first off all, this is a great idea, but unfortunately the city is not behind this idea. i'll tell you why...they have to worry about getting there investment back, unfortunately this would be a radical program in there eyes with alot of risk...i'm personally all for changes and new ideas such as this, but these city hall bureacrats expect some type of return, and in this istance that return would be in tax dollars, which isn't foreseeable, and the job prospects for inner city youth are unfortunately of no concern to the city because again, unfortunately youth are incapable(for many reasons) right now of mounting a serious protest or defense against the city. This is small group of protesters, they first work on stimulating people's minds to their cause before they turn to civil disobedience. These students should be commended in their effort but the issue is so much deeper than 3 million dollars of funding, it runs deep into the fabric of society, in the family structure, the worldview by which americans live by, and most importantly capitalism...it's not just the municipal city govt, but the federal govt bureacracy and what most people don't realize, the private business conglomerates that are supposedly seperate from the govt. So even though these students should be commended, they are not focusing on the actual problem they are focusing on an outcome from the problem. lastly, a hunger strike especially by students doesn't do what it intends to. no one cares about some students who are on a hunger strike, maybe if you acted in civil disobedience, but a hunger strike is only applicable ina jail scenario really. Also, the education system here is also what is at fault, it needs to be drastically reformed, i see the students don't necessarily advocate that. also, what hurts this idea is that the creators would be the ones obviously getting the jobs to help peers, to some that may seem like a conflict of interest. but i agree that a federally mandated area be assigned to help youths in the nation. Youths especially in the workplace and society are cast away instead of concentrated on. education(all education) should be free. to each according to his need, to each according to his ability-karl marx i also laud the motivation of the students of local people helping other local people.