Elev8 Participates in New Mexico Children’s Cabinet

Students from Laguna Middle School visit with New Mexico Sen. David Ulibarri (D-Cibola, Socorro, Valencia), who represents the Laguna Pueblo area.

"Invest in Children, Strengthen New Mexico" was the message carried by hundreds of children, youth and adults during three days of advocacy at the Roundhouse.

At least twice a year, the Children’s Cabinet brings together parents, children, educators, public officials and representatives of non-profits to discuss the situation of youth in New Mexico. The Children’s Cabinet was established to ensure state agencies are working together to streamline services and programs for youth.

“We want our kids to be able to have a really good start, but we know they need help all along the way until they’re essentially launched into adulthood” says Lt. Governor Diane Denish.

The Children’s Cabinet concentrates in five areas: health, education, safety, work, and civic engagement.

On January 20th, more than 150 students, parents, team members and supporters from all five Elev8 New Mexico sites drove through snow and ice to the state capitol. They argued against proposed state education, after-school enrichment, and health care budget cuts. Everyone packed Lt. Governor Diane Denish's press conference, where she unveiled the 2010 Children's Budget and Report Card.

Elev8 New Mexico students spoke directly with eight State Senators and six State Representatives who represent the areas in which Elev8 schools are located: Albuquerque, Southern New Mexico and Laguna Pueblo. Students and parents also delivered hundreds of postcards to 23 state legislators who represent Elev8 communities. Listen to the students talk about their experience in this video.

Students and parents also attended the House Education Committee meeting and spoke in opposition to proposed legislative cuts to after-school enrichment funding in House Bill 3, the Education Appropriation Act. The bill would eliminate almost all state funding for after-school enrichment programs (except for a $500,000 pass-through appropriation for rural Native American students through the Indian Education Act).

As they discuss the 2011 budget, the state’s 112 citizen legislators are facing the worst economic climate in years. The legislature was recently forced to go into an extra four-day Special Session because a budget agreement could not be reached in the 30-day deadline for budget deliberations.

A tentative budget is on Governor Bill Richardson’s desk, and he has until March 24 to sign, veto in full or line-item veto sections of the budget, which included tax increases on food items and cigarettes, and cuts to budgets in education and state agencies.

For a wrap up of the New Mexico Legislative Special Session, read a report from the New Mexico Independent.

To see a list of bills signed/vetoed by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to date, click here.

And for a rundown on the Governor’s actions on education bills passed during the regular and special sessions, including information on the nation’s first Hispanic Education Act, go here.