Phenomenal 5th Graders Fly to Philly

I am LT, aka, Mr. Tan and have been an educator for over 23 years, mainly in the Elementary School (3rd-5th grades) in Watts, Los Angeles, and Currently in East Oakland, but also as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, Mills College, and Santa Clara University. I am always in service of marginalized BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) communities. Over the years, we have created an educator pipeline as many of my former students have gone into the education field and continue to serve communities and students. One of the ways this has happened was by sharing and developing tools for students to critically analyze, problem pose, and problem solve what was going on in their communities, schools, and globally. Students conducted critical research known as Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), and were able to present their research and solutions to school officials, mayors, educators, universities, and conferences all over North America. Now a NEW GENERATION of students are ready to follow in these footsteps as they have been selected to present at a Presidential Session for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2024 Conference in Philadelphia on APRIL 11-15th! I am raising funds to allow a ONCE in a LIFETIME opportunity to 13 fifth graders to showcase their academic and critical research. This can be a life altering experience for my students whom oftentimes get overlooked or do not have the same opportunities as others.

This project is important for the fifth graders involved, because it represents many firsts for them. All my students have never been to Philly, and some have not left California. Many have not even had the opportunity to be on a plane. More importantly, this will be their first time being challenged to conduct a YPAR project at this high of a level. They are excited to not only go through an academically rigorous process inside and outside of class, but they are open to the transformative results that will happen from undertaking this project. The students are excited to not only speak truth to power, but show and prove what BIPOC students from East Oakland are capable of. I know this will be an experience that the participants will not forget, as evidenced by the previous opportunities former students had in years past.

Students returning from their experience will not just leave it to the select group, they will share their work and experience with the school and in other spaces as well. They will present in university classes, share their work with teacher education classes in hopes to influence other teachers to do this transformative work with their own classes. Our hope is that this experience SPARKS a transformative movement in education.

The funds raised will be used for:

Airfare (13 round trip flights)

Lodging (Air B&B)

Transportation (15 passenger Van Rental)

Meals (13 growing 5th graders)

Any funds raised above the costs will be used to enhance our students' Philadelphia experience (sights and attractions requiring entrance fees).

5th grade is a culminating year for us. Next year, our students move on to middle school, which arguably can be the toughest transitions for our youth. This experience can offer our students THE GAME CHANGING MOMENT that can propel them to greater heights and alter trajectories. Please consider supporting our project!

On behalf of the 5th graders involved, thank you for your time and consideration.