FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JUNE 16, 2009

College Bound Scholarship signups surge as June 30 deadline nears

     OLYMPIA – Low-income middle school students are signing up by the thousands to take advantage of the College Bound Scholarship program before a June 30 deadline passes for eighth and ninth graders to maintain eligibility for the program.

     Over the past two weeks, about 5,000 additional low-income students have taken the College Bound pledge to work hard in school, stay out of trouble and enroll in a college, university or trade school after they graduate.  Those who keep the pledge and continue to meet income-eligibility requirements can receive up to four years of tuition and $500 for books.

     The College Bound Scholarship program pays the balance of tuition and book expenses not covered by other state financial assistance programs for low-income students and their families.

     The number of students who have signed up for the College Bound program this school year has grown to more 22,000. An additional 17,000 students signed up during the program’s first school year in 2007-08.

     To be eligible for the scholarship when they graduate from high school, low-income students must have signed up for the program and taken the College Bound pledge during their seventh or eighth grade year. This year only, ninth graders can also sign up because the program was new last year.

     “We knew from our experience last year that June was going to be busy month,” said Rachelle Sharpe, associate director of the HECB’s Student Financial Assistance Division.  “We are pleased so many eligible students are taking advantage of this opportunity, and we hope many more eighth and ninth graders will do the same in the few days they have remaining.”

     A new signup year for next year’s seventh and eighth graders begins on July 1. The first College Bound scholarships will be awarded to students during the 2012 academic year.  

     Students who are foster children or who meet income requirements for the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program are eligible to sign up for the program.  Details on income eligibility and other information are available on the HECB website at www.hecb.wa.gov/collegebound.

###

For more information: Gary Larson

(360) 753-7817 or garyl@hecb.wa.gov

__________________________________________________