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June 26, 2012 | Student Loans Go Bananas (and Burritos)
The days are getting longer and the 4th of July is right around the corner, which means it's a good time to celebrate with friends and family -- and use the lazy days of summer to recharge your batteries to advocate for better policies for children and youth.
Here's a quick list of resources to check out before you take off to enjoy the fireworks and BBQs.
First, nobody wants to let student debt go bananas this Sunday -- but just how many bananas can your student loan payments buy? Young Invincibles puts it all into perspective this month with a very cool interactive infographic as the Congressional deadline to prevent a student loan rate hike looms on July 1.
Next, child and family advocates are anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Health Care Act, expected this Thursday. The ruling is likely to be complex and it will take time to analyze its impact, but with 6.6 million youth newly insured thanks to the law, there is no doubt a lot is at stake. We've got a good summary of the main provisions affecting kids and families that we'll be updating as the news unfolds.
We've also included a short hit list of this year's webinars (so far), plus an invitation to help shape the White House initiative on disconnected youth.
Finally, children of immigrants are in the spotlight again thanks to the Obama Administration's decision to provide legal status for undocumented youth. Read a Q&A with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas who shares what it means for him to be American after coming to the United States undocumented at the age of 12.
The update is on hiatus next week, but we'll back after the July 4 holiday. Happy Independence Day, everyone!
The SparkAction Team
We heart feedback! Email jan@sparkaction.org.
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Join @YI_Care for a Twitter chat debrief on the #SCOTUS health care ruling the afternoon of the decision at 1pm EST. Join w/ #YoungAmerChat!
Follow us @sparkaction!
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Connect with SparkAction!
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| Affordable Higher Education 
Student Debt in Perspective
How much is your student loan really worth? Young Invincibles' new infographic lets you compare your debt levels to the national average today and in 1990, and translate it into real-world necessities like bananas, burritos, rolls of toilet paper -- or even down payments on a home.
Speaking of student debt, this week is particularly important because the clock is still ticking on the July 1st deadline for the subsidized Stafford Loan rate  hike. Congress needs to act to prevent the interest rate from doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, affecting some 7 million students.
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| Health Care for Kids and Families
The Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act will impact all Americans, but the stakes couldn't be higher for low-income children and young adults. We'll be watching and reporting on the impacts for the populations we care about.
 Top 10 Affordable Care Act Wins for Kids
First Focus provides background on the Affordable Care Act wins for kids, including the extension of CHIP, expanding oral health initiatives, and removal of pre-existing condition exclusions.
New Toolkit for State Agencies
The Affordable Care Act will also transform how individuals access health coverage programs, bringing eligibility processes into the 21st Century. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides guidance for states on how the Affordable Care Act can help low-income families access child care subsidies, Medicaid, SNAP and other helpful programs.
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| Children in Immigrant Families 
Children in Immigrant Families: Essential to America's Future
Children in immigrant families are tracking fairly evenly with children of U.S.-born parents when it comes to parental employment, and even better in terms of parental presence in the home and early health indicators. But many of these children are still facing a lifetime of hardship as a result of poverty, lack of access to health insurance, and limited educational achievement, according to this report by the Foundation for Child Development.
Legal Status for Undocumented Young Immigrants Makes Sense
President Obama instituted a policy that clears the way for undocumented immigrants under the age of 30, with no criminal offenses who also meet other criteria, to live and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation. The Brookings Institution says that given the enormity of the nation's immigrations problems, it's a step in the right direction.
What Does it Mean to Be An American?
After Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shared publicly that he came to this country as an undocumented immigrant, he started the online campaign DefineAmerican.org to raise awareness about others like him. Here he tells YCteen his story. |
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| Available Grants 
Twelve organizations will receive $2,000 grants to address childhood hunger through youth engagement. Deadline: July 15, 2012.
State Farm Good Invites Applications for Neighbor Student Achievement Grants
Grants of up to $1,500 are available for programs that enhance student achievement through service-learning in K-12 public schools. Deadline: July 2, 2012
If these opportunities aren't the right fit for you, don't despair! Check out SparkAction's additional funding resources. |
| | Bookmark These Five Webinars
Upcoming -- Don't Miss!
This webinar on June 27, 2012 at 2pm EST will provide background information about a new provision that allows states and communities to use federal funding from multiple streams to pilot innovative approaches to improving outcomes for disconnected youth. Register today to help shape the White House initiative.
Learning for the Lazy Days of Summer: How-To Webinars
An incredibly useful (and free!) software for Twitter, TweetDeck has revolutionized our social media strategy and helped the SparkAction team use Twitter more effectively. This video is part of our SparkNotes blog series on social media.
In this recorded series, the Nonprofit Technology Network helps you put into practice the adage that a picture is worth 1,000 words.
Talking Policy
America's Promise says the way to increase on-time high school graduation rates is by getting all Americans involved. Here are some ways to talk about the dropout crisis.
The Alliance for Excellent Education explores the impact of potential legislative changes in Title I and Title II funding, the Obama Administration's budget blueprint and the waiver program for ESEA funding. |
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Caitlin Johnson and Thaddeus Ferber
SparkAction and the Forum for Youth Investment
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