Skyline College, in conjunction with CivicEvolution, awarded a grand prize of $2500 in grant money to the winner of a campus-improvement proposal contest on May 1.

The purpose of the forum was to encourage students’ voices to be heard and to get students more involved in making the school a better place. Four grants were available, with the grand prize winner receiving a $2500 grant, while the other three ideas received a $1200 grant.

The first group to present their idea was Kayla Louis and Terry Vo-Phamhi, who proposed establishing an open-mic platform in the cafeteria to provide students with entertainment. Along with students showcasing entertainment for fellow students, it would also give students a chance to showcase their creativity and talents in different ways: with creative writing, music and dance. Louis and Vo-Phamhi received a $1200 grant for their idea.

The second group to present was Amber Lincoln, president of the Environmental Club, and a few others. Their idea was to set up a hydration station in the cafeteria. They want to limit the use of water bottle distribution and pollution by making it easier for students who want to reuse their water bottles to fill them up. To help with their presentation, they showed the movie “Tapped,” which showed the amount of oil and other resources that is being used to create bottled water and distribute it to our local shops, where we then purchase them. Lincoln and her fellow group members were the winners of the big $2500 grant.

The third group to present promoted AB 540. AB 540 is a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rather than paying the out-of-state tuition that they used to be required to pay for state schools. AB540 wants to make it easier for immigrant students to determine what resources are available to them. The funds would be used to fund different programs and outreach events. The AB 540 group received a grant for $1200.

Chris Homes, who worked alongside Jesus Julian Rocha-Silva on the AB 540 presentation, felt honored to have been given the chance to participate in an event like this one.

“For me, it wasn’t about me; it was about who I was working with,” Homes said. “Julian, he was the main person I was working behind; he had all the ideas (and) I was just supporting him.

“Just the smile on his face after we finished and we knew we got the money-that was priceless for me. That being a member of the family, kind of thing, really feeling like I was (doing) something bigger than myself-that was pretty important.”

The final group to present was the veterans group, spearheaded by Jose Luis Sanchez. Sanchez is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, has served three tours to Iraq and is a current member of the ASSC. “The students were making the decisions for the money, and to actually present your ideas to an audience, it was awesome; I felt like we had accomplished something great,” Sanchez said of his experience at the forum.

“I hope that this happens every year because this right here gets students involved and many great things can happen. There are a lot of great ideas out there, and this gives them a forum, ears to be heard, and it gives you a chance to actually speak.”

The Veterans Resource Center was issued a grant of $1200. The center they are currently using has fallen into disrepair, and with their grant they plan to renovate the room to make it more comfortable for veteran service members.

They want to expand by buying new tables and chairs, curtains, posters, an information display case, a study cubicle, clocks and a “thank you” banner. Skyline Student Sarah Powers felt that the winning idea of the hydration station was a useful service for helping the campus become more environmentally friendly.

“I think it should be a priority,” Powers said. “Anything that can cut down on buying plastic bottles is a good idea.”