2008 Vol 2 No 4

Raising Expectations 

Commitment to raise expectations: On December 16, President-elect Obama announced that Arne Duncan, Chicago School Chief Executive Officer, is his choice to serve as Secretary of Education. Obama, Vice-President Elect, Biden; and nominee, Duncan; all stressed in this announcement ceremony the point that improvements and reform in our American education system are essential if our children are to be able to compete in an increasingly global economy. This perception is not exactly news. Who could disagree? What was new was the underscored observation that improvement will not be made in our schools without raising the expectations of all concerned (students, parents, educators, politicians, American society as a whole.) Expressed positively, improvements in education and elevated expectations go hand in hand. Improve quality of education and expectations will rise. Raising expectations of disadvantaged ConVal students: Raising expectations of disadvantaged ConVal students is what the ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars® (CVCSF) does. With its supporting members and in partnership with ConVal High School Guidance personnel, CVCSF gives hope and confidence with community support to help more disadvantaged students in the ConVal Region achieve their potential. Fifteen disadvantaged ConVal seniors are to be notified on January 5 that they have been selected as candidates to receive CVCSF scholarship grants of $250 to $6,000 in 2009 for postsecondary education or job training. We expect that the success of these award winners will inspire others and help to raise their expectations as well. Need for our success more important than ever:  In a recent PBS Lehrer News Hour report it was observed that disadvantaged young people without education or job training beyond high school will be unable to find a place in line to look for a job in the economic environment expected for the foreseeable future. The challenge for all but the most qualified students is compounded by higher cost of education and reduced availability of financial aid. The hope and confidence that it is our mission to inspire can make the difference between effort to achieve and despair when it is needed most.   A special case in the ConVal Class of 2008: Exceptional award winner, Jie Lu, came to Dublin with her mother in 2006. She started her junior year at ConVal High School with limited facility with the English language, joined the soccer team, worked hard at her studies and, with special education ESL help, graduated in 2008. One of three winners of $500 CVCSF scholarship grants, she enrolled in the Hotel Administration Associate Degree program at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord. Based on her first semester progress and continuing need, she has been granted a $1,700 supplemental award to apply to the three remaining semesters in this program.  A comparable special award was given last year to Peterborough Nursing Associate Degree student, Priscilla Coffill. 100% Success Rate for CVCSF Scholars:  Of the eleven winners of CVCSF scholarship grants awarded so far, all are succeeding. It stands to reason, given the nature of our target population, that it will not always be this way, but we are delighted with their success rate and progress to date. We have found that we can give hope and confidence to disadvantaged ConVal region students to overcome obstacles, to set more ambitious goals and to try harder. They have to understand that change doesn't just happen - that taking advantage of available resources requires effort. Job opportunities for CVCSF grant winners: Some of the jobs for which trained workers are likely to be in demand in the next several years in New Hampshire  -  in health and technology, for example - do not require four year degrees and can be prepared for at lower cost in excellent associate degree programs in New Hampshire Community Colleges or elsewhere by the students we are here to serve. CVCSF top scholarship grants are intended to approximate half of the tuition fees for these programs. Report on 2007 CVCSF Scholarship Winners: All four of our 2007 grant winners are doing well. One, our first CVCSF Peterborough Lions Scholar, has already earned his job training certificate and immediate employment, and another will earn her associate degree work in February. PRISCILLA COFFILL (Peterborough) - starts the fourth semester of her associate degree in nursing program at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord next month. She should graduate and go to work at Monadnock Community Hospital in June. Her story is exceptional. Her initial scholarship award was $500. She demonstrated such promise in her first semester that she was granted an additional award of $1,000 for each of three succeeding semesters, shared by CVCSF and the Monadnock Community Hospital. LEE CORIGLIANO (Antrim) - the first CVCSF scholar to complete his postsecondary education program, graduated from the auto mechanic training program at the Porter and Chester Institute in Chicopee, MA on October 4, returned to his home in Antrim and reported for work at his new job in Hillsborough two days later. His scholarship was provided by CVCSF in partnership with the Peterborough Lions Club. ALYCIA MUDRACK (Peterborough) - will complete her associate degree program in juvenile justice at Hesser College in Nashua in February. A CVCSF scholar who had dropped out of school, returned and barely graduated, Alycia became excited about education in her senior year at ConVal and was on the Dean's list in her second semester at Hesser College. ERYN TUPPER (Antrim) - starting her second year in art education at a branch of Brigham Young University in Rexburg, ID, wrote on September 16, "This semester I am enrolled in an art history class and really loving it. It is a great program and I am excited to see what the next three years will bring." Report on 2008 Winners: The first of our 2008 winners to share midterm grades reported one A, three A- and one B-. We will report further on the progress of our seven 2008 winners in our March 31 newsletter when they will be in spring semester classes. CVCSF Financial Condition: Facing the same critical global financial crisis as other charities it is appropriate to report here on our current financial condition. We keep cash in Ocean Bank for near-term award disbursements and minimal expenses. Funds for future scholarship grant commitments, fundraising and limited operating expenses are deposited in the Vanguard Group Prime Money Market Fund. We have suffered no financial losses in any of our accounts. Previously reported plans to open an endowment fund with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to assure long-term sustainability are on hold for now. While there are no safety guarantees in this turbulent time, we believe that your contributions and ours are as safe as is currently possible. Scholarship America, parent of Dollars for Scholars, of which we are part, has been rated in the top 1% of charities for fiscal management for seven years in a row by Charity Navigator, premier charity evaluator. For an appointment to discuss financial or other matters, call John Vance at (603) 924-4063. CVCSF Help wanted: CVCSF, an all volunteer organization, would like to add a Public Information director, also to serve as a member of our board of directors. Please contact us at the address below. 2009 Fundraising Appeal: Our annual appeal for your contributions is enclosed together with a return addressed envelope for your donations, comments, suggestions or questions.