More than 7 out of 10 eligible 8th-grade students (73%) have been recruited into the state’s Twenty-first Century Scholars Program this enrollment year in Delaware County. This is a 29% increase from March of this year and an 18% increase from last year.
Students are enrolled for the state program while in middle school. Seventh-grade enrollment this year is 39%, a 9% increase from last year. Sixth-graders were able to enroll this year for the first time because of changes in the program guidelines. In Delaware County, 35% of the eligible students in this grade level were recruited. Across all three recruitment grade levels —6th, 7th and 8th — 799 students or 49% of those eligible were enrolled in Delaware County.
“We set very aggressive goals for Delaware County,” said Dick Daniel, Community Scholarship Liaison for Project Leadership, which partners with schools and the TCS regional office to recruit students. “We came very close to meeting those goals which were 50% enrollment overall and 75% of eligible eighth graders. We found that the biggest increases came at the schools that allowed Project Leadership to meet with students one-on-one. We hope that all schools will recognize the value of personalized contact during the coming school year.”
This spring, Project Leadership Delaware County partnered with area schools and the regional office in one-on-one meetings with eligible students at school and in mailings sent to individual homes as part of its recruitment strategies. Seventh-grade Delta Middle School student Rachel Smith was the winner of a Wii through a drawing Project Leadership Delaware County held for students who enrolled in the Twenty-first Century Scholars program this spring.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Grant County's Twenty-first Century Scholars Enrollment Soars
More than 9 out of 10 eligible 8th-grade students have been recruited into the state’s Twenty-first Century Scholars Program this enrollment year in Grant County, a 22% increase from last year and a 40% increase from two years ago.
Students are enrolled for the state program while in middle school. Seventh-grade enrollment this year is 73%. Sixth-graders were able to enroll this year for the first time because of changes in the program guidelines and in Grant County, 78% of the eligible students in this grade level were recruited. Across all three recruitment grade levels —6th, 7th and 8th — 1,107 students were enrolled in Grant County.
“These are phenomenal results that exceeded our expectations,” said Tammy Pearson, director of Project Leadership, which partners with schools and the TCS regional office to recruit students. “What these recruitment numbers tell us is that families are beginning to get the message that the Twenty-first Century Scholars program is one that they cannot afford to pass up. The increase also is a positive reflection on the successful partnership that has formed with Grant County schools.”
ABOUT THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS PROGRAM:
Students enrolled in Indiana’s Twenty-first Century Scholars program receive four years of tuition to one out of 80 public Indiana colleges or universities. The Scholars program was established to decrease drug and alcohol use, reduce juvenile crime, decrease the number of student dropouts, increase the number of students entering post-secondary education, better prepare students for the workforce after graduation, and improve the overall quality of life for Indiana residents. Scholars and their families must meet income guidelines – ones that mirror free/reduced lunch guidelines – to be eligible for the program. Scholars, upon enrolling in the program, pledge to graduate from high school, achieve a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, agree not to use illegal drugs or alcohol or commit a crime, apply to an eligible Indiana college, university or technical school as a high school senior, and apply on time for state and federal financial aid.
GRANT COUNTY’S RECRUITMENT HISTORY
A small percentage —16% — of eligible Scholars were signed up for the state program in Grant County in early 2007. Since that time, Grant County schools, the region’s Twenty-first Century Scholars office and Project Leadership have partnered to dramatically and consistently improve on the number of local families taking the state up on its scholarship offer and life-changing opportunity for students. Since this partnership, recruitment has increased over the past two years from 16% in early 2007 to 82% total enrollment in June 2009.
“The partnership has resulted in new and innovative approaches among our collective recruitment teams,” said Linda Lowe, Project Leadership Assistant Director and Community Scholarship Liaison.
For example, for the first time, each Grant County middle school registration was staffed by enrollment teams last school year, resulting in about 500 newly recruited students, Lowe said.
“In another first, applications were completed one-on-one with eligible students at each middle school in a spring recruitment blitz,” Lowe said. “We’re repeating both recruitment strategies beginning this fall because they were so successful last year.”
Recruitment teams will be working Grant County middle school registrations, beginning the last week of July and through the first part of August. Lowe said students and parents should come prepared to complete an application for their 6th, 7th and 8th graders at the time of their registration. The application process is made easier this year because students that qualify for and are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program do not have to complete the income section of the application. For more information or to enroll in the program, students and families may contact Project Leadership at 651-0650, the regional Twenty-first Century Scholars office at 1-877-717-2121 or their school.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact TAMMY PEARSON AND LINDA LOWE / Project Leadership / 765-651-0650
Students are enrolled for the state program while in middle school. Seventh-grade enrollment this year is 73%. Sixth-graders were able to enroll this year for the first time because of changes in the program guidelines and in Grant County, 78% of the eligible students in this grade level were recruited. Across all three recruitment grade levels —6th, 7th and 8th — 1,107 students were enrolled in Grant County.
“These are phenomenal results that exceeded our expectations,” said Tammy Pearson, director of Project Leadership, which partners with schools and the TCS regional office to recruit students. “What these recruitment numbers tell us is that families are beginning to get the message that the Twenty-first Century Scholars program is one that they cannot afford to pass up. The increase also is a positive reflection on the successful partnership that has formed with Grant County schools.”
ABOUT THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS PROGRAM:
Students enrolled in Indiana’s Twenty-first Century Scholars program receive four years of tuition to one out of 80 public Indiana colleges or universities. The Scholars program was established to decrease drug and alcohol use, reduce juvenile crime, decrease the number of student dropouts, increase the number of students entering post-secondary education, better prepare students for the workforce after graduation, and improve the overall quality of life for Indiana residents. Scholars and their families must meet income guidelines – ones that mirror free/reduced lunch guidelines – to be eligible for the program. Scholars, upon enrolling in the program, pledge to graduate from high school, achieve a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, agree not to use illegal drugs or alcohol or commit a crime, apply to an eligible Indiana college, university or technical school as a high school senior, and apply on time for state and federal financial aid.
GRANT COUNTY’S RECRUITMENT HISTORY
A small percentage —16% — of eligible Scholars were signed up for the state program in Grant County in early 2007. Since that time, Grant County schools, the region’s Twenty-first Century Scholars office and Project Leadership have partnered to dramatically and consistently improve on the number of local families taking the state up on its scholarship offer and life-changing opportunity for students. Since this partnership, recruitment has increased over the past two years from 16% in early 2007 to 82% total enrollment in June 2009.
“The partnership has resulted in new and innovative approaches among our collective recruitment teams,” said Linda Lowe, Project Leadership Assistant Director and Community Scholarship Liaison.
For example, for the first time, each Grant County middle school registration was staffed by enrollment teams last school year, resulting in about 500 newly recruited students, Lowe said.
“In another first, applications were completed one-on-one with eligible students at each middle school in a spring recruitment blitz,” Lowe said. “We’re repeating both recruitment strategies beginning this fall because they were so successful last year.”
Recruitment teams will be working Grant County middle school registrations, beginning the last week of July and through the first part of August. Lowe said students and parents should come prepared to complete an application for their 6th, 7th and 8th graders at the time of their registration. The application process is made easier this year because students that qualify for and are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program do not have to complete the income section of the application. For more information or to enroll in the program, students and families may contact Project Leadership at 651-0650, the regional Twenty-first Century Scholars office at 1-877-717-2121 or their school.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact TAMMY PEARSON AND LINDA LOWE / Project Leadership / 765-651-0650
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