During Winter Quarter 2017, the students in the CLTE 85 class worked together to bring awareness to the issue of Education Inequity. Throughout the quarter they worked on a fundraising project that would benefit literacy programs at Gault Elementary School, in Santa Cruz. The students were able to successfully raise nearly $2,000 for this project. In their classes, they learned about various social justice issues and were able to work on a project that would create local change.
The main fundraising component was a large-scale fundraising event titled “Breaking the Cycle: Deconstructing Education Inequity.” This event was composed of educational booths, a raffle, a food fundraiser, a spoken word performance by UCSC student Diana Diaz-Noriega, and a featured speaker Dr. Darrick Smith. Through this event, the students were able to educate the wider UC Santa Cruz community about the topic they were passionate about, education inequity.
This event had various components to it and the students were all involved throughout the planning process and execution. They researched and designed the educational booths, gathered items for the raffle baskets, and helped with publicity for the event. They also staffed the event and supported their fellow classmates throughout the evening. This project embodied College Ten’s theme of Social Justice & Community. Some students also had an opportunity to deliver the check to Gault Elementary School and interact with the students there, which everyone was extremely enthusiastic about.
