$30,000 / 2011
4205 Chestnut Street 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Nijime Dzurinko, Executive Director
Website: www.Phillystudentunion.org
The Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) was founded in 1995 by a group of young people and continues to be a youth led organization. PSU constituency is primarily low-income students from schools in west and south Philadelphia. More than 60% of the members are African-American students who attend “racially isolated” neighborhood schools. Their mission is to assist Philadelphia public high school students in organizing to transform public schools into places where all young people receive a high quality education, and to help young people across schools and communities connect their issues to build power locally and regionally. This $30,000 core grant in 2011 will enable Philadelphia Student Union to develop youth leadership to work on a campaign focused on teacher quality and equity, school funding, alternative to privatization for low-performing schools and small community centered schools. This core grant represents the first year in Hazen’s commitment of support through 2014.