1000 Student Voices Press Release

SOS will hold a press conference at 8:30 a.m. Friday Dec. 4th at the state Capitol.

Topic 1: 1000 Student Voices About Furlough Fridays

SOS will announce a new project at the press conference, "1000 Student Voices About Furlough Fridays."

In an effort to spotlight student perspective about furlough days, education, and leadership in our state, SOS is now accepting student-produced letters, artwork, and video messages. A few students will be on hand at the press conference to read their "1000 Student Voices" submissions.

"We want to put the focus on the voices of the students who are directly involved," said Marguerite Butler-Higa. "The decision-makers need to know how smart and talented the keiki are." She added, "We have heard from policymakers, the unions, and community leaders. The one voice that has been largely absent from the discussion is that of the students. What do the kids think about all of this?"

The project will wrap up mid-January, just before the beginning of the legislative session. SOS Hawaii will deliver "1000 Student Voices" submissions to the governor, legislators, DOE, BOE, HSTA, HGEA, and the UPW. Additional information about the project is posted on the SOS Hawaii website: www.sos808.org

Submissions may be in the form of letters, photos, videos, and artwork (including wreaths). Electronic submissions (in doc, text, pdf, jpg) are accepted electronically via the website http://www.sos808.org (please send us a link to your You Tube Submissions) or by e-mail to saveourschoolshi@gmail.com. Please mail hardcopy submissions to

1000 Student Voices
c/o Clare
1617 Kapiolani Blvd. #202
Honolulu HI 96814

1000 voices kickoff event: Create to Celebrate — Holiday wreaths

The first phase of the "1000 Student Voices" project will be launched this Friday (Dec. 4) at a craft-making event at Mark's Garage, 2-4 p.m.

This Friday marks the fifth furlough day in the 2009-2010 school year. SOS sincerely hopes that by January furlough days will be a thing of the past. In the spirit of the holiday season, Save Our Schools Hawai'i, together with other groups, parents and youth, will create "Student Voices" art and wreaths from recycled materials. Students will be invited to creatively express how they feel about public school education and the furlough situation, and what the future of their education means to them.

Families, community members, and vendors will display the wreaths during the month of December and into January 2010 in support of this important public youth-centered dialogue.

Topic 2: Furlough Friday Negotiations

In addition, on this fifth "Furlough Friday" parents and children will be knocking on the doors of the decision-makers in an effort to get an update on the status of furlough negotiations.

www.sos808.org

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