. >> reporter: beth hansen has just started making loan payments: $468 a month. will she ever pay off her loans? >> i may die first. so. in which case, they would need a copy of my death certificate to finally cancel my loan. >> woodruff: ray suarez talks with dolores huerta, honored with the presidential medal of freedom for her efforts to secure higher wages and better working conditions for farm laborers. >> i came to the homes osome of these farm workers. their furniture was orange crates and their children were barefooted and i thought, "this is wrong." >> brown: and we remember folk and bluegrass legend guitarist and singer doc watson. that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> growing up in arctic norway, everybody took fish oil to stay healthy. when i moved to the united states almost 30 yrs ago, i could not find an omega-3 fish oil that worked for me. i became inspired to bring a new definition of fish oil quality to the world. today, nordic naturals is working to fulfill our mission of bringing

maryland teacher beth hansen, who also works three part time jobs to make ends meet, owes more than $60,000n total income of about $45,000. >> as a member of society, i have certain rules and obligations. when you enter into a contract, you have to fulfill that contract. >> reporter: with a bachelors and law degrees, jack cazir is a $100,000 in the hole. >> i did take the money knowingly. like i knew it was a loan and... >> reporter: recent brandeis grad benjamin beutel, who did everything he could to avoid debt, says he would resent loan forgiveness. >> i am graduating in three years. one of those years, i went to a state school. suddenly i'll wish that i have had debt because it would have saved my family and myself a lot of trouble. >> reporter: even robert applebaum is committed to paying his loans back. he graduated from fordham law school in 1998 with a $65,000 debt that grew-- unpaid interest added to principal-- to $88,000 when he deferred payments to work a low-paying public service job. >> ever since i left the d.a.s. office in 2004, i've been in repayment, i have not missed a sin