Implement The Artery Plan in SMMUSD

Inspired by the life of Eddie Lopez, the Resilient Youth Foundation was created by high school students with the goal of bringing equality, opportunity, prosperity to students of SMMUSD and its greater community.

Today, the Resilient Youth Foundation has grown to become a leader in education reform and an example of efficient and effective charitable service. Our programs have been implemented in East Los Angeles, our documentary has been shown to professors at UCLA, our ideas have been conveyed to 80 million households on CNN, and our story has been told alongside the Dalai Lama at the Aspen Institute.

As a result of the dialogue and work we have engaged in during the past three years, one thing has become clearly evident... too many students are not getting the guidance, resources, and motivation they need. There is hope; everyone, from educators to public servants, has been working hard to address the issues, people care, we are just on the wrong path. We are leaving too many kids behind. As a student-run organization, we decided it was our turn to try and solve our schools' problems with the hope that we can bring a unique perspective as we are the ones that live and learn in them everyday. 

After a year of dialogue and deliberation, and much feedback from professors, we think we have a solution to the challenges facing our schools and students.

The Artery Plan is our solution.

Our recommendations are a result of thorough research and innovative thinking, as well as discussions with everyone from students, to parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, professors, and professionals.

You can view the plan at www.arteryplan.org.

Did we mention that the cost of implementing the plan is less than 0.5% of the districts' annual operating budget! Cost-efficient and effective!

And now we call on you! Sign this petition and send an email to the Board of Education of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and tell them that the district must implement the components of the Artery Plan. 

We need a true change of direction - lets make Santa Monica the progressive leader it used to be!