I Wrote a Letter. Now What?

Writing your letter was a powerful first step—but advocacy doesn’t stop there. You have a voice, a story, and a platform. Here are creative, meaningful ways to amplify your message and get more people involved in protecting Pell Grants and fighting for student support. In fact, many of these ideas came directly from student leaders themselves—over 50 PTK student leaders from the International and Regional levels met, and these strategies emerged from their passion, collaboration, and commitment to making sure every student voice is heard.

Turn Your Letter into a Reel or TikTok

Your story matters. Now say it out loud. Use your letter as a script to create a short video for social media. Make it personal, bold, and direct—because people listen when students speak.

• “Hey Congress, here’s why I need my Pell Grant…”
• What is Pell? Why it saved me $4,000+ this year.”
• Use hashtags like: #ProtectPell #FundFutures #SavePell #CommunityCollegeStrong #PTKAdvocates

Make Pell Part of Your PTK HIA or College Project

Turn your advocacy into impact. This year’s PTK Honors in Action theme is all about storytelling—what better story to tell than how Pell has shaped your life? Turn this into a chapter project and raise awareness campus-wide.

• Build an HIA or College Project focused on Pell advocacy
• Create a “Pell Stories Wall” on campus or online with student photos + quotes
• “Without Pell, I couldn’t afford gas and classes.”
• Host a legislative education event or write an op-ed

Be the Campus Expert

Become the go-to person for Pell facts. Students trust other students. Step up as a peer educator and help others understand what’s at stake and how to act.

• Host a #PellTalk table during lunch hours or in the student union
• Share fact sheets, zines, and QR codes linking to your reps or PTK.org/advocacy
• Offer a 2-minute classroom talk or email professors to speak briefly before class

Organize a Social Media Blast

Make your voice part of a wave. Set a date, pick a message, and encourage students to flood social media with their Pell stories. The more voices, the stronger the impact.

• Include a photo, stat, and call to action
• Example: “1 in 3 community college students get Pell. I’m one of them.”
• “Write your rep: PTK.org/advocacy”
• Encourage group posts for visibility (ex: SGA, PTK, TRIO)

Spin It, Share It, Boost It

Your content doesn’t need to go viral—it just needs to be shared. Make your story easy to find and hard to ignore. Use visual storytelling to make the Pell issue stick.

Pin your video or post to your TikTok/IG profile

Ask your college, student orgs, and PTK Region to reshare

Use Canva to create a three-slide carousel:

 
o   Slide 1: “What’s happening to Pell?”

o   Slide 2: “Why it matters to you”

o   Slide 3: “What you can do in 60 seconds”

Team Up with Other Groups

Advocacy is better together. Partner with student organizations that share your passion for equity and access. Bring more students to the table—and make it fun.

Collaborate with SGA, TRIO, Veterans Center, First-Gen student groups, etc.

Host a “Pell + Pizza” night with a short explainer and action station.

Invite a speaker, write letters together, and create a buzz.