Dear President-Elect Obama: Save Our Educations

I write to you on behalf of the young people of America. In the face of the United States' economic turmoil, many voices have been heard crying out for help. Among those voices, often silenced by the cries of others, is the voice of the young. We, the future, are seeing it slip away.

During your campaign, you spoke a message of hope for the young people of America. You above all are aware of the present struggles facing a generation of young people for whom a high school diploma is not enough. Your own campaign platform stated that college costs have grown almost 40 percent over the past five years. The average college student debt is on the rise, now at around $20,000 of debt. According to your own website, "2 million academically qualified students will not go to college because they cannot afford it."

President-Elect Obama, as our soon-to-be 44^th president, the young people of America are demanding that their voices be heard. While you have outlined a highly-focused, detailed plan for primary and secondary education, your plan for higher education seems limited. Besides wanting to know why, the young people of America want to know what you will do for them?

In the 2008 election process, the young people of America set an historic record of young American voter turn-out to the polls. Our support during the campaign was in strong response to your call for all members of our society to become involved in politics. You inspired the young people of America to believe that change was possible, and to believe that you were the one who, with our help, could make that hope for change a reality.

Now, after responding to your call for our assistance, we turn to you and plead with you to return the favor. You speak of specific plans to help those who are in lower-income tax brackets, plans that would create an American Opportunity Tax Credit to provide $4,000 to such families to help supplement the cost of a college education, according to Education.com. But what about those of us who don't fall into those guidelines, who struggle to get aid from FAFSA reports and who find themselves ineligible for Pell Grants and other aid because of our parent's income?

President-Elect Obama, we need a plan that supports all young people who have the dream of attending college. We need stronger considerations in regard to family incomes, how a parent's income may unavoidably hinder a child's chances of receiving aid, and more assistance to those who don't fall into certain income levels but still struggle to support a child's, or their children's, higher education goals. We need to consider those who fall between the cracks in government aid programs, those for whom the numbers suggest financial security but reality dictates a different story. Across the board, President-Elect Obama, we need to reassess the programs that determine whether or not a young person deserves to receive help in achieving their dreams of college educations.

Your plan also calls for the elimination of the FFEL program. Instead, as stated by the New America Foundation, your plan is to "provide federal loans entirely through the Direct Student Loan Program" and use the savings from this change "to increase spending on Pell Grants." But with such a focus on placing a tighter reign on student loan programs, we must also keep in mind that there needs to be more outlets for students to seek financial aid. While a stricter policy regarding student loans may help increase savings, thanks to decreased spending through the FFEL program, young people are afraid that with fewer resources at their disposal - such as the plan to do away with the FAFSA, which most colleges and universities use to determine financial aid eligibility - they will, likewise, have fewer chances to secure the financial aid they need.

President-Elect Obama, our economy is in turmoil, and the American people are fretful for the future. The young people of America, the generations that the whole of America considers the future of this country, are also afraid - afraid that in light of all the plans to save the economy, we will be overlooked. We are fighting to make it in this economy as well, and with the dreams of so many on the line, young people are demanding that their voices be heard. We yearn for change, too, and that change must come through increased financial support for those who want to make a difference in our society by continuing their education through the higher education system. We need your help. We went from a cry of "Yes we can" to "Yes we did" in your election as president. Now, we are returning for a cry of "Yes you must" in hopes that your promises of change, of hope for our futures as well as the future of the nation as a whole, will not fall back on us void.

Sources:

Christina Satkowski, "Where They Stand: Barack Obama on Higher Education", New America Foundation (newamerica.net)

Education.com, "Barack Obama on Education", Education.com

BarackObama.com, "Education", BarackObama.com