Çortlani» (Obstruer
May 16. 2012
C areer
W A R N E R P A C IF IC CO LLEG E
Page
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Saquana Peterson, a 7th grader at Vernon Elementary in north
east Portland, earns a $1,000 scholarship from the Oregon
College Savings Plan.
College Dreams
Start Early
The Oregon College Savings Plan
recently awarded $1,000 college
savings accounts to 15 families in
the Big Brothers Big Sisters Colum
bia Northwest program. The awards
were designed to help families real
ize their children ’ s full potential and
start thinking about college.
Among the winners from Port
land were Tasha Bilbrew, an 11th
grader at Benson; Daniella Cabello-
Martinez, a 6th grader at Harriet
Tubm an L eadership A cadem y;
Isaiah Mortensen, an 8th grader at
T rilliu m C h arter S chool; and
Saquana Peterson, a 7th grader at
Vernon Elementary.
Working with their mentors to
describe what they hope to achieve
Loan Debt
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 5
Senate Democrats would cover
the $6 billion cost of the bill by
closing some tax loopholes on high
earners. Republicans continue to
balk at any perceived tax hikes for
the rich and have made a counter
proposal to cut funding for a pre
ventive health initiative that is part
of President Obama’s 2010 Health
Care plan.
Last week, on the same day that
student loan debt reached the $1
trillion mark. Senate Republicans
blocked a vote to extend the 3.4
percent interest rate on student
loans for another year.
after college, the students used a
number of creative formats to tell
their stories, including web links,
video raps, essays, poem s and
books.
The Oregon College Savings Plan
works to educate the public that
with good planning, funding a col
lege education can be easier to
achieve by starting with small in
vestments that can grow substan
tially when it comes time for children
to consider college.
The mission of Big Brothers Big
Sisters is to provide children facing
adversity with strong and endur
ing, professionally supported one-
to-one relationships that change
their lives for the better, forever.
I am reminded of an old African
proverb: “When elephants fight,
the grass suffers. ” Thousands of
low-income students and their fami
lies are suffering while the two sides
in Congress engage in ideological
warfare.
College graduation is as impor
tant to our national security as a
strong military. But when it comes
to funding, education seems to al
ways take a back seat to war. One
wonders how much graduation rates
for African Americans and Hispan
ics would rise if they did not have to
overcome the added economic bar
rier of high student loan debt.
Marc Morial is president and
chief executive officer o f the Na
tional Urban League.
A new
possibility
changes
everything.
W ARN ERPACIFIC.ED U
■ PORTLAND, OR