Several dozen Allan Hancock College students, teachers, and staff members stood hand in hand at the Santa Maria campus on March 9 in preparation for a statewide event designed to educate people about funding cuts affecting the community college system.
On April 17, Hancock, along with more than 100 other community colleges, will participate in “Hands Across California” to build financial support for the state’s students.
“Hands Across California” is a spin-off of the 1986 event “Hands Across America,” which involved 5.5 million people and raised more than $20 million to combat hunger and homelessness.
According to a press release from Hancock, the schools will need approximately 2 million participants to successfully link. Event organizers have set a fundraising goal of $50 million.
Contributions from participants and donors will go to the community college of their choice, along with a 50 percent match from The Bernard Osher Foundation. Headquartered in San Francisco, the foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to colleges and universities across the nation.
Eddie Triste, Hancock’s Associated Student Body Government president, said the local event will stretch from Los Olivos to Arroyo Grande, and could include up to 60,000 people.
“It’s estimated at 54.2 miles,” Triste said. “That averages to about 1,000 people per mile.”
Hancock student Jubilee Nordwall said she decided to participate in the March 9 practice event because, “I want to be able to have an education. And when my little sister comes to Hancock, I want her to be able to have an education.
“So many classes are being cut, and the financial aid opportunities that we once enjoyed are being cut,” she said. “School is becoming a huge hardship.”
Hancock is facing at least $3.3 million in cuts for the 2011-12 school year, according to college officials.
For more information about the “Hands Across California” event, including participation at Hancock, visit handsacrosscalifornia.org or call Triste at 922-6966, Ext. 3241.
School Scene is compiled by Sun staff. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 17-24, 2011.
