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Do You Know that Your School is Giving Out Your Phone Number to Military Recruiters?

You Can Opt Out

The "No Child Left Behind" Act requires that public schools give out a list of all students' names, addresses, and phone numbers to military recruiters whenever they ask for it. For more information see www.leavemychildalone.org.

You must act to have your name removed from the list that the school gives to the military. If you do not want your information given to the military, you must notify your school in writing. The Dept. of Education no longer has a deadline as to when they will accept Opt Out forms.

What will military recruiters do with your information? They will pressure you to "join up." Military recruiters are salespeople for the armed services. They are paid to get you into a uniform.

Military recruiters will make all kinds of promises. Many of these promises turn out to be false or misleading. Most recruits are never able to use their GI education benefits. The average veteran earns less in post-military employment than the average non-veteran. See www.objector.org, www.warresisters.org, and www.afsc.org to learn more.

Military recruiters may say that you won't be in combat. But they can't guarantee where or how you will deployed. Once you have enlisted, you have no say in where you will be ordered to go.

Details about your legal rights. Section 9528 of the "No Child Left Behind" Act of 2001 gives you and your parents the right to request that no information about you be released to any military recruiter and it requires the school administration to honor that request. It also requires the school administration to notify your parents of this right. Complete the form found at www.nycenet.edu and hand it in to your guidance counselor as soon as possible in order to keep your information confidential. The deadline of October 14, 2005 has been waived.

Translated versions are available here:

Alternatives to Military Service

Educational and Vocational Resources in New York

One-on-One Counseling

Settlement houses and community centers have a program called "Options" which provides individual counseling for people who would like to attend college. They provide assistance with college applications, SAT preparation, financial aid, and how to obtain scholarships. This is a free service which is offered at many locations throughout New York City. Information about specific programs can be found by going to the United Neighborhood Houses website at www.unhny.org and clicking on Member Agencies. There are three locations in Queens, including the Forest Hills Community House www.fhch.org; Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House www.rissettlement.org; and Sunnyside Community Services www.scsny.org.

Financial Aid to Pay for College

The Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the college student financial agency for New York State. HESC administers more than 15 grant, scholarship, and loan programs, including the nation's largest state grant--the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). www.hesc.com/bulletin.nsf/.

Job Training Programs

The New York State Department of Labor has a database of training programs for various kinds of jobs.It can be accessed by going to www.workforcenewyork.org/etp/.

The Department of Labor also lists apprenticeship opportunities with trade unions. These jobs pay very well. For more information, go to www.labor.state.ny.us/pressreleases/ApprenticeshipArchive.shtm.

Non-Traditional Employment for Women (NEW) is a nonprofit organization that trains women for employment in the building trades, jobs in the transportation and utilities industries and other historically male industries. These are high paying jobs that can lead to economic independence. Go to www.new-ny.org for more information.

More Information on Financial Aid, Scholarships and Grants for Education

The U.S. Department of Education website has information on a wide range of topics intended to assist people who want to attend college. This includes information on how to apply for financial aid, how to choose a college and many other topics. Go to www.ed.gov.

You can access the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov. This application is used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine how much Federal financial aid you are eligible for.

www.college-scholarships.com Allows you to do free web searches for financial aid and scholarships. It offers tips on how to take the SAT and ACT tests. It has information on colleges and universities throughout the United States. This includes downloadable applications for many of the colleges that are listed.

www.scholarships.com Allows you to submit a personal profile and to obtain information about financial aid geared to your particular situation.

You can submit a profile of yourself and information about your educational goals on www.fastweb.com and obtain specific information about which colleges offer the program you are looking and information about scholarships, grants and work study opportunities.

The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid www.finaid.org provides information about a wide range of ways to finance a college education.

Public Service Opportunities

AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects people with public agencies and non-profit organizations throughout the United States. Volunteers work in the areas of education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps participants have been involved in a wide range of different activities including following:

There are full and part-time positions available. Full time AmeriCorps members who complete their service earn tuition benefits to apply to graduate school or assistance in re-paying student loans. More information is available at www.americorps.org.

The Peace Corps is a federal program established by President Kennedy in 1960 as a way of promoting peace and cross cultural understanding. It provides people with the opportunity to live and work in developing countries around the world. Volunteers work in the areas of education, health care, agriculture, environmental preservation and information technology. The PeaceCorp provides volunteers with the opportunity to travel, to learn other languages and to immerse themselves in cultures radically different from their own.

PeaceCorps volunteers are provided with stipend to live in the communities where they are placed. Each volunteer receives $6,000 after completing a two year commitment to the program without any restrictions as to how it can be used. More information at www.peacecorps.gov.