STUDENT-MEMBER CONFERENCE

Roughly 300 high school and college students came to Capitol Hill on
Friday to lobby Congress to reverse a higher education law that denies
financial aid to an estimated 200,000 students with drug convictions.
The students were in Washington, D.C., for a conference of Students
for Sensible Drug Policy, a nonpartisan, grass-roots group that
seeks drug policy reform.

After a "Lobbying 101" session, students dispersed to 85 meetings with
Members and staff, said SSDP Campaigns Director Tom Angell.

One student, Kraig Selken of Northern State University in South
Dakota, called the ending of his financial aid for a misdemeanor drug
conviction "irresponsible." "The costs of denying aid are huge," he
said. "College grads are more likely to succeed in life, to be able to
earn money, pay taxes and stay out of prison." Other presenters at the
conference included Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Democratic
commentator Bill Press, columnist Clarence Page of the Chicago
Tribune, former Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Terry
Michael and Nick Gillespie of Reason Magazine. Conference activities
included training workshops on coalition building, fundraising, media
relations, activism and recruitment.