the 2008 election with a youth and new voter turnout that has not been seen before during our lifetimes, and to do so by demonstrating that our generation will no longer acquiesce to the negative politics of the past several decades. We will work positively and with all of the vigor and energy of our youth to ensure that Barack Obama is elected the next President of the United States of America.

No Bailout For Wall Street

ProgressiveVoice — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:02:38 EDT

Senator Obama as a Progressive Democrat and a supporter of your campaign I am asking you to vote in the Senate No to Bailing out CEO's and the mis managed Comapies they ran on Wall Street.

700 Billion dollars could feed every man women and child in American Build new Alternative Energy homes and help people get back on their feet who are now without a home on Main Street America.

Senator and the Senators Campaign Staff please remember Change needs to be Progresive .

We can nolong rush to the aid of Big corperations that with this Bailout the CEO's will walk ways with Millions in their Pockets while people who are lower and Middle Class Working people get nothing.

During Tax season The government gave people back 600 dollars or more depending if they were married or single because of the Economy remember that.

Govenment gives American Main street 600 dollars but will give Wall Street 700 Million.

I see alot of rich people getting very rich on this Bailout.

Senator Obama you need to call for Public Hearings before any vote yes or no is done by congress or the Senator.

If McCain wants to Bailout the Wall Street Companies let him make that big mistake.

The American people must be heard in Washington and this weekend no one shoud support a

quick Bailout .

In the end its going to make the Economy worse then it is now.

The Democratic Party should truly stand with the American Working Class and against this Bailout .

Does anyone in the Obama Campaign hear me on this Blog ?

I speak for many Americans on Main Street.

This is just a bad idea .

Something yes needs to be done but this is insanity and not the solution.

Listen to the American people Senator on this no one wants this Bill passed .

Thanks for listening

Obama/Biden 08 Lets Change Washington Now

COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS: You hold the key!

Mark from Fountain Hills, AZ — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:55:46 EDT

This blog/community belongs to all COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS across the U.S.

POINT #1: Who will win the election comes down to one simple demographic. If the younger generations vote, Obama wins. If they don't, Obama loses. It really IS that simple.

POINT #2: Showing students how to vote by EARLY BALLOT is the key to victory! You can cast your vote by mail from the comfort of your own home. Older adults and seniors already know this. It's time this secret was shared with YOU!

The plan to make this happen is simple (see below), and we can make this happen very quickly with a minimum of effort. What we need to get this rolling is one energetic college student from each of the U.S. time zones (i.e. Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Hawaiian, and Alaskan) to form an initial "Launch Team". If you are interested, contact me right away at cc4ob@cox.net, and be ready to move quickly.

Thoughtfully,
Mark Hanna
Fountain Hills, Arizona
cc4ob@cox.net

Kal Penn's Minnesota road trip

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:29:57 EDT

Andrew Zucker, the Youth Vote Director in Minnesota, just sent out this email...

Dear Xavier,

It's hard to believe, but there are only 6 weeks to go before Election Day. Now is the time to make sure you and everyone you know are registered to vote to help bring the change America desperately needs.

Earlier this month, "Harold & Kumar" star Kal Penn did his part by going on a road trip through Minnesota, registering students to vote and promoting our new online voter registration tool, Vote for Change.

Watch a video of Kal Penn stopping by a fraternity house to promote Vote for Change:

You'd be surprised by how many college students aren't registered to vote -- including your own classmates. When Kal was in college, he moved from house to house, and sometimes couldn't remember where he was registered.

With Vote for Change, that's no longer a problem. Keep track of where you're registered to vote, or find out if you're registered at all. You can also use it to vote absentee or find your polling location.

To win this election and bring about change for our generation, we're going to need as many young people registered to vote as possible.

Watch this video now and invite all of your friends to check out Vote for Change:

http://mn.barackobama.com/MNvoteforchange

Thanks,

Andrew

Andrew Zucker
Youth Vote Director
Minnesota Campaign for Change

Delta CC Voter Registration Drive Sept. 15-30

Sara of Stockton,CA — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:27:37 EDT

Hello Delta College students for Obama & Stockton community!! The San Joaquin Grassroots Action for Obama is tabling at Delta CC to conduct Voter Registration. The Voter Registration drive will be held at Delta CC from Sept. 15-30, Monday-Friday from 8am-3pm. If you can help with Voter Registration please come by the table. We will also try to have Obama buttons & bumper stickers available for a $1.00 donation. Our local Obama campaign office is located on the Miracle Mile at 1825 Pacific Ave. (Empire Theater Complex). Current office hours are Monday-Friday 1-4 pm. Please stop by if you have time to help get Obama elected President! Yes we can!

Previewing the Democratic National Convention

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:11:32 EDT

That's the view from Minnesota at the Democratic National Convention, which starts next week. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up to host or attend a Convention Watch Party for Barack's historic speech next Thursday night.

The St. Cloud Times profiled local members of the 109-member Minnesota delegations. Here are some excerpts:

Yolanda Lehman

On Sunday, Yolanda Lehman, her husband, Christopher, and their two children will board the family automobile for the 14-hour trip to Denver.

Lehman, a St. Cloud resident, professor at St. Cloud State University and former pastor of Resurrection AME Zion Church, is a first-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention that begins Monday. And she’s far from the only first-timer.

“I’m a lifelong Democrat, but I hadn’t worked for a candidate before,” said Lehman, a member of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s Minnesota grass-roots campaign committee and an Obama delegate.

“But there have been calls from the Obama campaign to make this a more open process and I think people responded to that.”

Claudia Cody

Hailing originally from Rio de Janeiro, Cody said she has been a Democrat since becoming a U.S. citizen in 1995.

The University of Minnesota professor, construction company owner, real estate agent and chairwoman of the Minnesota DFL Latino caucus is going as a delegate pledged to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

“But Sen. Obama will be the Democratic nominee,” she said. “She stepped down and directed us to support Sen. Obama, so I’m following her lead. You’re either a Democrat or you’re not.”

Universal health care, immigration reform and the economy are top issues for Cody, who said Democrats and Obama must address them from “an abundance perspective, not one of scarcity. All folks should have access to an opportunity for a quality life.”

You can read the rest of the profiles by clicking here.

TXT for Change

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:23:37 EDT

Barack has inspired millions of young Americans to believe in their power to make America great again. Many of these young people have joined Students for Obama chapters on their campus.

Andrew Zucker, the Minnesota Youth Vote Director:

Text messaging is an important part of our campaign to make sure every school in Minnesota goes blue for Barack! If you wanna stay connected, join our text message program and hear breaking news straight from the campaign itself. Just text your college's code to 62262 and you'll stay in the loop. Together, let's Barack the vote!

The Minnesota Campaign for Change has set up text codes for several campuses across the state. See the list of supported campuses below. To sign up for campus updates, text your campus code to 62262.

School Code Unniversity of Minnesota GOPHERS University of Minnesota - Duluth UMDULUTH Augsburg College AUGSBURG Carleton College CARLETONC Hamline University HAMLINE St. Cloud State University STCLOUDST Winona State University WINSU University of St. Thomas UST

If you don't see your campus on the list, you can still text MN to 62262 to get campaign updates and event announcements.

By signing up, you can expect periodic updates from the campaign as well as advance notice about on-campus Obama events and important updates about Barack's public appearances

*Standard message rates apply.

Saturday Door-Knocking in St. Paul

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:04:23 EDT

On Saturday morning, twenty Minnesotans gathered at the St. Paul headquarters of the Minnesota Campaign for Change for the first of a two-day canvassing. With bagels in hand, the group listened to field organizers explained how to canvass, what to say, and how to record the results.

Field Organizer Tess Wolterstoff explained the importance of door-knockin, saying it was the best way for supporters to contribute to the campaign, because it is the most valuable and cost-effective voter-to-voter contact available.

Regional Field Director Maggie Thompson reminded everyone that one of the lessons Barack learned as a community organizer is that change comes from the ground up, and that when individuals commit to taking their future into their hands, they can bring about enormous change.

Your time shows that you are taking Barack’s call-to-action seriously... that you’re committed to fighting to create change in your communities. We should be really proud of what we’re doing, and really proud of our candidate.

After a short campaign update from State Director Jeff Blodgett, volunteers headed to neighborhoods across St. Paul to spread Barack’s message of change.

As Metro State sophomore Michael (above) was leaving, he made it very clear why he was participating in his first canvass, saying:

I have a strong feeling this will be the most important election in my lifetime.

Another volunteer, who has signed up to help lead a “Team Obama” in his neighborhood, said he’s willing to do whatever he can to get Barack elected.

It’s a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it when get Sen. Obama elected.

Canvassers reported being generally well-received by the St. Paul community, which is eager to put the last seven years of failed Bush administration policies behind them.

Accepted A Fellowship with Obama Campaign

Nickie — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:29:13 EDT

I have just been offered and accepted a fellowship with Barack Obama's campaign for the summer. I will be working mostly in Pullman Washington and surrounding areas. I can't tell you how excited I am about this and what a great privledge it is for me personally. I have never been involved in politics like I am now. I am so hopeful that in some small way I can make a difference in Washington. If there are any other Obama supporters who I can coordinate with who are located in Moscow, Idaho or Pullman, Washington, or through WSU or UofI please drop me a message.

Obama 08

Looking for University of Miami students or alumni for magazine article ASAP

Ivette from Miami, FL — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:00:28 EDT

Hi Everyone,

This is Ivette Yee, editor of Arts & Sciences magazine at the University of Miami. I'm looking for UM students or alumni that are campaigning for Obama, please contact me right away at iyee@miami.edu

I am writing a magazine article on politcally active UM students & alumni and my deadline is approaching fast!

Thank you!!!

Obama/Early Voting Event, Greenville

Jessica — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:58:09 EDT

Hi all,I am an intern with the Obama for America headquarters in Greenville and next Thursday (April 17th) we are organizing an event to encourage early voting and to show support for Barack Obama. The tentative time for the event is from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are in the process of organizing transportation to early voting spots and getting food and, hopefully, live music. The location has yet to be determined but we are trying to organize it on ECU's campus. I will post our progress on my blog, so be sure to check back. We hope to see some of you there! .Take care,Jessica McQuade

New Obama HQ opens at the University of Texas Austin- Students Ready to Lead

Zachary Scott Edwards — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:52:43 EST

Over 100 students took a mid-day break from classes to help inaugurate the new UT Obama HQ at Dobie mall just on the outskirts of the University of Texas campus. Student leaders set up a barbecue outside and were helping to feed the volunteers who were signing up for phone banking and campus canvass shifts.

Hope – like barbecue-- comes in unlimited quantities here at Dobie HQ

Things are moving fast here at the University of Texas and the students are really fired up to have an Obama HQ so close to campus. The line to get involved wrapped around the office and there were student videographers and student reporters roaming around hoping to capture this excitement. It’s so inspiring and empowering to see an office filled and staffed by so many young people.

There is a great sound system set up here and the office is decorated with classic Obama pictures as well as some of the more unique art that was donated or painted by students in preparation for the office opening.

There are some really unique opportunities outside the campus and the student grassroots has gotten really creative with their outreach on behalf of Barack Obama. We have seen people wearing sandwich boards directing people to the early vote lookup tool on our website—which is the best way to help Barack because you can vote today at locations all across the state.

Several students have even started their own online organizing teams—reaching out to their friends on Facebook, MySpace (Visit the TX Obama page), and other social networks to get the word out about Barack and encourage their friends, family, and neighbors to vote early.

Join us at the New UT HQ in the Dobie Mall and help us energize and mobilize the UT campus.

SFBO Pledge Card Contest a Success after Study Break with Barack

Zachary Scott Edwards — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:09:13 EST

Students across Nevada have been working hard the last few weeks as our pledge card competition has heated up. After yesterday’s study break with Barack, the contest is officially over. We wanted to thank all of the students who got involved and took a leadership role at their school and in their neighborhood. This type of grassroots effort is a huge asset to the Senator, and he is dedicated to representing students and young people when he is in the White House.

The winner of the pledge card contest was Ayla Brown from Las Vegas Academy. Yesterday Ayla introduced Barack at the Study Break. Check out this video with her.

The awe-inspiring enthusiasm for Barack among students shows just how much they desire change and a voice in Washington. The students’ efforts in Nevada made our pledge card contest an overwhelming success, and we want to thank everyone who was involved in moving more students to stand up and speak out.

Barack’s first bill he introduced when elected into the U.S. Senate was a bill to increase Pell grants for students. Barack has and will continue to fight to improve education in America, and he will take back Washington from the lobbyists and insiders who consistently overlook the opinions and needs of young people and students.

“We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will, but not the money, can still get the best education possible.” –Barack Obama

The top SFBO members who took part in the contest and won will be extended the opportunity to attend an event and meet Barack. Their continued efforts are going to be a huge asset to the Obama campaign in Nevada for the January 19, 2008 caucus. We wanted to make sure that everyone who participated knew how much the Senator appreciated their work, and how much of an important role students will play in the Nevada caucus on January 19th.

Barack Obama has called young people the “backbone” of his campaign, and he needs you on the ground where it counts. We would like to encourage you to sign up for one of our winter internships leading up to the January 19th Nevada caucus. Join us and let’s go change the world.

Here are some pictures from yesterday’s Study Break with Barack. To all our SFBO members, Good luck with your finals and thanks for your hard work!

Students Want Change, Work for Change

Zachary Scott Edwards — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:04:35 EST

Today in Las Vegas, Barack met with over 200 students to discuss the work they have been doing on our campaign and the change they can bring to our country by using their collective voice and by standing up against the cynicism that says the ways of Washington can’t change.

It’s clear from their enthusiasm—and the fact that dozens came back to the three field offices in Las Vegas to volunteer—that they are not only ready for change, but they are going to work to make sure that this opportunity won’t pass them by. You can feel the electricity and the fire in these young people who have never been involved in a campaign before, but who have been moved by Barack and his belief that we must all strive for excellence.

The students roared with approval when Barack spoke about his plan to give students money for college if they answer a call to serve and volunteer at least 100 hours per year. Young people are looking to get an education and get ahead— and Barack is making sure that with hard work, they can.

Ayla Brown with Barack before introducing him today.

You have to be 18 years old by November 4th, 2008 in order to caucus, so on January 19th 2008; Ayla Brown will not stand up and caucus for Senator Obama. She will be four days too young as her birthday is November 8th, 2008. But not even a little thing like age could prevent Ayla Brown from standing up for the type of country she believes in. Ayla recruited 64 friends, family, and fellow classmates at Las Vegas Academy to show up and caucus for Barack. Ayla was also the winner of our High School pledge card contest and as a result she met and introduced Senator Barack Obama at the student rally today.

When you are wondering what just one person can do, think of Ayla and the 64 people who will stand for Barack on January 19th because of her hard work.

The Obama campaign in Nevada would like to thank Ayla and all of the students who are encouraging their fellow classmates to take a stand and speak up for change. This is what a grassroots movement looks like.

Join Us.

***Updated 10:54PM***

During Barack's meeting with students he encouraged each of them to get involved with other peoples' lives. That is the way to build a community. Check out the video below.

Students Looking for Leadership- Barack in Las Vegas on Monday

Zachary Scott Edwards — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:54:58 EST

Students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas have been fighting for years to get new buildings, new teachers, and more funding from the state. Instead, because of proposed funding cuts, they might be getting the exact opposite.

So today on the UNLV campus, a large crowd gathered to hear speeches from college students and community leaders in opposition to the proposed funding cuts.

Every year it seems like college becomes a little more difficult to afford and a little more out of reach for average Americans. It’s extremely important that everyone who wants to attend college gets the opportunity, and Barack Obama, who went to school on scholarships, is dedicated to ensuring that this becomes the American standard.

The very first bill Barack Obama introduced in the U.S. Senate would have helped make college more affordable for many Americans by increasing the maximum Pell Grant from the existing limit of $4,050 to a new maximum of $5,100. Across the country, millions of students use Pell Grants to finance their college educations. Two decades ago, the maximum grant covered 55 percent of costs at a public four-year college, compared with only 32 percent today.

It is imperative that we make changes to this broken system to ensure that we remain competitive in a global economy. Barack Obama is committed to investing in students and our shared future, and he will be a steadfast advocate for issues that matter most to students.

We are happy to announce that Senator Barack Obama will be visiting Las Vegas on Monday December 10th at 2:15 p.m. to speak with Students for Obama members. If you are a student and would like to attend, please RSVP here.

Hope to see you out there on Monday! Remember, Students for Obama members only!

Read more about Barack’s commitment to improving our education system.

Yesterday, Barack Issued a Call to Service. Watch the entire Speech here.

Sharing Her Passion for Learning—Svea Dellea-Messner’s Story

Michael Negron — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:37:58 EST

Svea, front-row middle, in blue.

For as long as she can remember, Svea Dellea-Messner has loved language. Although English Education is her first love and chosen major at SNHU, there was a time when Chemistry was her favorite class, thanks entirely to her teacher, Mr. Hillner. Energized by a teacher who knew how to motivate his students, this science-averse native of Windham, NH came to class each day ready to learn.

“He just had a real passion for the subject and truly cared about whether we were learning from the class. It made me want to do well,” she said.

Svea is studying to become a teacher because she wants to inspire others with the same infectious energy Mr. Hillner brought to his subject. The SNHU junior believes that the most important goal for educators should be to make their students excited about learning.

“If you can make a student feel excited about learning, it stays with them for the rest of their lives,” she said.

She plans on becoming a middle school teacher because she believes those are the critical grade years for nurturing a love of learning in students.

Svea’s path to becoming an educator won’t be easy. When she graduates, she will be shouldering over $20,000 in debt, a sizeable burden for a low-paying profession. But the specter of debt won’t deter her from becoming an educator, and she is looking forward to a semester of student teaching next year to get some firsthand experience.

She is supporting Barack Obama and volunteering for a campaign for the first time because she believes that he can unify the country around an agenda that will help level the educational playing field for all Americans. Svea first heard Barack speak at the SNHU commencement ceremony in May, and she had the opportunity to meet him at a morning roundtable discussion on improving transparency in government in Manchester in early September.

“He’s a genuine, sincere person who really cares about people,” she said. “The fact that he’s a real person gives me confidence that he’ll be someone who can change the way politics is done in Washington."

Students Speaking Out for Barack

Zachary Scott Edwards — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:17:08 EDT

Students Speaking Out for Barack

The Las Vegas Students for Barack Obama chapter helped to bring over 200 students to the Cheyenne High School community event on Thursday. Their dedication to Barack’s message of hope, and our movement to change Washington is truly inspiring. With their help, our organization reaches out to thousands of new supporters, and they have encouraged a long overdue dialogue with young people.

Several students were moved by issues that specifically concern their friends and family, whereas others were inspired to action though Barack’s message of hope and unification.

No matter how you look at it—the Obama campaign is reaching out to students all across Nevada—and students are tuning in, and standing up for change.

At the community event with Senator Obama on Thursday, several students wanted to make sure that other young people heard their reasons for working for Barack. Their candid honesty is apparent, and you will notice a maturity typically held by people who have followed politics for years.

Our campaign wouldn’t be possible without these students’ important contributions…

Rebecca Stephanie

MatthewBritney
LindsayAndre

If you would like to join Students for Obama contact Justo Robles at Jrobles@barackobama.com.

The Judgment to Lead: Two Cities-One Day

Zachary Scott Edwards — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:53:52 EDT

On Thursday in Nevada, Barack Obama delivered a firm warning about the risk of making the same mistakes with Iran that we made in Iraq.

Over 2,000 supporters in Reno and 1,500 in Las Vegas turned out to hear Barack talk about his plan for getting American troops out of Iraq and improving our standing in the world.

Obama’s plan to end the war in Iraq would remove all of our combat brigades within 16 months, while launching the diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives that are needed to advance stability and alleviate suffering in Iraq and the region. He said that the same political excuses some politicians used to justify their vote for the Iraq war are now being used to give this Administration cover for potential military action in Iran.

Before the event in Las Vegas, Barack got a chance to meet with local precinct captains and long-time supporters. One young supporter let Barack know that even though she was only in middle-school, she was still a dedicated volunteer and working hard to convince her family and friends to support his campaign.

Barack is mobilizing tens of thousands of supporters in Nevada and our campaign has energized young people all across the state. Their work for our campaign—and all the work they did to make sure that hundreds of their fellow Cheyenne High School students showed up to hear Barack speak --truly speaks volumes about the energy and passion that Barack is bringing back to politics.

The grassroots youth movement is empowering a whole new generation of active citizens who will someday be leading their communities. It’s impossible to quantify these new surges in political activism and our campaign is consistently surprised by the fantastic work of our young supporters. Barack is going to bring change to Washington, and his message is helping to build the largest grassroots movement of students in generations. Young people want change and they are definitely working to bring it!

Education Crisis in Nevada- Solutions from Barack Obama

Zachary Scott Edwards — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:53:16 EDT

Today, in papers all across the state, Chancellor Jim Rogers has been quoted highlighting some alarming statistics about Nevada, “"We are horribly and fatally undereducated, Nevada is not attracting enough college-educated workers to compensate for our failure to educate its own. We rank 50th in the education level of our young work force."

“Nevada ranks 49th for the number of 9th graders who will graduate from college with a baccalaureate degree,” Rogers said. “It also is 49th nationally for the percentage of its population enrolled in college and in the number of residents who have an associate or bachelor's degrees.”

Barack Obama has been closely monitoring these types of problems all across the country and was asked a very similar question about reversing and improving our education trends.

“Politicians are always telling young people how important it is to go to college, but they rarely mention how we’re supposed to pay for tuition as costs skyrocket. What are you going to do to help kids not only get into, but pay for college?”- Michelle Paladino

“Let me first say that I feel their pain. For the first ten years after my wife and I graduated from law school, our debt from tuition was bigger than our mortgage. It was extraordinarily difficult to climb out from under that, so I empathize there for sure.

Over the past 25 years, tuition at four-year colleges has increased more than 500 percent. At the University of Illinois, tuition and fees have risen 118 percent over the past decade.

Compounding this problem is the fact that the value of grants that students rely on, like the Pell Grant, have eroded. Today, 5.3 million undergraduate students use Pell Grants. But the current $4,050 Pell Grant maximum is $700 less in real terms than the maximum grant 30 years ago.” –Barack Obama

Barack also strongly believes that High School students should be given more access to rigorous college-level courses:

Students who participate in Advanced Placement (AP) programs, which give students the opportunity to take college-level courses in high school, are much more likely to enroll and be successful in college. While enrollment in AP courses has nearly tripled over the past decade, many students attend schools that do not offer AP classes. Barack Obama, with Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), introduced a bipartisan plan to allow students who do not have access to college-level courses at their high schools, to apply for need-based grants and seek credit at local colleges or community colleges.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Rogers said in the future students will have to pay more for tuition, but more funds must be available for loans and scholarships so they can be full-time students, a key factor in a student's likelihood of completing college.

“It also will require business people to create more student internships, offer tuition assistance as an employee benefit and give employees paid time off to take college courses”, he [Rogers] said.

Education has been, and will continue to be, a top priority of Barack Obama’s administration:

Free Up Money for Student Aid and Protect Student Borrowers: Currently, there are two basic college loan programs. The Direct Loan system allows students to borrow from the government through their schools. The Federal Family Education Loan Program instead gives private banks federal subsidies to make government-backed student loans. These privately funded FFEL loans cost about $6 more per $100 loan than loans through the Direct Loan program. Barack Obama cosponsored Senator Kennedy's Student Debt Relief Act, which encourages colleges to participate in the Direct Loan program and use the savings to invest in grant aid to students. The legislation also increases need-based aid, and decreases fees and interest rates for student loans. Obama would eliminate wasteful subsidies to private student lenders and instead support the federal Direct Loan program, invest the savings in additional student aid, and add greater transparency to the student financial aid process.

Expand Summer Learning Opportunities: Differences in learning opportunities during the summer contribute to the achievement gaps that separate struggling poor and minority students from their middle-class peers. Barack Obama's "STEP UP" plan addresses this achievement gap by supporting summer learning opportunities for disadvantaged children through partnerships between local schools and community organizations. One portion of this proposal was included in a comprehensive bill to improve U.S. competitiveness that passed the Senate in April 2007, with a provision for summer programs focused on increasing student math and problem-solving skills.

"Summer is an incredible opportunity to help children who are under-performing in school achieve grade-level proficiency, develop as young leaders, and enter school ready to excel in the fall. The support of Senators Obama and Mikulski demonstrates their commitment to children and education. The STEP UP Act is a tremendous opportunity to deepen and expand our impact on children's lives and help them achieve high academic standards." - Earl Martin Phalen, CEO of BELL (Building Educational Leaders for Life)

Barack Obama strongly supports students and students strongly support Barack Obama. If you would like to get involved in Students for Barack Obama, to work for change, and secure a strong future for America and young adults, sign up with a chapter that has been formed at your school! Or create your own!

Watch the Students for Barack Obama video HERE.

If you have any questions contact the Nevada Youth Vote Director, Justo Robles, at Jrobles@barackobama.com

"We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will, but not the money, can still get the best education possible.” - Barack Obama

University of Nevada, Reno Students Working for Change

Zachary Scott Edwards — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:03:52 EDT

Students who are organizing on their college campuses have many unique challenges to get out their votes. Balancing class schedules, work schedules, family obligations, and social lives typically leaves little time for organizational meetings and canvass efforts. It is also typically very difficult to find a time during the week when all of the student officers can meet up and discuss strategy and outreach efforts.

That is why the Obama campaign in Nevada is very proud of the innovative approach to organizing that has been created by the student leaders at the University of Nevada, Reno. Marysa, the President of SFBO at UNR came up with this great tool for college students looking to organize:

The Northern Nevada Students for Barack Obama is now scheduling several meetings throughout each week. The majority of our membership wasn’t able to attend the weekly meetings on Thursday’s, so the Executive Board for NNSFBO created five different times and days of the week for members to attend. These meetings will be held by five committee leaders and will cover information provided to them weekly by the elected President. Upcoming events and specific tasks for the committees will be assigned weekly. The club at the University of Nevada believes this will be very effective for creating more memberships and participation throughout the campus.

Our regular scheduled meeting for the week of October 8 has been cancelled; however on October 18th at 5pm NNSFBO will come together as they hear from a guest speaker. The times and days of the week for each committee will be decided on October 9, 2007 at 11:00 pm.

If you attend the University of Nevada, Reno, and want to help organize the campus for Barack Obama, send an email with your Name, Year, and Major to Marysa (Email).

Also, to learn more about SFBO at the University of Nevada, Reno, join these MyBO and Facebook groups:

UNR Students for Obama (MyBO Group)

UNR Students for Obama (Facebook Group)

In case you were wondering how Maritza, our SFBO Vice-President who is embattled in a free speech case with the UNR administrators, is doing, here is an update on her progress:

I have started to write legislation to introduce to the Senate in a couple of weeks. My legislation will allow posters, and banners in dorm windows as long as the messages don't defy the Nevada obscenity laws. Also, I'm planning a free speech rally in front of the dorms the day before I turn in my legislation to the Senate. My ACLU Student Chapter club is also working on getting thousands of individual petitions signed by students. I have a couple of weeks to accomplish this task, but hopefully we will make this campus a little better for students. The ACLU of Nevada is supporting me and has officially decided to represent me in a legal process. We are looking forward to working for change.

The Obama campaign in Nevada wants to thank Marysa and Maritza and all of the UNR SFBO committee leaders who are organizing their campus for Barack. Ensuring that the student vote goes to our campaign is going to be a big step towards Barack winning the January 19th Nevada caucus.

If you would like to get involved in any of the Students for Barack Obama Nevada Chapters contact:

Justo Robles

Nevada Youth Vote Director

Obama for America

JRobles@barackobama.com

702-253-2008

Calling All Students in Nevada

Zachary Scott Edwards — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:18:30 EDT

Students in Nevada-

My name is Justo Robles, and I am the Nevada Youth Vote Director at Obama for America. Our campaign is offering to turn the page on the politics of the past and is reaching out to students in an unprecedented effort. Our goal is to not only empower students, but to also encourage them to voice their opinions and speak truth to power. Our movement for change is sweeping the nation, and we want to make sure that you, your classmates, friends, and family are all able to join us!

I would also like to explain the importance of starting the Students for Barack Obama chapter at your school. Students are going to have a very big influence on the Nevada caucus on January 19th. That’s why you must start organizing your school today!

The first step is to create a chapter, or organize an existing chapter, at your school. Then you must help your chapter grow by getting more of your friends involved. As a grassroots campaign, you represent Senator Obama at your school, and as a chapter of SFBO, you are an official arm of the campaign.

Students at your school will look to you for answers and ways they can get involved (We will provide official campaign materials and anything else you need!). We also have local field organizers that will help you to stay up-to-date with the latest news from our campaign.

Our organizers will also need your help growing our organization in your school. They will contact you with events, meetings, and rallies, in which students would benefit from attending. Students must stand up for their voice to be heard!

Ways to get involved today:

Make sure that you sign up with our online networks. Search them out and join! If they don’t already exist, start one!

The following are sites you should sign on today:

MyBarackObama.com:

Nevada Students for Obama

Facebook:

Nevada Students for Barack Obama

MySpace:

Nevada for Barack Obama

Homecoming week is just around the corner. A great way your chapter can get involved and establish an Obama presence at your school will be to sign up supporters at Homecoming events and inform them of your next meetings. If you need any help with ideas or logistics, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Obama HQ.
Volunteer or Intern at your local Obama campaign office. We need your ideas and your help! We also highly recommend asking your teacher/advisor if they give out credit for volunteering and/or interning. If you are going to be attending college or plan on getting a job, a reference letter from an Obama Field Organizer or Regional Field Director can go a long way! Think about your future and how we can work together to make that a reality…

We look forward to working with you and your chapter to make sure Senator Obama gets into the White House!

If you have any other ideas for reaching out to young voters and the community, don’t hesitate to share it with us.

Justo Robles

Nevada Youth Vote Director

Obama for America

JRobles@barackobama.com

702-253-2008

Students for Obama Establishes High School Chapters

Zachary Scott Edwards — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:54:36 EDT

Saturday afternoon at the Doolittle Community Center in Las Vegas, student representatives from several local high schools gathered to discuss Barack Obama, and were given lessons on student organizing from our fantastic team of youth organizers. Several students were interested in learning more about some of Barack’s policies, whereas others were already passionate about his work and our movement for change. Everyone ended up getting a crash course in caucus politics and youth organizing and walked away with packets of information to absorb before our first student-run Obama organizing meetings at local high schools last this week.

Students for Barack Obama:

Senator Obama’s candidacy for President has inspired millions of young Americans to believe in their power to make America great again. Students for Barack Obama, founded in the summer of 2006, began with a few students using Facebook to petition Senator Obama to run for President in 2008. The passion and dedication of thousands of students has transformed that movement into the official student organization of Obama for America — and one of the largest grassroots student organizations in history.

Bring Senator Obama’s message of hope, action, change to your school today by finding a chapter at your school or creating your own chapter of Students for Barack Obama!

If you are interested in setting up a SFBO chapter at your school please email the Nevada Youth Vote Director Justo Robles at jrobles@barackobama.com.

Information for contacting the Obama campaign in Nevada through online networks:

Obama for America- Nevada MySpace

Students for Barack Obama MyBo.com Page

Student Rewind (September 16-22)

FreedomOfSpeechForObama2008 — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:27:55 EDT

CP/ DNC PB BLOG

Snip:

by Students for Barack Obama Blog

Mon Sep 24, 2007 at 11:29:59 AM PDT

A look at what Students for Barack Obama has been doing...

In the news this week....

SOURCE

First Blog Post!

Samantha J. Nelson — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:28:19 EDT

Dear Cabrillo College For Obama Members,

Sorry this took so long!

Please feel free to blog freely!

Take care!

Samantha

"Obama Wows College Democrats Convention"

Alexandra MacCallum — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:26:07 EDT

The reviews are in. Barack "wowed" the College Democrats of America yesterday, bringing everyone in the room to his or her feet.

The Columbia State headlines its article on the convention: "Obama wows convention."

Sen. Barack Obama brought college students to their feet Thursday at USC, reinforcing for many of them why he has captured their attention in the 2008 Democratic presidential race.

In his speech, Barack talked about uniting the country:

The reason that this president has failed to lead this country is because he hasn't been able to unite our country. He's polarized us when he should have pulled us together. That's why the experience we need in the next president is the ability to bring this country together. It's not enough to just change parties.

Check out video of the speech here. And join Students for Barack Obama here.

LIVE: Barack @ CDA

T. Neil Sroka — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:00:24 EDT

I'm Neil, the New Media Director in South Carolina, and I'm super excited to be blogging LIVE from the College Democrats of America convention in right here in the capitol of the Palmetto State, Columbia.

The Students for Obama team is already here in mass and Barack should be starting his speech around 5pm EST. Click the Read More link below to follow the speech as it happens.

Last Updated: 5:12 PM EST

Read More>>

Obama Issues Video Campaign -- Call for Participants

Stephanie — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:10:33 EDT

LIGHTS!
CAMERA!
TELL YOUR STORY!

CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS IN AND AROUND LOS ANGELES!

Do you or someone you know have a story to tell? We want to hear from you!

As part of our efforts to help Senator Obama get elected president, we're shooting a series of personal stories that illustrate how we're all affected by politics. The goal is to put faces on the issues that affect real Americans, and of course to show how Obama's policies and goals can really make a difference in our lives – and our country!

If you've been adversely affected by policy or intolerance (for instance: lack of health care/health insurance, poor conditions in public schools, racism, sexism, homophobia, War – or anything else that comes to mind), we'd love to hear your story. We're open to anyone but are specifically looking for the following:

Public School Teachers
Iraq War Families or Vets Homeless or Disabled Vet
Healthcare Horror Stories (yours or those of a loved one who has passed)
Gay Couples / Gay Christians
Interacial Couples
Anyone who has experienced discrimination
Students/Grads affected by financial aid (loans or inability to attend b/c of exorbitant costs).
Community Activists

Videos will be featured online, on the ObamaLA site and beyond. Participants must be willing to speak on camera and have their faces associated with the campaign (those featured will be asked to sign a release). For details – or to tell us your story – please email Stephanie and Julia at whyobama@obamala.com. Please include "ISSUES VIDEOS" in the subject line.

This is your chance to give a real voice to your concerns and to show others like yourself that they have a place to go where they will be heard in 2008!