Rally to Protect Public Education!

Join us for a rally to protect funding for public education!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

5:00 p.m. @ Dilworth Plaza, City Hall

REAL to REEL: Education Video Contest

Education funding is in jeopardy with the announcement of Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposal.  Steep cuts to vital programs and educational services are a very REAL possibility.  Well, now's YOUR chance to make a difference – all while using your creativity and showing off those REEL video skills!

EducationVotersPA, a grassroots organization committed to supporting public education, is sponsoring a video contest to promote the importance of education funding in Pennsylvania.

They're looking for original, compelling videos, no more than 3 minutes in length, to depict: 

1)    The impact education has on communities and individuals OR on society and our economy. 
2)    The personal impact of education funding cuts.

Videos can feature live people, stills, animation – whatever you think best demonstrates your concept.  Just be clear, compelling and make it real!

Winners will be selected in the following categories:

•    Individual: Student
•    Individual: Non-student
•    Group or organization: Students, parents, teachers, civic associations, etc

There will also be a single prize - for groups OR individuals - for the best film focused specifically on higher education. 

A total of 4 winners will be selected.  The deadline to enter is May 8, 2011.

For more information and full contest rules, visit EducationVotersPA.  Get out those cameras, make a difference and share your voice in support of education funding!

Harrisburg Day of Advocacy

Our Students, Our Philly, Our Future is once again preparing to take our cause to the halls of the State Capitol Building for a day of advocacy on behalf of public school students in Philadelphia. 

Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposal should serve as a wake up call to everyone that in order to save and protect Philadelphia's public education system, we must urge our lawmakers to take decisive action.

Join us on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 as we travel to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Buses will leave at 7:30 a.m. from the School District Building, 440 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130.  Buses will return at 2:30 p.m. 

For more information, contact Evelyn Sample-Oates at 215-400-5801 or e-mail esampleoates@philasd.org. Either we pay now or we pay later.

Public Rally for Our Future

Are you willing to stand up in support of Philadelphia's public education system? Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett released his budget proposal Tuesday, and as a result, public school students in this city stand to lose the most. Are you willing to let those in charge know that we will not stand idly by and allow crucial educational resources and programs to fall by the wayside?

Tomorrow, at 4:00 p.m., on the front steps of the School District of Philadelphia’s headquarters, join members of Our Students, Our Philly, Our Future - parents, teachers, students, and community members – for a rally to build momentum and public awareness for our cause.

The future of our children is at stake and the economic viability of our city, state and nation hangs in the balance if public education does not receive the adequate funding. Either we pay now or we pay later.

We Pay Now, or We Pay Later

Yesterday, we took our message to the halls of the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to implore our state legislators to stand up for the future of our children and continue to fund Philadelphia's public education system.  Several coalition members from throughout Philadelphia visited the offices of more than 30 state legislators, including State Representatives Michael McGeehan and Angel Cruz of the 173rd and 180th Districts, whose aides informed coalition members that they were not available to speak with them.  Coalition members also visited several State Senators, including Senator Larry Farnese of the 1st District and Senator LeAnna Washington of the 4th District.

Legislators were urged to put education funding at the top of their list of priorities and to remember that when it comes to our children's future, we either pay now or we pay later.

Below are photos from the trip and a glimpse at what our legislators in Harrisburg can expect in the coming weeks and months.

Charge for Change Begins

Take a look at photos (below) from the press conference that was held at School District Headquarters Thursday. Members of the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) choir and marching band, a school that boasts 100% college acceptance, provided those in attendance a preview of what will be lost if we don’t protect public education.  The students at the school are extremely focused and their parents are committed to fighting to keep their school and others like it viable in the city of Philadelphia.

Students Lend Voices for Action

Thursday, in a press conference at School District of Philadelphia Headquarters at 440 N. Broad St., Our Students, Our Philly, Our Future formally kicked off our campaign to Protect Public Education and outlined the grave situation facing our schools and our children.  The talented students from the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) lent their skilled voices to our mission and put a face to the cause of protecting Philadelphia's future.

We cannot allow our voices to be unheard and we must let the decision-makers know that we will fight for our childrens' future.

Take a look at a couple of the articles from yesterday's press conference at the links below.

Coalition fights for Philadelphia school funding
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Friday, February 25, 2011

Coalition to lobby Harrisburg, seeking to spare Philly schools from funding cuts
Philadelphia Daily News
Friday, February 25, 2011

A Voice for the Voiceless: Protect Public Education

We welcome you to the official blog of Our Students, Our Philly, Our Future.  This page will serve as an outlet for concerned citizens – teachers, administrators, parents and community leaders – to lend their voices to the chorus of support for saving Philadelphia's endangered public education system.

This space will be a sounding board for parents, teachers, students, administrators and other community members and leaders as we all work to protect public education.

Our schools are on the verge of threatening financial problems and it is our organization's mission to aggressively advocate for the students of Philadelphia. We will ensure that all of our city's children have access to the quality public education that they deserve.  We encourage you to join us, make your voice be heard and protect public education.

The Faces of Philadelphia’s Future

Our Students, Our Philly, Our Future is striving to protect the future of Philadelphia's young people.  The public education system in this city is in jeopardy. We are working diligently on behalf of the people who will be most affected by failure to support public education – our students.  We will do all in our power to ensure their future is as bright and their goals as attainable as anyone else's.

Below are some of the faces of those who will be impacted if continued funding and support is not provided to shore up the public education system in Philadelphia.  Programs, resources and valuable educational support systems will be lost if action is not taken and those in charge sit by idly and do nothing.

Support public education and join the movement to protect our children's future.