Star Genius High School Robot Team Can't Afford College
Linked by David Adams on Wed 6th Apr 2005 20:21 UTC
In the News This month's Wired magazine has a terriffic story about a team of students from a high school in an economically depressed part of Phoenix, who took part in an underwater-robot building competition against students from the top universities in the country -- and won. All of the students are undocumented Mexican immigrants who don't qualify for most financial aid or even in-state tuition, and therefore can't afford to attend college, in the US, Mexico, or anywhere. When I read the article I determined to try to do something to help give these kids their chance, and I was delighted to discover that their faculty advisor has set up a scholarship fund for them, and I'm about to donate some money to help. I'd like to encourage OSNews readers to read the story, and if they feel the same way, to donate.
E-mail Print r 0   426 Comment(s) http://osne.ws/7w1
Permalink for comment
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
@By Mike (IP: ---.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk)
by Smartpatrol on Wed 6th Apr 2005 21:26 UTC

Excuse me do you live in the US? specifically near the Mexican border? No? then kindly shutup becasue you have no idea what you are talking about. We know how Europe treats its immigrants.

@Adam

Frankly, the fact that these kids are illegal immigrants is mostly irrelevant. It's like original sin. They did receive the opportunity to be discovered, and to participate in this contest, which they wouldn't have had otherwise, but now that they have been identified for their capabilities, they should be shoved back down because of a crime that their parents committed?

The problem in my mind has been the de-criminalzation of illegal immigration over the years. It is against the law(read; CRIME) to enter this country without proper authorization. The immigration issue is not irrelevant you just happen to be blinded by their acheivements, which i admit are very impressive. Let me ask you a question should Terry Nichols(Oklahoma city bomber) be forgiven his transgressions if for example he came up with the cure for cancer? Hell no!

If these had been kids from a Juarez, Mexico, high school who had won the same competition, and were in the same situation, and wanted to attend college, would you feel differently? Would you feel that they had no right to accept a private scholarship to attend a US (or Mexican) university.

Apples and oranges questions but here it goes..chances are they would follow the proper procedures to obtain a student visa or whatever legal means to enter this country.

I am against all illegal immigration Mexico, Canada, Japan, England or what have you.