Chambers student lends her voice to advocate on Capitol Hill

Allyssa Vassell, a student at Julius L. Chambers High, was one of five students from the Charlotte area who took part in the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) Hill Day on March 21 in Washington, D.C. The group met with legislators and staff from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to advocate for expanding access to higher education through programs such as the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the Pell Grant.

Carolina Youth Coalition, GenOne and Road to Hire – local nonprofits that focus on college access and success for under-resourced students – selected the students, who were all in college except for Allyssa, a Road to Hire scholar.

Hill Day is an annual event, organized by NCAN. The Equitable Foundation provided support for the students’ participation. The foundation is the charitable giving arm of Equitable, a leading financial services provider. Equitable, GenOne and Road to Hire are Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools partners.

For more information on the students’ experience, please visit: 

• Students advocate in DC for a better FAFSA and Pell Grants - EducationNC (ednc.org)

• NCAN Advocacy Training and Hill Day with Equitable