Students lobby the governor Student leaders from...

Students lobby

the governor

Student leaders from the Coast Community College District traveled

to Sacramento in April to meet with legislators about issues

affecting the more than 60,000 students who attend district community

colleges.

David Escobar, Deborah Solum and Laura Spears were three

representatives from Golden West College who participated in the

lobbying trip.

The students met with Orange County legislators and their staff to

discuss issues ranging from equalization for under-funded community

college districts to a pilot program aimed at reducing the burden

placed on students by the high cost of textbooks.

Legislators seemed open to their concerns, said District Student

Trustee Heather Larson.

The student representatives left legislators with a Textbook

Resolution, a solution written by the District Student Council to

solve the problem of textbook prices on individual campuses. The

resolution proposed that each school set up a textbook committee to

locate the best books for the most affordable cost, Larson said.

“Textbooks, they’re more expensive than going to school,” Larson

said.

Aside from speaking out on important issues, the lobbying trip

provided students with a lesson in civics and an opportunity to

explore the State Capitol.

Harbour teacher gets Wal-Mart award

Jane Macha, of Harbour View Elementary School, was one of 10

Orange County teachers chosen to receive Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the

Year award in honor of National Teacher’s Day May 3.

Macha and other winning teachers will each receive a $1,000

educational grant from the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation to

benefit their local schools, a $50 shopping card to buy supplies for

their classrooms and honorary Wal-Mart greeter’s vests.