Wise Up! at South East

South East’s Wise Up! members inform themselves and spread knowledge about current immigration reforms in California.
Wise Up!, run by SEHS seniors Omar De Los Santos and Jesse Pantoja, is a school club that promotes equal human rights. “[The club] informs students about current issues on immigration,” said vice president Jesse Pantoja.
The politics behind current immigration reforms such as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, also known as the DREAM act, and the eligibility for undocumented students to pay in-state tuition are predominant topics discussed at the weekly meetings.
The near failure of the DREAM act stunned the members of Wise Up! Rejection of the bill would mean that undocumented students would access higher education by paying expensive out of state tuition. These students would also struggle to acquire residency since the bill grants citizenship if a two year college degree is earned or two years are served in the military.
Wise Up! focuses on students, regardless of their residency. On November 15, California’s Supreme Court decided that undocumented students can receive lower in-state tuition at California universities and colleges. Daniel Rodriguez, a senior and Wise Up!’s sergeant of arms said, “I was elated that undocumented students have the opportunity to further their higher education. I was really happy because a lot of my friends wanted this to pass, and it passed.”
Many opportunities are also offered to Wise Up! members. They include volunteer work, college advice, and the chance to attend CORE meetings—weekly meetings in Downtown LA in which officers from different Wise Up! clubs discuss their club’s progress and give updates on immigration issues, explained Pantoja.
Wise Up! is held on Tuesdays during lunch in room A201. “In a school that’s approximately 99% Latino, I’m sure that many students could somehow connect to immigration,” said Pantoja. “By informing students [about the issues], we intend to have our word spread even further by having them talk to their peers, parents, relatives, etc.”
Adam Espindola, a senior and member of the club, believes many SEHS students can start practicing equal human rights by simply joining Wise Up! Espindola said, “People who attend the club obtain knowledge about immigration reforms. This is passed onto others, bringing more awareness to these dire social issues.”