Some Lawrence students and recent high school graduates are seeking your vote.

The group wants the Lawrence school district to benefit from a $50,000 grant up for grabs this month from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

The grant would fund peer education where Lawrence high school students teach anti-bullying and anti-discrimination programs to younger students. The specific programs need outside funding to survive because of $4.6 million in budget cuts board members made starting in the fall.

“I personally believe that every little bit counts,” said Rachel Rasmussen, a 2010 Lawrence High graduate. “So when we’re not in there talking about bullying and accepting other people, then I feel like there are more problems that will be happening within each group of kids at school, and I don’t want that to happen.”

The programs include Bullies to Bullies and the cultural heritage panel at the high schools.

Diane Ash, the LHS prevention specialist, said the district is seeking outside grant funding for these types of programs and for alcohol- and drug-related prevention. Without the outside funds, Ash and Peggy Nelson, the Free State prevention specialist, won’t have positions in the fall.

“The school district has been very supportive of our efforts to secure grant funding,” Ash said. “That speaks to the fact they think these programs are worthwhile for Lawrence use as well.”

Kevin Harrell, the district’s division director of student intervention services, said without outside funds the district would work with individual schools to try to meet needs the programs filled.

But advocates are hoping it doesn’t come to that.

Rasmussen saw a recent advertisement from Pepsi about its monthly grant contest, and group members were able to get the prevention programs as a nominee for July.

Anyone can vote once per day this month at this website.

“We are a program that benefits a lot of people through the year,” Rasmussen said. “And something that will give us a lot of money to help sustain it throughout next year, that would be really great.”