Metro Teen Speaks out on How State Failed Students

RESHIF, ABIGAIL SOWDER. >> COPING WITH CRISIS. SCHOOL YEAR REDUCTIONS ACROSS THE STATE. SPEAKING OUT. SOPHIA TRACHTENBERG WROTE AN OPEN LETTER FOR A LOCAL BLOG HER STUDENTS. VIRAL. SOPHIE JOINS US THIS MORNING. TAKING TIME OUT OF SCHOOL, AN THIS LETTER, YOU TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. SHARE NEXT HER WITH US. >> AT THIS TIME, THE OUTLOOK MILE -- OF MY EDUCATION IS IN THE HAND OF THE STATE AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO BE DISAPPOINTED AGAIN BY THE AUTHORITIES WERE INTEREST IN MIND. FAILED YOU? >> ESPECIALLY WITH THE TEACHER LAYOFFS. I GO TO A SPECIALTY SCHOOL WHERE I'M INVOLVED IN THE IB PROGRAM AND SPORTS AND THESE FUTURES PLAY VERY -- TEACHERS PLAY VERY LARGE ROLE IN MY LIFE. I THINK IF THE TEACHER LAYOFFS GO THROUGH THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO MY EDUCATION. INVOLVED IN THE COURT. WE KNOW YOU LOVE TO COOK AND OF COURSE WERE IN THE SCHOO AND A BRIGHTEST AMONG US. HOW DID YOU FIND THE TIME TO PE -- PEN THIS TIME OF LETTER -- TYPE OF LETTER? >> I THINK IT REALLY HIT HOME FOR ME ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I'M IN THOSE PROGRAMS AND I GO TO THE SCHOOL AND OKC PS HAS HAD A LOT . THIS REALLY AFFECTED ME PERSONALLY. TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. ERIELL REALLY PROVIDING A COMMUNITY. BEER FROM THE ADULTS ALL THE TIME, BUT WE DON'T OFTEN GET TO HEAR THE VOICES OF YOUTH. YOU WRITE IN O LETTER -- IN YOUR LETTER, TALKS OF BUDGET CU HAVE WIDEN THE EYES OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY ALIKE. PUTTING TH HOPE PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY ON EDGE. YOUR FRIEND TO THE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON IN THE HALLWAYS. CRISIS OR ARE THEY REALLY TUNED IN? >> W HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT A ESPECIALLY WITH OUR TEACHERS. WE WANT THE STATE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE INVOLVED AND THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT WE ARE NOT JUST GOING TO BE THIS HAPPEN. SO YES WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT A LOT. THIS LETTER I THINK IS NARROWED IN. ERIELL YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIRECT IMPACT ON YOUR SCHOOL. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CUTS LOOMING FOR TEACHERS AND CUTS THAT MAY IMPACT YOUR PROGRAM AND OTHERS QUESTION MAR --? WE WILL BE LOSING NINE POSITIONS. I THINK BEING AT A SPECIALTY SCHOOL, LOSING THESE POSITIONS WILL AFFECT THE STUDENTS DIRECT AND THE VALUE OF HER EDUCATION WILL DECREAS. OF PROPOSED. DIRECTLY. ERIELLE: YOU TAL CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR TEACHERS THAT GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND STRETCHES INTO YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND THEY SERVE AS A GUIDE AND A COMPASS FOR YOU. TALK ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME OF YOUR TEACHERS AND HOW THEY'VE IMPACTED YOU? WITH MY TEACHERS AND COACHES, WE GO TO TUTORING AND E-MAIL AND GO TO PRACTICE. I SEE THEM A LOT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. LOT OF THE TEACHERS WERE THERE. THEY INVESTED IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. ERIELLE: YOU SAY OFFICIALS ARE LISTENING TO YOU AND WE KNOW THEY ARE. JOYCE HOFMEISTER HERSELF RETWEETED YOUR LETTER. THIS POINT. WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO HEAR TODAY? I WANT THAT TO KNOW THAT A STUDENTS REALLY DO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THAT WE DO VALUE WANT THESE CUTS TO HAPPEN OBVIOUSLY. I JUST WANT THEM TO LISTEN TO A VOICE THAT IS BEING AFFECTED DIRECTLY AND THAT IS SPEAKIN UP TEACHERS. WANT TO KNOW. YOUR LETTER IS IMPRESSIVE AND YOU ARE IMPRESSIVE. SCHOOL? I KNOW YOU HAVE ONE MORE YEAR. WHAT COULD BE IN YOUR FUTURE? ESPECIALLY WITH MY SCHOOL, THEY'VE PREPARED ME VERY WELL. I WANT TO GO TO A HIGH ACADEMIC INSTITUTION THAT IS NOT AN OKLAHOMA. I'M LOOKING TO THE EAST COAST AND HOPEFULLY PLAY BASKETBALL. ERIELL BROADER PERSPECTIVE ON THE EAST COAST AND OBLIQUE WE CAN LOWER YOU BACK HOME. THINGS. THOUGHTS WITH THE COMMUNITY.