Campaign focuses on education as a priority
by Juan Esparza Loera
Vida en el Valle | July 18, 2007

[FRESNO]  Jessie Ryan understands all too closely what it means to use education to fulfill childhood dreams.

She grew up in a single-parent family that moved constantly. Her mother would read her the tale of Cinderella, but with a twist.

"My mother would end the story, instead of saying she lived happily ever after, that Cinderella went to college," said Ryan. "I was five years old at the time, and I didn't realize that was not the real ending."

Her mother's message, however, convinced Ryan to go to college.

"It drove me to think that I could do great things in life," said Ryan.

Today, Ryan is trying to get the message to students with similar economic backgrounds, especially Latinos, to focus their attention on college. And, she is leading a drive to get state legislators to make sure colleges are adequately prepared for a boom of students in the future.

"We want to make sure the next generation of students have a seat in college," said Ryan, regional outreach coordinator for The Campaign for College Opportunity.

Ryan, who is based in Modesto, made her remarks at a reception last Wednesday to honor winners of a student contest where students in sixth- through 12th-grade expressed their thoughts on why colleges should save them a place in college. The contest included essays, posters, radio spots and videos.

Scholarship winners -- including Arturo Melgoza, Dulce Carolina Domínguez and Yesenia Moreno -- received scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Courtney Carriero, a scholarship recipient last year, spoke about three diverse students in her winning essay. The students had different GPAs and led different lives, but, she said, "all these students have potential."

"Imagine what can be accomplished if we give each of these students a chance," said Carriero, who remains active in the campaign.

Fred Ruiz, chairman and CEO of Ruiz Food Products, expressed concern that California colleges and universities will not be able to accommodate a wave of students in the future.

"We have a major concern that our colelge will not be able to handle that," said Ruiz. "That would be a terrible crime."

Ruiz, who serves on the UC Board of Regents, encouraged students and their parents to "send a message to Sacramento that you are serious about college."

The campaign is designed to remind legislators to make sure that the next generation of Californians have the opportunity to go to college as promised by the 1960 master plan for higher education. The state Department of Finance estimates the number of students who will want to go to college by 2014 but won't have a place to go will be 640,000.

Ryan and others are supporting SB 890, a proposal that ensures that students and their families understand that if they prepare for college, the state will give provide them that opportunity, and provide financial aid.

The campaign also uses students to serve as ambassadors for college opportunity. 
Details: (800) 459-9586.