Sunnyslope youth Cody Belle Ray, 14, has been offered an opportunity to participate in a program in Washington, D.C., this summer, but she needs a little help from the community to make the dream come true.
Cody, who is Navajo, is a freshman at the New School for the Arts and Academics, a charter school in Tempe. She has been interested in history and politics since she was 12 and has been a member of the Junior States of America (JSA) for two years. In January she was accepted into the JSA Summer Program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., from June 26-July 17.
“I believe this summer school will help me to better understand the running of our country and give me a view of politics that I cannot see at home or in a book,” she says.
“This fall I am transferring to a different school where I will have the opportunity to start a new JSA chapter. I would like to do my best to help other students become involved in making a difference in our country and community problems.”
At the JSA Summer Program, Cody will take a college-level American Government course and live on the Georgetown campus. In addition, she will enjoy presentations from and ask questions of political leaders, and will get to sharpen her debate skills in the nightly Debate Workshops.
Cody is in the process of raising her tuition for this summer program, and thus far she has raised $325 of her $4,500 goal to cover tuition, room and board after scholarships. She will need an additional $600-$700 for a round-trip plane ticket and pocket money. She also is in need of a laptop or tablet.
Cody has set up a crowdfunding page at http://www.stayclassy.org/CodysGeorgetownUniversity. If you want to contact Cody directly, you can e-mail her at: burningintheskys01@gmail.com.
