News & Notes: Students chosen as education activists to watch by Time

Alexis Morin and Catharine Bellinger, the founders of the educational equality organization Students for Education Reform, were named as two of the education activists to watch in 2012 by Time magazine.

Morin and Bellinger founded SFER in 2009, their first year at Princeton. The pair has since taken time off from school to focus on to the organization, which has grown to 71 chapters in 28 states, according to SFER’s website.

The website states that the group is dedicated to “[mobilizing] the next generation of leaders on college campuses to close the achievement gap.” SFER helps undergraduates organize to both support pro-education legislation and actively supporting education through careers and service.

Time’s announcement is quick to point out that the group has already made progress in its objectives: Last fall, SFER member Andrew Blumenfeld ’13 was elected to the school board in his hometown, La Canada, Calif.

Time’s list includes such well-known figures as Matt Damon and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, as well as educators including John Hunter and Kaya Henderson. This year is the second in which Time has compiled such a list, following last year’s “11 for ’11” list of education reformers.