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November 28, 2008:
The Detroit College Promise, a nonprofit organization
emulating the Kalamazoo Promise,
began accepting applications for
college tuition scholarships from seniors at
Frank Cody High School in
Detroit on 1 December 2008—this
is a pilot program which will be expanded to other high schools
that are part of the Detroit Public
Schools (DPS) as funds are available.
The Detroit College Promise is offering scholarships to all 260
(approximately) current Cody seniors who meet its scholarship
criteria: (a) graduate from Cody in 2009, (b) have attended DPS
continuously during the 4 years prior to graduation, (c) were
Detroit residents continuously during the 4 years prior to
graduation, and (d) are accepted to a Michigan public college or
university.
There are no income, academic, or other requirements. The
application form, available online at
www.DetroitCollegePromise.org on the
Documents page, is a simple one page form, to encourage all
students to apply.
The scholarship will pay from 65% to 100% of tuition and
mandatory fees at a Michigan public college or university, based
on the number of years of continuous DPS attendance and Detroit
residency prior to graduation. Although The Detroit College
Promise does not currently have sufficient funds to pay the
scholarship costs for all Cody seniors, it hopes to raise these
funds by spring 2009.
Dr. Nat Pernick, Executive Director, indicated that this program
will improve the nationwide perception of Detroit . “By
supporting The Detroit College Promise, Detroit-area businesses,
nonprofits and individuals will show the nation that we are
innovators. Kalamazoo created one of the first city-wide
scholarship programs, and Detroit will be one of the largest
cities with this type of program.”
The Detroit College Promise is also likely to have a dramatic
economic impact on Detroit and the region. The Kalamazoo
Promise has led to widespread positive publicity, new
subdivisions, and increased property values as people moved into
Kalamazoo.
As young people with college aspirations for their children move
into Detroit, there will be a similar effect, as well as a need
for new businesses. The Detroit College Promise is also likely
to increase public school enrollment.
The Kalamazoo Promise not only halted years of declining
public school enrollment in
Kalamazoo, but quickly led to a 10% increase.
For further information, please contact Dr. Nat Pernick at
248/646-3269 or
NatPernick@Hotmail.com.
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