By Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – As another round of high school seniors prepare for graduation, we know DREAMers in Clarksville are looking forward to graduating from high school and facing the challenge of how to finance a college education.

(H.O.P.E.) is launching a fundraising campaign to set up a scholarship so that DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and undocumented students in Clarksville can pursue or continue a college education.

We invite community and business leaders to work with us in order to create a scholarship fund that will provide financial support to DREAMers who graduate from a Clarksville high school. Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education (H.O.P.E.) was disappointed that Tennessee elected officials in the House and Senate were unable to get enough support for in-state tuition for DREAMers who graduated from a Tennessee high school.

While H.O.P.E. seeks to assist DREAMers financially, we are supportive of tuition equality and would like to see the implementation of in-state tuition in Tennessee. Rosa Ponce, President of H.O.P.E. says “I hope the launch of this campaign will let Clarksville DREAMers know that they have an ally in H.O.P.E., inspire Clarksville DREAMers to continue their high school and/or college education, and send a message to the community that this not just a national issue.”

To support the establishment of the scholarship, eat at Panera Bread at 110 Morris Road in Clarksville and give the cashier a H.O.P.E. Panera fundraising night flyer on Thursday, May 29 between 4:00-8:00 p.m. We encourage you to RSVP so we can keep track of sales and meet our goal of over 50 flyers being submitted so that H.O.P.E. can get 20% of the net sales from redeemed flyers.

You can visit the H.O.P.E. website or Facebook fan page or email latino.hope.treasurer@gmail.com for a copy of the Panera fundraising night flyer.

For more information on how to contribute to the scholarship fund, please call and leave a message or text (931) 546-9191 or email latino.hope.treasurer@gmail.com.