More Than 5,000 Rally for Education in Westchester

More than 5,000 schoolchildren from 60 area schools turned out for the rally.
More than 5,000 schoolchildren from 60 area schools turned out for the rally.

Yesterday at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, more than 5,000 schoolchildren (including many CSF Scholars), teachers, legislators, and others rallied to support the Education Investment Tax Credit legislation currently under consideration in the New York State Legislature. The bill would create an individual and corporate tax credit to help children attending both public and private schools across the state.

Illeannesis Menendez, a former CSF Scholar and current pre-law freshman at Iona College, spoke eloquently to the crowd gathered about how her CSF scholarship made it possible for her mother to send her to St. Philip Neri School and then to Aquinas High School, where she developed the skills she needs to succeed in college. Several other CSF families taped moving testimonial interviews that were shown at the rally.

CSF Alum Illeannesis Menendez, who spoke at the rally, with her sisters and mom, Illian.
CSF Alum Illeannesis Menendez with her sisters and mom, Illian.
As well as CSF Alum Illeannesis Menendez, other speakers addressing the rally included: Senate Co-President Jeff Klein, Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Senators Ruth Hassell-Thompson, George Latimer, David Carlucci, Assembly members Gary Pretlow and Steve Otis, and Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, Archdiocese of New York Superintendent of Schools.
As well as CSF Alum Illeannesis Menendez, other speakers addressing the rally included: Senate Co-President Jeff Klein; Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins; Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson; Senator George Latimer; Senator David Carlucci; Assembly members Gary Pretlow and Steve Otis, Rabbi Yehiel Mark Kalish of Agudath Israel of America, and Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, Archdiocese of New York Superintendent of Schools.

If enacted, this bill would potentially allow CSF and its Buffalo partner, the BISON Children’s Scholarship Fund, to serve significantly more children each year, meeting the demands of thousands more parents who want to send their children to private school but simply cannot afford to do so. You can read more about the rally here: http://bit.ly/1aqvGVb.

The 5,000 strong crowd came together to support tax credit legislation that would benefit children attending public and private schools.
The 5,000 strong crowd came together to support tax credit legislation that would benefit children attending public and private schools.

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