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The Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC), a Trinity Grants and All Our Children partner, organizes young people to work for justice in their communities and the public high school system. So it’s not surprising that when the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which controls the extensive New York subway and bus system, announced it would cut the free student MetroCard program because of a budget deficit, UYC began to rally students from all over the city.

Many New York City public high school students don’t live within walking distance of their high school. The MetroCard program entitles each student to free transportation to and from school throughout the year. If the program is cut, UYC says that student transportation will cost parents $1,000 per child each year. It’s an expense that few middle-to low-income families can afford.

UYC received a Trinity grant in May 2010 to support their efforts to organize youth for public school reform. Throughout the early months of 2010 the organization has also used Trinity’s Parish Hall to plan a student protest that happened on June 11, 2010 during the school day. Students from all over the city walked out of class and rallied at City Hall.

The MTA and city and state governments will decide this summer if the student MetroCard program will be cut. For more information, visit urbanyouthcollaborative.org.