The pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing problems and ravaged businesses, schools and families. Children across the United States have faced innumerable challenges, and that’s where Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) comes in. SCAN is a political advocacy organization aimed at supporting children across the United States.

In addition to putting pressure on the government to support childcare programs, the organization works to expand access to early childhood education that is high quality, advocate for immigrant children and their families, and more. SCAN has student programs in 29 schools and over 100 student ambassadors in the U.S. who engage with state senators to make changes on a local, national and international level.

Daniel Cieraszynski, a freshman international studies and business analytics major, is a student ambassador in the SCAN student ambassador program here at DU. “It is a really good way to feel like you are making a change. It’s amazing that because of my efforts, historical federal legislation was passed.” 

The historic piece of legislation that Cieraszynski is referring to is Proposition EE, which passed in November 2020 and secured universal preschool for 4-year-old children in Colorado. This was a tremendous victory for SCAN and the childcare industry in general. Cieraszynski and other student ambassadors at DU fought to pass this legislation by writing Letters to the Editors, text-banking voters and writing postcards to Colorado voters. 

Currently, the SCAN program at DU hopes to form an official club and recruit more student ambassadors—especially people interested in government, politics, event planning and childhood education. “I have seen firsthand how students’ confidence levels skyrocket by being a part of this program,” says Brody Armstrong, the senior coordinator for student engagement with SCAN. He oversees SCAN’s student ambassador program. 

SCAN’s next project is a campaign called Save Our Education, where student ambassadors will rally global leaders to invest in education programs. SCAN’s student ambassador program at DU will be hosting a Zoom panel discussion on June 3 entitled “Immigration Policy under the Biden Administration: A Focus on Children and Families.”

Students who are interested in engaging with local and national leaders and advocating for immigrant children and their families are welcome to attend. Registration information can be found here. SCAN is an impactful program that allows students to learn about advocacy, and this group provides them with the skills needed to move forward and make real change.