Dear Judges,

My name is Thomas Cerja IV and I am glad to present you with my project on the School to

Prison Pipeline. This is an issue that transcends political ideology and one that is plaguing our

school systems nationwide. Although this issue has been swept under the rug, it is now

beginning to gain traction in the news. After several years of volunteering with at-risk youth I

noticed that what is keeping them out of the classroom the most is being suspended. Several of

the young boys I mentor have gone in and out of suspension and with my research I wanted to

discover why. The impacts of zero-tolerance policies go far beyond just one school, or just one

classroom; instead society is looking at nationwide impacts of over suspension. I hope with my

work to not only bring knowledge on this subject, but also inspire people to get working to add

their contribution to changing the School to Prison Pipeline. I am a firm believer that if the

community comes together looking for positive based action solutions are problems of the

present, will become solutions of the past. I am both grateful and humbled for you taking your

time to evaluate my senior project and I hope it surpasses your satisfactory levels.

Thank You

Tommy Cerja