Tomorrow: Expeditionary Learning School Students To March Towards College

Come out and witness an exciting movement for higher education taking place right in our neighborhood.

Over 700 high schoolers, from all five boroughs of New York, will be marching towards their local post offices this Friday, including seniors from Bensonhurst’s Expeditionary Learning School for Community Leaders (2630 Benson Avenue). Students will make their way to the mailboxes with stacks of college applications between 12pm and 1pm, cheered on by schoolmates, teachers, parents, and community leaders.

The annual College March, which began in 2011, is a nationwide initiative that promotes the ideal of college access for all and helps foster college-going cultures in participating schools. You can read our coverage of last year’s march here.

President Barack Obama gave a shout out to the College March and one of its participants during his 2014 State of the Union address:

Estiven Rodriguez couldn’t speak a word of English when he moved to New York City at age nine.  But last month, thanks to the support of great teachers and an innovative tutoring program, he led a march of his classmates – through a crowd of cheering parents and neighbors – from their high school to the post office, where they mailed off their college applications.  And this son of a factory worker just found out he’s going to college this fall.

Across the country, more than 1,300 seniors from 19 high schools will participate in the College March, and the movement only continues to grow.

Hope to see you there!