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By gilliebean (24, California) 
Power in numbers: Get your friends to tell their stories
I’ve always thought it’d be amazing to tell off the school board or state legislators or whoever is responsible for our pathetic public schools. I’d storm into their big swanky office with 100 of my classmates and yell and scream and refuse to leave until they listened to everything we had to say.
Right to Learn is an online way of doing this—an e-smack-upside-the-head, if you will. Your story alone can be powerful, but your story and your friends’ stories together can really make change.
The Tools to Use
If you’re like me, you probably spend an obscene amount of time online “working” (or playing on Facebook and MySpace, whatever). Use this time for a good cause, and recruit your friends to submit their stories to Right to Learn.
Facebook is a magical, wondrous place that helps you reach a lot of people. Before you start, check your privacy settings to make sure all your actions will show up in your News Feed.
• Write a note
o From your profile’s lefthand sidebar, click Applications, then Notes
o Write a short message, upload a picture and tag all your friends
• Post a link
o Click Applications, then Posted Items
o Paste the Right to Learn link, click Post and add an explanation for your friends
• Start a group
o Click Applications, then Groups
o Click Create a New Group
o Fill out all the fun info, and invite everyone you know to join
• Send a message
o Click Inbox, then Compose Message
o This is like sending a mass e-mail, so you can list multiple recipients (I recommend sending this to a smaller group of close friends—too many and it feels impersonal)
MySpace
I don’t love MySpace as much as I love Facebook (I play favorites), but it is still a great way to get the word out.
• Post a bulletin
o From your profile, click Post Bulletin
o Write your message and include the Right to Learn link—your bulletin will show up on all your friends’ profiles
• Write a blog
o From your profile, click Manage Blog, then Post New Blog
o Write your message, include the link and post it for the world to see
• Post comments
o Write a short but sincere few sentences about why people should submit their stories to Right to Learn
o Cut and paste the message as a comment on your friends’ profiles (personalizing slightly for each one, if you have time)
Thanks for fightin’ the good fight to improve education. Good luck!
Use Video to Tell a Story
Use Audio to Tell a Story
Tell a Story Through Writing
