Grants aim to enhance college-going rates in six Learning Communities
USA Funds awards $900,000 to enhance college access for lower-income students
INDIANAPOLIS — USA Funds®, the nation’s leading education-loan guarantor, has announced the award of a total of $900,000 in grants to six communities that are working to increase the number of youths who complete high school and successfully pursue postsecondary education. Funds from the grants will support key early awareness, preparation and motivational programs from USA Funds and from Scholarship America®, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship and educational-support organizations.
The grants will fund the delivery of USA Funds Unlock the Future®, an early awareness program that introduces middle-school students and their families to the many educational options available to them after high school. The funding also will support the implementation of Scholarship America’s ScholarShop®, ScholarShop Jr. and ParentShop® programs that help upper-elementary, middle- and high-school students and their parents prepare for college.
“These programs are effective in creating a cultural change by developing a learning community within the larger community,” said Kevin Stokes, Learning Community coordinator for Frontline Outreach in Orlando, Fla. “With this additional funding we will be able to strengthen our infrastructure, train more volunteers, support more programs and, hence, broaden our reach to other schools in the Orange County School District.”
Frontline Outreach is the coordinating site for the Orlando Learning Coalition, serving the Washington Shores community, and is coordinating the Learning Communities training.
Created in 2005 and spearheaded by USA Funds and Scholarship America, the Learning Communities Initiative incorporates the resources of 10 nationally recognized organizations. The initiative aims to significantly increase the number of youths in six diverse, low-income areas who complete high school and successfully pursue postsecondary education.
The initiative involves the following communities:
- Sunnyside Unified School District, Tucson, Ariz.
- Orlando Learning Coalition, Orlando, Fla.
- Washington Community School, Indianapolis.
- Okolona School District, Okolona, Miss.
- Benning Heights, Benning Terrace, Washington, D.C.
- Wind River Reservation, Wyo.
The grants also will support program coordinators in each community to oversee programming and serve as a liaison between the community and Learning Communities partners.
“These grants will help each Learning Community to develop the framework and best practices necessary to increase the college-going rates of their students,” said Henry L. Fernandez, USA Funds executive director, access and outreach.