ScholarshipsA-Z:: Open Voices Blog

Undocumented & Unafraid in Alabama

2011-11-16T16:20:00.000-08:00

You're watching this video because Fernanda Marroquin, a talented DREAMer, has been arrested. As an undocumented student who is unafraid and unapologetic, Fernanda and the other 12 protesters arrested in Alabama's capitol on Tuesday, show us what courage really looks like. Watch her video. Listen to her story. Her struggle is our struggle. Read more. Help get the protesters out of jail.

Fernanda has a lot to risk, yet she IS UNAFRAID. Are YOU?

~Matt

"Secure Communities" Are Anything But

2011-08-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it will "move ahead with its controversial Secure Communities immigration enforcement program, even if states do not agree to participate." Read more.

This move by President Obama's administration is disappointing and ridiculous. "Secure Communities" does anything BUT provide security to our families. Instead, it tears families apart and threatens the most basic tenet of a community: a sense of safety and care for each other. With this program, who will want to report any crimes in their neighborhoods, with the fear that they may be detained by ICE agents?

United We Dream notes:

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as of May 23, 2011, the U.S. government has deported 1,026,517 immigrants since the beginning of fiscal year 2009. That figure includes noncriminal immigrants and DREAMers who are victims of our outdated immigration system. (Read more.)

This program is a problem for ALL of us as citizens, DREAMers, etc. Don't let our broken immigration system continue to break apart our communities. Get in involved. Call President Obama at 202-456-1111. Here is a sample phone script.

- Matt

Co-director & Co-founder

ScholarshipsA-Z

Immigration Audits' Effect on Small Businesses

2011-07-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

The New York Times just recently posted an article about how small businesses can survive an immigration audit. The article raised a couple of interesting points. First, it points out that one of the main “narratives” behind programs like E-Verify and the Secure Communities initiative is one of “unscrupulous employers seeking cheap labor” as Craig Regelbrugge, a lawyer and lobbyist with the American Nursery and Landscape Association. However, as the article points out, many employers treat their undocumented employees just as well as they would treat documented ones. For example, an East Coast agricultural business owner was forced to fire several members of his management team, who were being paid $12 to $15 an hour, well above minimum wage; they had vacation pay as well.

Furthermore, the immigration audits are rather ineffective. ICE does not arrest all the workers that have just been fired. As a result, the workers oftentimes stay in the area and find another job. David Cox of L.E. Cooke Company nurseries knew for a fact that several of the workers he had to fire found other jobs nearby. In fact, ICE’s immigration audits seem to harm the small business owners more than anyone else. Mr. Cox estimates that his expenses went up 10% for the year, and the East Coast agricultural business owner had to reduce his 2011 sales goals by 15%. What do you think of ICE’s immigration audits? Have you or someone you know been affected by the audits, E-Verify, or the Secure Communities initiative?

Mini-Legislation Update: So Close Yet So Far

2011-07-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Maryland was on the brink of joining the likes of California and Texas in passing its own version of the DREAM Act. It would have given undocumented immigrants the opportunity to attend in-state universities and pay an in-state tuition. However, opponents of the law have successfully gathered enough signatures (100,000) to send the law to the voters as a referendum during the next election in 2012. The law would have taken effect this month, but instead DREAMers in Maryland will have to wait more than a year just for the chance to get in-state tuition.

In other news, Alabama and Georgia are already feeling the economic backlash of their strict anti-immigrant laws. People have already started packing up and leaving because they (understandably) do not want to be around when the law takes effect. As a result, there is a severe shortage in workers despite relatively high unemployment rates. For example, there are not enough people to help rebuild and repair the damages left in the wake of Alabama’s recent tornados. Georgian farmers had to leave many crops to rot in the fields because of a lack of workers. The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association estimates around $300 million in profits lost.

--Susan

Opportunity Costs of College

2011-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Today I’ve been reading about college admissions. More specifically admission boosts received by different “hooks” as they are called by potential college admits and counselors. Although there have been a few studies done about the benefits that each hook invests upon the applicants, the most definitive one I found was “The Opportunity Cost of Admission Preferences at Elite Universities” done by Princeton Professors Thomas J. Espenshade and Chang Y. Chung. They examined the profile of the applicant pool and the admitted students at five elite universities. Put simply, they found that affirmative action benefitted African-American and Hispanic applicants immensely at the cost of only Asian applicants. White students were unaffected by the policies.

If an applicant’s race were to affect their SAT score the boost would be the following:

▪ African-Americans: +230

▪ Hispanics: +185

▪ Asians: –50

▪ Whites: 0

They found that if affirmative action were to be eliminated the rate of admission of Hispanics would fall from 26.8 to 12.9 percent and that of African-Americans would fall from 33.7 to 12.2 percent. The admission rate of Asians would increase from 17.6 to 23.4 percent. The admission rate for Whites did not change. What this means is that Affirmative action does not affect White applicants, helps African-American and Hispanic applicants tremendously, and hurts Asian applicants.

Next the study looked at the effect of legacy admission. The study found that legacy admission had very little effect on the racial composition of the admitted class. The proportion of White students went from 49.4 to 51.5 percent. “Minority student effects go in the opposite direction, but they are not large. The African-American share among admitted students declines modestly from 9.2 to 9.0 percent, the Hispanic share falls from 8.3 to 7.9 percent, and Asians now account for 23.7 percent of all admitted students instead of 25.1 percent.” What this tells us is that legacy admission will probably change the composition of who gets in but will hardly change the racial composition of the class.

So if you ever get into a debate on affirmative action or legacy admission share these numbers! Otherwise, of course, you could just argue with truthiness.

A new Calculus of Immigration

2011-07-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

At the risk of being written off as naïve or not cynical enough, yesterday’s NYTimes article titled “Better Lives for Mexicans Cut Allure of Going North” gave me hope. It’s a long article so I wont summarize it for you but I would definitely recommend it. What I got from it was that times, as Bob Dylan famously sang, are a-changin’. The country we live, the draconian political climate around this country is neither sustainable nor permanent. Mexico’s economy is growing, there’s less poverty now than there was even five years ago and more people have access to better schools and better jobs.

Either way. Because I think a little celebration is healthy, take a look at the article!

Jacob

The STAPLE Act and the DREAM Act

2011-07-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting opinion piece in the Daily Californian today about the DREAM Act and the STAPLE Act, which I’d never heard of before. STAPLE stands for Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s from Leaving the Economy, and it’s an act designed to stop the brain drain of people with advanced degrees in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields from leaving the country. It would give automatic green cards to foreign students who gained a higher degree in those fields. It has been advocated by Bill Gates, President Obama, and both Democratic and Republican representatives. The writer of the article, Peggy Sands Orchowski, did not specify why the act did not pass originally, but it’s interesting to think of it in terms of the DREAM Act. She thinks that Democrats could try to attach the DREAM Act to the STAPLE Act, since it has more bipartisan support, and that the two acts could possibly pass together.

Another intriguing point she made was (I think) intended to be a throw away comment to start off the piece but really had me thinking. She said that immigration reform is not “dead” in the current Congress the way that people think. While it is true that comprehensive immigration reform has hit a brick wall, immigration reform in general still has a chance of happening piece by piece. This made me wonder, does immigration reform have to pass all at once? I’m aware that immigration is a really complex issue that requires multiple legislation changes and that the easiest way to do that would be to pass everything at once, but with the current political climate the way it is, would it be easier to pass things one at a time? What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Click here to read the opinion piece.

Intersections (Third Culture Kids)

2011-06-30T15:51:00.001-07:00

Part 1

During the month I’ve been here in Tucson, I’ve heard a few people talk about the border region as a different country. Culturally it’s neither Mexico nor the United States. Sure, the road signs and official notices are in English, but just about every business has signs in Spanish. Hot dogs aren’t eaten with ketchup or relish, instead they are wrapped in bacon and topped off with beans and guacamole and are called Sonora dogs. Until recently, too, the public school system emphasized Hispanic-American culture in its history classes as part of the region’s cultural heritage (similar to how south eastern states emphasize history about the civil war period). Granted, the border is a political boundary between two nations symbolized by a wall, but in many ways it is also their intersection.

Intersections fascinate me. For one, there is a newness about them that I rarely encounter in my day-to-day life. Intersections shake things up, and call into question established paradigms (Only ketchup on your hot dog? Why not try some bacon, guacamole and beans!) They bring new energy (and perspectives) to old conversations. (How else would California and Arizona have such beautiful architecture?) In a lot of ways, I guess, living at an intersection is like living an experiment where eureka moments happen frequently to those making an effort to understand each other.

Living at an intersection is sometimes uncomfortable, too. It asks its inhabitants to be patient with the frustration of not understanding each other. (It’s no secret that it is less frustrating to speak with words than with charades.) Differing social norms and values challenge each other at intersections as well. But anyone who lives in an intersection is living proof this isn’t an insurmountable challenge.

My bus ride home last night exemplified this intersection perfectly for me. Without giving it much thought, I picked an open seat. Two spots down from me sat a seventy-something Anglo woman who wore an American flag handkerchief to keep her hair in place. She would yell out “Have a great night and God bless you!” to whomever got off the bus. A few minutes into the bus ride an older Hispanic woman got on the bus as well and sat between the older white woman and me. The Anglo woman, being friendly, tried to strike up a conversation in English with the Hispanic woman, who just responded with a nod and a smile because she didn’t speak the language. Unabashed, the Anglo woman pointed at the picture on one of the Hispanic woman’s bags. It was of two lovers and said “I will love you. Always.” The two women smiled at another, the two laughed, and then one pantomimed that she still dances like a young woman with her husband. Both laughed again. Despite being unable to communicate with words, each woman left the bus with a new friend.

Written by Jacob Hanger.

Based on this book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid

New ICE Memo Released

2011-06-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, ICE director John Morton released a memo urging officers to exercise prosecutorial discretion when dealing with undocumented people. Prosecutorial discretion is “the authority of an agency or officer charged with enforcing a law to decide whether to enforce the law in a particular case” (Immigration Policy Center). In other words, it is an officer’s ability to decide which case he/she wants to pursue. The memo describes some basic guidelines when it comes to prioritizing cases: the people who are trying to harm the United States should be dealt with first so that ICE’s limited resources do not go to waste.

This memo is different from previous memos because it outlines specific factors that officers should take into account. First, there are 19 categories that officers should think about when deciding how to proceed. They include anything from the age of the person to whether the person has family who are citizens, from the person’s criminal history to whether the person is the primary caretaker for a seriously ill family member. In addition, there are 8 positive factors that the memo says should “prompt particular care and consideration” (ICE Memo). Among those are whether the person is a veteran or member of the U.S. armed forces and if the person has lived in the United States since childhood. It is implied that exercising prosecutorial discretion with people that fall under these categories means not necessarily deporting them immediately.

While this memo is in no way a substitute for the DREAM Act, it is certainly a step in the right direction. Now we just have to wait and see what ICE officers will do.

Click here to check out the article

Senator McCain places blame for wild fires on migrants

2011-06-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

Senator McCain recently told the media that he believes the wildfires along the Arizona-Mexico border were started by migrants crossing the border (You can read more about it here). When asked why he believed what he did, he said he couldn’t back it up with facts. Still, he insisted that it was the crossing migrants. So what do we have here? To me it sounds like nothing more than a hunch.

This story exemplifies a few things that are interesting about the current state of our society. First and foremost it serves to show the priorities of our the media machine in this country. In very few countries would the unfounded opinion of a politician make headline news. Here McCain decided to throw some blame on the migrants crossing the desert, and the news, knowing that the American public loves sensationalistic stories, spread it everywhere.

So who’s to blame? McCain for stating an opinion or the media for taking something unfounded and sensationalizing it? To be honest, I think there’s enough blame to go around. McCain for being either naïve or misleading and the media for having very lose reporting standards.

What do you think?

Written by Jacob Hanger

Pulitzer Prize Winner Comes out as Undocumented, Starts Campaign to Support DREAM Act

2011-06-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Jose Antonio Vargas is a re-known journalist who has worked for the Washington Post and even earned a prestigious Pulitzer Prize award for his coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Besides being a re-known journalist, Vargas is also undocumented.

Vargas says that it was last December's failed effort to pass the DREAM Act that pushed him to come out of the shadows, share his status and start his own efforts to support the passage of the DREAM Act.

Read and watch his ABC News interview here.

Visit Vargas' just launched website: http://www.defineamerican.com

And watch his story:

Legislation Update (GA and AL)

2011-06-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

HB 87 (Georgia)

On May 13, 2011 Georgia’s governor Nathan Deal signed HB 87 into law. This is one of the toughest laws so far against immigrants. It would allow law enforcement officers to demand to know the immigration status of people involved with other criminal investigations and make the use of fake identification punishable by as much as 15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. It would also punish people who “knowingly transport illegal immigrants during the commission of a crime” with up to a year in jail and up to $1000.

A group of civil and immigrant rights groups have sued the state of Georgia and requested a temporary injunction on the law until the end of the lawsuit. One of the people involved in the lawsuit is Republican Paul Bridges, mayor of Uvalda. He wrote an opinion piece on CNN’s website defending his decision to challenge the law, arguing that the law will deal a devastating blow to Uvalda and Georgia’s economy, especially to small businesses and farmers who already have trouble finding enough workers. His arguments are interesting in that they point out why the law runs counter to Republican ideals. First, he paints the law as the ultimate government intrusion; in his small town of 600, neighbors often help each other out by giving rides. Now, it could be a crime to do so if the passenger happened to be an undocumented person. Second, he points out the sheer amount of money that will be lost to this law and reminds people that it is not the fiscal responsibility that Republicans believe in.

Click here to read the full text of Mayor Paul Bridges’ opinion piece.

People left of center have always been the majority of those fighting anti-immigration laws. It is very heartening to see someone like Mayor Paul Bridges, firmly right of center, also stand against this law.

HB 56 (Alabama):

Governor Robert Bentley signed Alabama’s copycat version of SB 1070 into law on June 9th, 2011. Like Georgia’s law, it allows police officers to question someone’s immigration status if he/she is stopped by law enforcement for any reason. It also makes it a crime to transport or rent housing to an undocumented person.

Unique to Alabama, however, are two other more restrictive provisions. One is the requirement that businesses cross check all their employees’ immigration statuses with an online system called E-Verify. This will generate high costs for businesses in both its implementation and its effects on their employees. Another provision requires schools to collect information on where its students and their parents were born. Lawmakers claim the information will just be used as data to answer the question of how much Alabama is spending to educate undocumented children, but parents will most definitely be concerned about the implications for their children’s safety. Some might even decide to not send their children to school.

The law takes effect on September 1, but the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama has filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.

"Why did we have to read this book?”

2011-06-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last time I heard Professor Louis Menard speak, he emphasized that value of a liberal education was "knowledge for the sake of knowledge." He lamented the dwindling number of people graduating with degrees that celebrate knowledge over its practicality. He told us that something like a fifth of all university students are non-traditional students, and that the majority of majors are technical fields. He explained, though, that the liberal arts system of education has not actually been around for a very long time. In the 1880's Harvard made an undergraduate degree mandatory to enroll in its Law School and Med School. Other universities followed suit.

That one decision revolutionized the role of universities in the United States. Students were required to navigate four years of requirements in vastly different fields of study, and hopefully find an interest along the way. They were told to not worry about their career until the end of their collegiate stint. That things would just work out.

Other countries, disagreed with this model of tertiary education. The British model pigeonholes students into their career right after their secondary education (which is already somewhat specialized). The French model gives most people access to a first year of university studies but requires them to pass a test after that year proving they are capable of finishing their studies. Both of these systems require that 17 year old make decisions about their future careers and do not give them a way out.

Enter globalization. Competitiveness is king. The world is flat. And if you don't watch out your job could be sent half-way around the world over night.

With so much uncertainty it seems almost irresponsible to risk irrelevancy by studying something that doesn't guarantee one a job, especially when degrees can cost upwards of $200,000. And that's what is happening. The trend has been an increase in technical degrees like engineering and a decrease in traditional liberal arts degrees.

I'm getting degrees in Political Science and Latin American Studies. Does that mean I'm not worried about getting a job? I am actually terrified about not finding a job.

But there is a reason I am not pursuing a technical degree.

I went to a high school that is comparable to MIT. By the time I graduated I knew how to program in Java, Ruby, Python, and C. I had taken Differential Equations, and Complex Analysis. In short, I knew more math and engineering than I ever wanted to know. When I got to college I decided I wanted to pursue the social sciences I didn't get the chance to in High School.

I have loved every single moment of it. I have read the same treaties and books the founders of our government did. I have learned the languages of the Americas (Spanish and Portuguese), and have studies their cultures. And, you know, every new language is a new job market.

What I'm trying to get at, is this: the way I see it, college is meant to change the way one thinks. It is an artificial environment meant to stimulate its students. For many, college is the first time they have been somewhere like this. The stimulation is important because the students are constantly being challenged to break with their home paradigms. Though non-liberal arts education is obviously stimulating in the area the student is mean to study, I question how stimulating it is in areas the student is not meant to study (my guess would be not very). For example, a British studying chemistry will only take chemistry classes, and maybe one research paper writing class.

So, what's the point of this? Well, I have no problem with being practical about education. I think it's a great idea, actually. Unfortunately, I am afraid technical degrees sometimes short-change the student in areas they aren't deliberately studying. So as we think about ways to change education, we should keep in mind what we are forsaking for competitiveness.

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Written by Jacob Hanger. Based on: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2011/06/06/110606crat_atlarge_menand?currentPage=all

Sen. Reid: DREAM Act is win-win

2011-06-17T16:47:00.001-07:00

In May of this year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) reintroduced the DREAM Act. A few days ago, he wrote an opinion piece advocating for its passage. For those who aren’t clear what the DREAM Act entails, here’s a refresher: if you come to the United States before 16 years of age, live here for at least five years, graduate from high school, stay out of trouble, and either serve two years in the military or complete two years of college, you would be eligible to become a lawful resident (Reid, “Senate’s DREAM Act is win-win”).

It’s interesting to see what arguments Senator Reid makes in favor of the DREAM Act. The most fascinating for me was how he used the story of Corporal José Luis Gutierrez, a permanent resident from Guatemala who came to the United States undocumented. He says:

Hundreds of thousands of non-citizens fight in our military. And hundreds of thousands more want to serve our nation, which they love as their own. But they can’t, because their parents brought them here illegally, and, unlike Cpl. Gutierrez, they aren’t fortunate to qualify for one of the very few routes to legalization that exist.

While I’m not sure of the validity of this claim, it’s interesting because he is assumedly attempting to appeal to a conservative crowd, who might have a more positive view of immigrants that love the United States and want to serve in the military. In addition, he makes several other arguments in his opinion piece. If you would like to read more, click here.

The Battle to Save Ethnic Studies Continues

2011-06-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Superintendent John Huppenthal declared that the Tucson Unified School District’s Ethnic Studies program, specifically Mexican-American Studies, violates A.R.S. §15-112, the law that resulted from HB 2281. He based the decision on an Arizona Department of Education audit, claiming that the audit shows that the program violates 3 of the 4 sections in the law:

1) that it promotes resentment towards a race or class of people
2) that it is designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic race
3) that it advocates ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals

Click here for the full text of Huppenthal’s statement

However, as Jeff Biggers of the Huffington Post says, the audit does not actually conclude what the superintendent claims. In fact, Biggers quotes extensively from the audit, which has such gems as “No evidence as seen by the auditors exists to indicate that instruction within Mexican American Studies Department program classes advocates ethnic solidarity; rather it has been proven to treat student as individuals” (Pg. 63). He then goes on to quote two more sections that, when combined with the quote above, effectively disprove all of the Superintendent’s claims.

Click here for the full text of Jeff Biggers’ blog

TUSD now has 60 days to bring MAS and the Ethnic Studies program into compliance with A.R.S. §15-112 or else the district will lose 10% of its state funding. The fight to save Ethnic Studies is not over; 11 teachers are still involved in a lawsuit against TUSD. For more information about the battle to save Ethnic Studies, visit http://www.saveethnicstudies.org/

Education is the Safest Investment

2011-05-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Oregon State Senate recently approved SB 742, also known as the tuition equity bill. It now rests in the hands of the State House. While this may seem like legislators are debating another immigration bill, they're actually deciding whether or not to invest in the strengthening and creation of an educated and skilled workforce.

As expressed in their public letter of support, even the business community agrees that SB 742, which would "extend in-state tuition rates to all qualified graduates of Oregon high schools, regardless of immigration status" is necessary for the future of Oregon's economy. So what's the holdup?

And as one Oregon student, an ally of undocumented students, so powerfully told some legislators, "My future is made better by giving [undocumented students] the opportunity to have a better future for themselves and Oregon."

Business leaders standing with students, some undocumented and others citizens. Fighting together for the future of their community. Will you stand with them and invest in our collective future?

Matt

C0-director, ScholarshipsA-Z

Not a 100% Mexican?

2011-05-19T02:27:00.000-07:00

I Immigrated around 6 years ago to the United States from Mexico, and these years I've learned to assimilate to the U.S. society by embracing different customs as well as habits that allowed me to survive in this country. Even if I assimilated, I have always try not to forget about my Mexican roots, and keep my heritage strong.However, the other day someone asked me what I considered myself after having a large conversation about oneself identity. I answered, "I am Mexican" and he asked me back what percentage I was, so I said a 100%, but apparently for him I was definitely not a 100%. He said I was not a Mexican anymore, that I adopted "anglo ways," and that I pretended to be a Mexican, but I didn't know that I was forgetting about my roots. After hearing his words, I felt like I was being humiliated , betrayed, and I felt my identity being insulted. I just could not understand how someone who does not know what does it mean to establish in a foreign country feels with the right to criticize my own self being.

My friend who told me such words comes from an indigenous community in Mexico, and is in an exchange program at the University of Arizona, which means that he is still going back to Mexico, and will not really experience the struggle of staying and making a living in a foreign country. After his statements, I started thinking about the importance of teaching later immigrant generations about their roots and how that education would impact their life. Growing up as a minority in the United States almost seems that you have to forget about your heritage in order to be accepted and survive in society. However, I found out by living in this country that my own cultural roots helped me to survive in a diverse society. I believe the reason for this is because people who keep their own identity strong will have as a result a really high self-esteem that allows them to be secure of themselves.

Meanwhile the government in Arizona is trying to take away the right to oneself identity by creating HB 2281, which bans schools from teaching classes that are "designed for students who come from a specific ethnic group", promote "resentment or advocate a type of "ethnic solidarity" over treating students as individuals, and It bans the classes that teach students how to "overthrow" the government of the United States. The classes that the bill is referring to are Mexican American/ chicano history, African American studies or Native American studies, between other ethnic studies classes that allow minority groups living in the U.S. to learn and have a better understanding about their own background and cultural history. Such law is basically a cultural genocide, and it's forcing children to stop being who they really are in order to start pretending to be someone else.

After SB1070 and now the presence of HB 2281 has made the Tucson community more sensitive and aware towards the issue of immigration and racism. For example, Tucson looks like a ghost town where businesses are closed and myriad of houses are being sold since after SB1070 was signed the economy of the state of Arizona started to have a great deficit, and adult latinos are not teaching their children spanish because they're afraid of being mistreated and not accepted by others for speaking a different language that would no be English. In other words the community is being dehumanize, dishonored and insulted as I felt when my friend told me that I was not the human being who I considered myself to be; that's when I realized that nobody has the right to tell us who we are; it is in our own hands to discover our identity and in order to do this we need to learn more about our past, but how are we going to be educated about our ethnic background and our ancestors if we're denied the right to be part of this country's history?

Soon to Become Law in Arizona - 2011

2011-05-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Interfaith Network just released its final report to show which anti-immigrant bills will become law in AZ in the next 90 days. Here's what passed:

50th Arizona Legislature, First Regular Session

(As of 4/29/2011)

Summary: The Legislature adjourned Sine Die on April 20. Here are the three anti-immigrant bills that passed the House and Senate and were signed by the Governor. These bills become effective 90 days after the Legislature adjourned.

All of the other anti-immigrant bills failed to pass both the House & Senate.

SB 1406: Interstate Compact; Border Fence (Smith R-Dist. 23)

Creates an interstate compact that allows the Governor to enter into an agreement with other states to allow for the construction and maintenance of a fence along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Signed by Governor 4/28/11

SB 1465: valid identification; consular cards; prohibition

Prohibits the acceptance of the Matricula Consular Identification Card issued by the Mexican Consulate as a form of identification. Currently a number of Arizona cities and counties accept the card, the result of actions taken by AIN organizations seven or eight years ago.

Signed by Governor on 4/28/11

HB 2102 license eligibility; authorized presence (Kavanagh)

Requires government-issued ID to obtain a fingerprint card and proof of legal status and a photo ID to work in the service industry.

Signed by Governor on 4/28/11

---

Because of the constant pressure put on our legislators by immigrant families and allies throughout AZ, many of the 20+ proposed bills were defeated in either the AZ House or Senate. We must continue working together.

- Matt M.

Co-Director of ScholarshipsA-Z

Hardwork and Dedication Pay Off

2011-04-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

The National Society of High School Scholars, establish in 2002 by Claes Nobel who also established the Nobel prizes recognizes amazing achievement from high school students. Gardenia Isabel a student from a local high school here in Tucson, AZ, was recently recognized by this organization.

NSHSS recognizes the students by looking into their academic achievements and goals. What makes Gardenia special, as well as many other talented students out there is the fact that Gardenia is a local DREAMer. She was brought to this country when she was six months old as many other DREAMers out there. She knows no home but that of Tucson, Arizona. As a sophomore in high school she has proven her self academically and well and physically in her class. She has participated in cheerleading, dancing, track and field, and not to mention being part of the Honors program in her high school while being part of the club Youth Empowering Success. This talented student has proven herself many times to her teachers and classmates that she deserves these achievements. Now after being recognize by such a great organization as NSHSS, Gardenia encounters a problem. A problem that many talented youth have, the problem of being a DREAMer, of being denied here in Arizona the right to have a proper education, the right to be able to contribute back to our society and not to mention be able to help our economy.

Just as Gardenia there are lots more great talented youth out there in our country who we don’t take into consideration. We seem to be more busy on trying to find a way to put them down instead of education the great minds we have to not only help us out economically but also to show that we care about education our youth. Many students work hard, sacrifice many things, and commit fully to there academics but are not given the proper welcome because of a choice they themselves did not make. I hope that one-day students such as Gardenia get the opportunity to become educated, to not struggle and hide in fear, and be able to show how talented they truly are.

In my mind the day will come when a DREAMer accomplishes their DREAM!!!

- Cristian T.

We're Not the Only Ones Fighting

2011-04-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

As many of us already know, Maryland passed its own version of the DREAM Act on April 11th making it the 12th state to allow undocumented talented students to pay in-state-tuition at a four-year college. For many students this made a big difference; in-state tuition is about $9,000 compared to the $25,000 if you're out-of-state. Knowing that our numbers are growing in strength with more supporters each day only gives us hope that someday more and more states will be added to this list.

Two days after this great achievement 22 U.S. Senators sent a letter to the Obama Administration asking to stop all deportations of any individuals who qualify for the DREAM Act. In this letter they expressed their concerns about the impact that would happen if the deportations of DREAMers continue. They asked for an opportunity for these talented individuals to have the option to stay and contribute to our society. They are asking for the Obama Administration to keep a record of ALL DREAMERS cases to have a better view on how many great, talented minds we have here in our country. Read the entire letter.

Reading this letter has only given me the strength to keep on fighting for my fellow brothers and sisters. Knowing that we are the not the only ones fighting this battle, makes it a lot easier. In the end I know that we must keep fighting, DREAMing and never give up.

- Cristian T.

Maryland DREAM Act Passes

2011-04-15T00:03:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Maryland passed its version of the DREAM Act which once signed by the governor, will allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

The new law, which Gov. Martin O’Malley has pledged to sign, will allow students to be recognized as residents of their home states regardless of their immigration status and pay in-state tuition at Maryland’s public four-year colleges if they clear three hurdles: graduate from a Maryland high school, complete 60 credits at a Maryland community college and prove they and their parents paid income taxes for the prior three years.

In Maryland, the law means the difference between $8,416 in tuition that state residents pay and $24,831 that out-of-state students must pay.

Read the whole story about this amazing victory here.

Students Organizing against 230% Tuition Hike Targeting Undocumented Students

2011-04-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

Undocumented Students in Phoenix, AZ are organizing to fight back against a 230% tuition hike passed by the Maricopa Community College Governing Board which is targeted at undocumented students.

Out-of-state students taking six or fewer credit hours pay $96 per credit under the current policies, with a rate increase for more credits. The new rules will charge out-of-staters $317 per credit, or about $1,000 per class, even if they take a limited schedule.

"I'm not even sure I'm going to be able to go back to school in the fall. I was paying $300 per class. Now I'm going to pay $300 per credit. So then I would have to pay $1000 per class. If I could barely get $300 for one class, how am I going to get $1000 for one class?" said Maxima Guerrero, an undocumented student at Phoenix College.

Read the full article here.

COLORLINES says, "ScholarshipsA-Z Teaches Us How to Fight Back"

2011-04-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

We are humbled to know that Rinku Sen (pictured left), President and Executive Director of the Applied Research Center (ARC) and Publisher of Colorlines.com is inspired by the work of ScholarshipsA-Z and other youth leaders working to improve communities across AZ. She wrote about it in her most recent post on Colorlines.com.

Last week, Rinku Sen spoke at the University of Arizona and YWCA of Tucson, and shared personal stories about her own struggles to get involved in racial justice work. Her wisdom and honesty inspired many of us to keep fighting for justice in Arizona. She was powerful and profound and the members of our ScholarshipsA-Z team who had the chance to meet her are forever touched and grateful for her strength.

After reading her piece in Colorlines.com, here's a reaction from a ScholarshipsA-Z's board member:

"When reading the article, the truth was that plenty of emotions came to me. I had just finished watching the video of the DREAMER student that got arrested in georgia. Knowing that we are doing something to help gives me hope that someday, maybe sooner than later, everyone will have the opportunity to attend a college and reach their dreams. With time we have seen that education is the key to success, to be able to be heard and a tool that can never be taken away from you. Knowing that there are people out there such as Rinku Sen, who are fighting for the same cause we are, only gives me more hope that together, united we will make a difference and help out all those students out there that need our help. Knowing that someone like her will be spreading the word around about ScholarshipsA-Z, means only that we have lots more to work towards. Just want to say thank you to every single one of the members of ScholarshipsA-Z. You each bring something special to the group and con el favor de dios, juntos aremos cambios."

- Cristian E. Tapia
Member of ScholarshipsA-Z

ScholarshipsA-Z continues to fight for justice so all students have access to higher education, regardless of their immigration status. We invite you to be part of the struggle.

Undocumented & Unafraid: The Courage of DREAMers

2011-04-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Meet some courageous DREAMers (and support their cause):

Dayanna Rebolledo
David Ramirez
Andrea Rosales
Viridiana Martinez
Jose Rico Benavides
Georgina Perez
Maria Marroquin
Dulce Guerrero

Learn more about the stories of the Georgia 7.

On April 5th, these eight DREAMers from different parts of the U.S., with courage and determination, showed us what it means to fight for what you believe in, no matter what the consequences may be.

As a way of protesting Georgia's new law that bans undocumented students from attending any public college or university, these leaders and their supporters organized a rally and later a sit-in to block traffic and bring attention to their demands that higher education should be accessible to all students, regardless of immigration status.

As a result of their actions, seven of the DREAMers were arrested and are currently being held in jail on $2,000 bond.

They were courageous enough to fight for all of our rights to access an education. Now it's time to fight with them.

Donate to help them post bond and get out of jail.

Sign the petition to tell the presidents of Georgia State University and the four other public universities to refuse the ban on undocumented students.

Stay up to date with this information at The Dream Is Coming.

Racism, Feminism, Immigration & Organizing - Rinku Sen to Speak at UA

2011-03-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight! March 29, 2011

6pm

Gallagher Theater, Student Union

University of Arizona

Author of The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization, and Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing, Rinku is a leading figure in the racial justice movement and has expertise in race, feminism, immigration, economic justice, philanthropy and community organizing.

Over the course of her career, Rinku has woven together journalism and organizing to further social change and has regular columns at Colorlines, Huffington Post, and Jack and Jill Politics.

This event is part of the Who Draws the Line? - Social Justice Perspectives on Diversity Speaker Series - sponsored by UA Student Services Fee, Tohono O’odham Nation, African American Student Affairs, Native American Student Affairs, Asian Pacific American Student Affairs, Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs, LGBTQA Affairs, Women's Resource Center, UA Bookstore, Office of the President, Dean of Students, and YWCA.

Arizona CEO's Say YA BASTA to Immigration Legislation

2011-03-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

In a letter sent to AZ Senate President Russell Pearce last week, several CEO's of major employers and several businesses and civic groups wrote, "Arizona should be pushing for federal action on immigration and border issues."

As a result of their efforts, combined with the ongoing work of civil rights groups, activists, educators, students, and families, five anti-immigration bills were defeated last week. No motions to reconsider them were filed on Monday, the last day to do so. Community leaders working for immigrants' rights breathed a sigh of relief for a moment, before quickly fighting against the 20+ additional pieces of anti-immigrant legislation in AZ.

Here's a summary of what was defeated:

SB 1308 and SB 1309 - two bills that challenged birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
SB 1405 - would require hospitals to acquire immigration status of patients before providing care
SB 1407 - would require schools to collect immigration data on students
SB 1611 - 30-page immigration omnibus bill which contained similar provisions like the other bills listed above (written by Sen. Pearce, author of SB 1070)

You can read the entire letter from the AZ CEO's. While they don't seem to necessarily be pushing for better pathways to citizenship, they clearly are looking for better, FEDERAL solutions, that address the immigration issues faced by families every day. They want AZ to be focused on fixing it's broken economy.

The CEO's ended their letter with "Together, we can get results."

So what does working together look like?

~ mM

The I-Word

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

What do the following things have in common?

Jaywalking

Littering

Speeding

Rolling through a STOP sign

Downloading music without paying for it

They're all ILLEGAL.

What's not illegal? HUMANS. Immigrants are humans.

Sign the pledge. Drop the I-Word.

AZ SB1611 = NO College for Undocumented Immigrant Students

2011-02-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

Last night (2/22/11), the AZ Senate Appropriations Committee voted 7-6 in favor of SB1611, an omnibus bill that would ban undocumented immigrants from ALL public services. This would now include college and driving, among other things.

If the new bill is passed by the full Senate, full House, and signed by the Governor, SB 1611 would preclude undocumented students' admission to state colleges and universities entirely. That means Pima Community College, UA, ASU, NAU, and all other state institutions's doors would be closed to any student who can't prove their U.S. residency or citizenship.

According to a recent AZ Daily Star article, Sen. Pearce, author of AZ's infamous SB1070 and many other anti-immigrant bills, said,

"It is irrelevant that the fees these students are paying may help keep tuition down for Arizona residents. "They can't be employed" in this country, Pearce said, so their education is not a benefit to Arizona. And he disputed the contention out-of-state tuition covers the full cost of educating students at universities or community colleges. Read the full article.

Many thought SB1070 was the worst anti-immigrant legislation created in recent history. However, it was only the beginning. Now, more than ever, we need YOU to get involved. Raise your voice! Stay aware! Stop this bill from becoming law!

Call AZ Senators. Tell them you are against this bill.
Attend a rally.
Use Facebook, Twitter, texting, calls, emails to tell your friends to get involved.
Stay updated with Border Action Network on anti-immigrant and anti-education legislation. SB1611 is only bill. There are others.

Our struggle, together, continues...

First SB1070...Now SB1611

2011-02-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

From an Arizona Interfaith Network press release (2/23/11):

---
AIN Decries Last Minute Omnibus Attack Bill

Yesterday’s sudden introduction of a 30-page anti-immigrant Omnibus bill further threatens to polarize the state, tear at its social fabric, and damage economic recovery.

Senate President Russell Pearce overrode Senate Rules to spring a new 30 page bill on his Senate colleagues, immediately assigning it to Senate Appropriations to be heard today. SB1611 immigration omnibus roles into one bill all the various bills from this session and the last several sessions designed to require proof of citizenship for all services in Arizona. This bill would expand government scrutiny over every interaction between Arizona residents in public and in private, turning officials and business leaders into immigration officers and tearing apart our social fabric.

The surprise move leaves no time for critical debate and discussion. SB1611 is the 22^nd bill on a 24 bill Appropriations Committee Agenda. Not only have Senators had only 24 hours to review the bill, but Senate Research has yet to issue a Fact Sheet, which most legislators use to understand a bill.

"This last minute omnibus bill is an end around on democracy, hiding from the real debate and deliberation. It's a bad sign for how business is being conducted at the Capitol and will have social and economic consequences" said Tom Donovan, Valley Interfaith Project Executive Team Member.

This bill further distracts the Legislature from its true priorities. While Arizona faces its worst fiscal deficit in its history, and with unemployment and foreclosures soaring, Senator Pearce is allowing his obsession with immigration to divert attention from the state’s economic and fiscal recovery.

The Senate Judiciary Committee did not have the votes to move SB1308 and SB1309, the two bills challenging the 14^th amendment, thus requiring him to move these non-money bills to his Appropriations Committee.

Arizona Debates 14th Amendment

2011-02-14T00:32:00.000-08:00

Congressional leaders across the country continue to debate whether the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution applies to children born to undocumented parents. But the battle continues to brew in Arizona, where state legislators have proposed SB1308 and SB1309 to take a stand on this debate against undocumented families.

As Border Action Network states, "These two measures would not only deny citizenship to children of undocumented parents and try to force the Supreme Court to review the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, but would also create an “interstate compact” with other states recognizing one another’s new state-determined citizenship."

Yet again, some AZ legislators are trying to tear apart families. Take ACTION with Border Action Network! Tell the Senate Appropriations Committee to Vote NO on SB1308 and SB1309!

Follow all the updates about immigration legislation through Border Action Network's page. Signup for Arizona Action Alerts.

ScholarshipsA-Z is in Mourning With Its Tucson Families

2011-01-16T01:02:00.000-08:00

We send our condolences and strength to the victims of the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, AZ. We are mourning the loss of leaders, younger and older. We WILL recover together. As one of our co-founders wrote, "I love Tucson. It's my home. I will continue to fight for humanity." We WILL continue to fight for humanity. Join us.

SB 1070 & DREAM Act Impacts on AZ Economy

2010-12-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Immigrant advocates compare the economics of S.B 1070 and the DREAM Act

By Marcos Restrepo 11/23/10
(published in Florida Independent)

The DREAM Act would generate long-term economic benefits while Arizona-type immigration enforcement has had a negative economic impact on that state’s economy: That was the message delivered by participants in a press conference hosted by the Alliance for Immigrants Rights – Michigan.

The DREAM Act would grant a person who entered the U.S. illegally before the age of 16 conditional permanent resident status for a period of six years, after which he or she could aspire to be a legal permanent resident. The act requires youth to attain at least an associate-level college degree to be eligible for legal permanent resident status.

Arizona’s S.B. 1070 immigration enforcement law, meanwhile, would criminalize undocumented immigrants, currently a civil violation under federal immigration law.

Marshall Fitz told conference participants that the Center for American Progress contracted the firm Elliott D Pollack and Company to study the impact of S.B. 1070 on the convention industry. The study shows that conference cancellations and a stop to future bookings resulted in a $400 million loss in economic output and more than $130 million in lost earnings.

Fitz added that the only people who benefit from S.B. 1070-like measures are the politicians who create these wedge issues. He concluded that hopefully this study will give legislators pause before they follow Arizona’s path.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are up to 2.1 million people eligible for DREAM Act benefits, but only about 825,000 beneficiaries would gain legal permanent resident status.

The DREAM Act would produce thousands of college graduates, contributing to the pool of higher-income earners needed by the future workforce.

A UCLA No DREAMERS Left Behind study looks at two scenarios to project the national economic benefits generated by the DREAM Act by calculating the income of those affected over a 40-year period.

Raul Hinojosa, one of the authors of the UCLA study, said during the Tuesday press conference, “This is a critical moment for American civil rights and how we are looking to fill the high-skilled workforce of tomorrow.”

Hinojosa explained that the estimates of the net benefit for the U.S economy is in 2010 dollars and does not include the overall value of what people produce.

In one scenario, dubbed by the authors the No DREAMers Left Behind scenario, 2.1 million undocumented immigrants would become legalized and generate approximately $3.6 trillion over a 40-year period.

In the other scenario, in which 825,000 eligible individuals achieve legal permanent resident status, the study concludes that the income generated over 40 years would be $1.4 trillion.

Excel in your education

2010-01-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

Read! Learn to write!
Your education depends on you.
Establish an educational plan early.
Challenge yourself.
Take as many AP/IB/ Honors classes as possible; college admission is becoming more competitive.
Take advantage of dual enrollment programs. Take classes in local community colleges while in high school. This can save you money and time plus give you an edge over others applying to college. (Dual enrollment is free, if not less expensive for you while in high school. Ask your high school counselor for more information.)
Be involved in your community.
Inform and educate other students about educational opportunities for undocumented students.
Ask questions.
Look for guidance.
Apply for scholarships.
Be patient-current laws may take time to pass.
Please remember that as an undocumented student you will need to work harder than other students.
Contact individual colleges for application fee waivers if needed.
Set your standards high.
Excel in Honors/AP/IB English and Math. You will need it.

6 Common Myths about College

2010-01-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

MYTH#1

“You have to be rich to attend a private university.”

Wrong! Seventy percent of the students attending private colleges receive need-based financial aid. In fact some students can qualify and attend a private university at little or no cost. Private institutions tend to have more funds available to students than public institutions.

MYTH #2

“Students should know exactly what they want to study before they apply to college.”

Not necessarily. You may have to make a career decision earlier if you plan to attend a specialized college of engineering, music, etc. But most colleges and universities encourage you to take a broad range of subjects to help you decide on a field of study. At most schools you will not need to declare a major until the end of your sophomore year or early junior year.

MYTH #3

“You must find the ‘perfect’ college.”

The perfect college probably does not exist. The best way to select the right school for you is to research three or four colleges that meet your criteria, and then visit each one.

MYTH #4

“Telling a university that you are applying for financial aid may hurt your chances for admission.”

Not true! Selective colleges do not let a family’s financial ability enter into the admission decision.

MYTH #5

“Admissions officers consider only grades and test scores when considering an applicant.”

Selective colleges are also interested in the rigor of the subjects taken, the competitiveness of the school, and upward or downward trends in grades. Your application essay, as well as extracurricular and leadership activities, talent and personal character are also very important. A word of caution: quality over quantity is what most colleges look for.

MYTH #6

“People say that because I have no social security number I will never be able to attend college!”

No one can ever deny you access to a college education. There are private scholarships available to help you fund your schooling if your academics are strong.

Year-by-Year CHECKLIST!

2010-01-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

9^th Grade

Talk with your counselor and inform them that you want to attend a 4-yr college or university and that you need to schedule college prep courses. Take algebra or geometry and a foreign language in both semesters.
Maintain A’s and B’s in all your subjects.
If needed, form a study group with friends who also plan to go to college.
Create a Leadership Portfolio. For assistance with your portfolio please contact your counselor or www.scholarshipsaz.org. Save items such as

Copies of report cards
Diplomas and certificates
Awards and honors
A list of all school and community activities
A list of offices held
A list of your jobs (volunteer or paid)

Begin visiting colleges or universities; scope out your competition.
Participate in academic enrichment programs.

10^th Grade

Review your ninth and tenth grade schedules with your counselor to make sure you are taking the correct classes.
Maintain A’s and B’s.
Continue to form study groups and do your research on prospective schools.
Update your Leadership Portfolio at the end of each semester.
Strongly consider taking the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test). The PSAT is a practice exam for the SAT I or ACT and required for several national scholarship programs. Students often take the PSAT in 11^th grade; however, extra practice during 10^th grade can only help familiarize you with the exam. Register in October. The fee is $13. Ask your counselor about a fee waiver. Practice using free online resources http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html.
Continue to visit local colleges and universities with family and friends.
Participate in academic enrichment programs and special summer workshops and camps for music, science, engineering, writing, tutoring, filmmaking, theater, language sports, and others.

11^th Grade

· Check with your counselor to be sure you are taking the right college prep courses needed for a selective 4-yr college or university and challenge yourself.

· Maintaining A’s and B’s is very important in your junior year. College counselors will be paying particular attention to these classes for rigor and performance.

· Register for the PSAT in October.

· Take the PSAT. The results will give you and your counselor an idea of your strengths and the areas you need to improve as you prepare for college admission. The fee is $13. Ask your counselor about a fee waiver. Depending on your score, you may also be eligible for national scholarships. Practice using free online resources http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html

· If you are taking Advanced Placement subjects, register for the AP exams in spring. Scoring well on these exams will enable you to earn credit for college-level courses. (University of Arizona accepts a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exams and some 3s for special courses. www.arizona.edu)

· Attend college fairs and presentations by colleges who visit your school and ask questions.

· Create a file on your favorite colleges and obtain information about these schools.

· Visit colleges that interest you. Try to meet with the admissions officer, academic professor in your intended program, student organizations, and athletics. Prepare questions about the school and have a transcript or list of courses you have taken since ninth grade.

· Think about re-taking the SAT I or ACT tests if necessary.

· Update your Leadership Portfolio.

· From May to July be prepared to receive mail from many colleges.

Over the Summer

· Read the college mail you receive. Return reply cards to schools that interest you. They will send you viewbooks, catalogues and applications.

· Visit your “short list” colleges in person if possible.

· Prepare for the SAT I and the ACT by reading books and manuals with the testing tips and sample questions. Attend workshops on how to prepare for these entrance exams if offered at your school or ask a counselor where you can prepare.

· Begin looking for scholarships. If you are not a candidate for them at this time save a copy in a folder and revisit it your senior year. All the money you can get is great.

12^th Grade

· Check with your counselor to make sure you are taking the right classes.

· Maintain A’s and B’s and do not get senioritis early!

· Update your Leadership Portfolio.

· Visit your short list schools again.

· Check frequently with your college counselor or career center director for information about scholarships awarded by your school, local companies and community groups.

· In early September, register for the SAT I and the ACT. Register a month or two before the test date.

· By the end of October, make a final list of the schools to which you will apply for admission.

· Make a file for each school and a checklist of the required admission items: transcripts, applications fees, recommendations, essays, test scores, etc.

· Pay special attention to deadlines.

· Apply early if you can.

Entire or portions of the information provided is property of www.scholarshipsaz.org. Because the information enclosed is made available by U.S. Government, post-secondary educational institutions, providers of financial aid, and other outside agencies, this information is subject to change without notification.

Preparing for College 101

2010-01-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

How to prepare

Planning for college should begin as early as the eighth grade because that is when you need to decide whether or not you are going to follow a college preparatory track. A college preparatory track should include as a minimum:

· 4 years of English and Literature

· 3-4 years of Math (including advanced algebra and trigonometry)

· 2-3 years of Foreign Language

· 2-4 years of Laboratory Science

· 2 years of History and Social Science

· 3 years of Electives

16 year-long academic subjects

This schedule demands that you take at least 4 college preparatory classes in every year of high school, still leaving room for you to take additional electives in music, art, yearbook, etc.

If you are interested in engineering, math, science or computers, take all the math and science you can. If your strengths are history, writing, literature or the arts, take extra classes in these subjects. It is always a good idea to take extra foreign language courses. Your school counselor will help you plan you schedule according to your strengths and interests.

The following is only a suggested list that will help guide you to a successful senior year without stressing too much about your college application.