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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 19, 2006 Contact: John Vance 924-4063
New Scholarship Initiative for Area Scholars
A new source of scholarship money for area seniors will debut this coming spring when the ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars (CVCSF) plans to announce its initial award of two or more two-year $2,500 scholarships which, with available school-based financial aid, will cover most of the cost of tuition at New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges.
Chief among the initial purposes of this initiative is to serve students with potential to succeed in postsecondary education or training in associate degree or certificate programs who, without early identification, encouragement and support, would be unlikely to apply for, or to be seriously considered for a competitive scholarship. The process begins with early identification of these students, most of whom at this stage see little likelihood of continuing education beyond high school for reasons of the high cost of postsecondary education, peer pressure, lack of support at home or other reasons. A limited number of such candidates will be encouraged during their senior year, to prepare themselves for continuing their education in certificate or associate degree programs following graduation from ConVal. The incentive offered these students will be to have their tuition almost fully paid for by a combination of the CVCSF scholarship and school-based financial aid.
The CVCSF was chartered as a new Dollars for Scholars chapter of Scholarship America on September 25, 2006. It was initiated by a group of community leaders determined to inspire more of our young people to finish high school, taking greater advantage of the opportunities that are there for them, and for more of them to continue in postsecondary certificate or degree granting programs that will prepare them for better paying jobs and more satisfying careers. The mission of CVCSF is “To inspire confidence and hope with community support to help more students in the ConVal region achieve their potential”. Scholarships will be available to deserving candidates who reside in ConVal school district towns. Attendance at ConVal High School is not required.
Chief among the concerns of the CVCSF organization are: 1. Too many of our bright young people with recognized potential, for reasons of ever rising costs of postsecondary education, financial hardship, peer pressure, lack of support at home, or other reasons, choose not to explore options available to them to continue their education beyond high school. 2. In our current global economy, education, training and technical skills are more important than ever. Most students can no longer expect to enjoy the same standard of living as did their parents without finishing high school and going on to postsecondary education and training. 3. While it is fortunate that more young women are completing high school and continuing on to postsecondary education and training programs, it is alarming that more young men are not. There is concern for those who, lacking hope for education beyond high school for whatever reason, start dropping out intellectually before they actually drop out of school. . The objectives of CVCSF are: To provide financial assistance to needy students with emphasis on serving those who will benefit most from our assistance.
· To motivate, encourage and assist high school students in the completion of secondary and the pursuit of postsecondary education. To build an endowment adequate to serve worthy and needy students and to sustain this organization for many years to come.
While there are numerous scholarships available to students in the ConVal region, CVCSF has sought from the beginning to do something in three ways different. First, through its outreach program to identify worthy students for whom the scholarships provided will motivate them to finish high school and pursue postsecondary education and training opportunities. Second, by maximizing the effect of $5,000 in two $2,500 a year scholarships which, in New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges, with matching school-based financial aid, would cover most of the cost of tuition without acquiring large student loan debt before completion. Third, by increasing community support for initiatives that will motivate more of our young people to better prepare themselves for better lives by not dropping out of high school and continuing their education beyond high school graduation.
CVCSF has chosen affiliation with Scholarship America primarily for three reasons. First, Scholarship America has Collegiate Partner arrangements with institutions, some of which offer matching scholarships and provide assurance that grants are protected and used as intended. Second, they provide valuable chapter support services which minimize cost of administration. Third, they provide expedited access to tax exempt status. There are more than 1200 Dollars for Scholars Chapters of Scholarship America in the United States including 23 in New Hampshire. In 2004, they raised $58.3 million of which $29 million was awarded to more than 35,000 students with most of the remainder invested in endowments for future scholarships.
WINNING THEM BACK: Businesses Fight to Keep Kids in School, was the lead story in the August 2006 issue of Business NH. It addresses the issues of dropouts, a projected 10% decline in high school graduates in New Hampshire in the next decade and the need for business partnerships to address these workforce and other related economic development issues. CVCSF joins this fight with its new initiative to inspire more ConVal students to finish high school and to take greater advantage of postsecondary education opportunities available to them
One “Core Principle” recently expressed by Dollars for Scholars is that “Rewards should flow through organizations that serve society well by broadening access to and success for students who would not otherwise attend and complete college.” Consistent with this principle, CVCSF intends to distinguish itself from other scholarship organizations by placing emphasis on helping more ConVal students overcome obstacles to post-secondary education.
CVCSF, like all of the 1,200 Dollars for Scholars chapters across the land, is a community volunteer organization entirely dependent on contributions from businesses, individuals and sources of grants. As of the time of this release CVCSF has raised in cash and up to three year pledges most of the $40,000 it expects to receive by year end. These donations and various pledges of support have come from its Founders and Directors, The Gilbert Verney Foundation, New Hampshire Ball Bearing, The Millard Group and Ocean National Bank. Its fund raising objective is to have raised $100,000 or more and start contributions to toward building its endowment by the end of 2007.
The sixteen Founders and Directors of CVCSF are Chester Bowles, James Callahan, Sue Chollet, Christine Clinton, Robert Condon, Kathryn Dodge, Barton Goodeve, Joseph Hayes, Carl Johnson, Jason Lambert, Edward Leach, Walter Peterson, Rev. Adrian Robbins-Cole, Rob Rubendall and John Vance.
Answers to inquiries may be found on the group’s initial web site at www.cvcsf.org or via e-mail addressed to info@cvcsf.org
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