Thanks to Matt Vaughan, the musician Shakira is now sporting a ONE Campaign bracelet.

Vaughan, a freshman from Mexico, Mo., was in Washington D.C., Tuesday when he was asked to speak at a press conference about his work with the ONE Campus Challenge.

Vaughan said he got a kiss on the cheek from Shakira, who is acting as the honorary chair of the Global Campaign for Education Action League.

Vaughan and four other Western ONE Campus Challenge leaders arrived in D.C. Sunday for Global Education Action Week.

Six students from ONE campuses across the country also attended.

For two days, students went to training sessions about speaking with legislators.

On Tuesday, they met with the staffs of Sens. Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning and representatives from the group’s hometowns to to encourage co-sponsorship of the Education for All Act, which aims to secure $3 billion by 2012 to provide a quality basic education for everyone in the world.

Vaughan and other ONE members hope the bill passes in the next legislative session, which begins in January 2009.

Vaughan said meeting with the staffs was beneficial, because they have a lot of influence on which bills legislators support.

Western students didn’t receive any formal response from the staffs on whether the legislators would co-sponsor the EFA Act by the time the group left for Bowling Green on Tuesday, Vaughan said.

“If they don’t speak up, come election time, we will,” he said. “They can’t get elected if they say, ‘I’m pro-poverty and anti-education.’ By not supporting it, that’s basically what they’re saying.”

Vaughan said the ONE Campaign was a good start in raising awareness, but there’s more to be done.

“The only way we can make global poverty history is through legislation like the Education for All Act,” Vaughan said. “We can’t see the image of the future if we don’t act in the present.”

He said following up with the legislators will be essential.

Charlie Harris, a freshman from Morganfield, met with the staffs of Rep. Ed Whitfield and McConnell.

Bowling Green freshman Jamie Lokey got sick on Tuesday and was unable to meet with the legislators, Harris said.

Louisville sophomore Kristen Houser and Lexington sophomore Greg Capillo met with John Yarmuth, D-Louisville, on Tuesday.

Yarmuth is a co-sponsor of the bill, Houser said.

“It was wonderful meeting with him because he’s in support of everything we’re fighting for,” she said.

Erin Eagan, Student Outreach Coordinator for the ONE Campaign praised Western’s efforts.

“Matt Vaughan and the WKU ONE Chapter have mobilized students, faculty groups and local leaders on these issues,” she stated in a press release.

Reach Emily Ulber at news@chherald.com.