Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Tennessee Promise Mentors Needed For Class Of 2016
Can you imagine as a high school senior knowing that two years of college or technical school would be provided by a scholarship from the state?
Neither can I. A tuition-free education would have made a great impact on my life, and probably on yours. That is what the Tennessee Promise gives to every high school senior: a life-changing gift, free for the asking.
The Tennessee Promise is a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning that it will provide any tuition or fees not covered by other grants or scholarships. Regardless of family income, high school seniors are now guaranteed (or “promised”) a tuition-free education at a community college or technical school. All they have to do is attend school full-time, maintain a 2.0 grade point average and donate eight hours of time to a community service project each semester.
Members of the Class of 2015 who received Tennessee Promise funds in its first year are enrolled in classes now, working toward a good job or transfer to a four-year university.
What about those who didn’t take the offer? Some chose to go to four-year universities; some had Pell grants and other scholarships that covered their costs. Then there were others who simply didn’t take advantage of a very important opportunity.
Mentors – people like you and me – can work to reduce that number among 2016 high school graduates.
Mentors’ role is “simple but significant,” says Tennessee Achieves (tnAchieves), the non-profit that partners with the Tennessee Promise program in this area. Mentors give a little of their time to support students as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary school, which can be a confusing and difficult time. Mentors are especially important for students who may be the first in their families to seek education after high school.
How do you become a mentor? First, apply at tnAchieves.org by the deadline of November 20, even if you were a mentor for 2015 seniors. Then choose to attend either of two one-hour training sessions: December 8 at 5:30 p.m. or January 26 at Noon, each held at the local branch of Columbia State.
You will meet with your group of 5-10 students twice, for one hour each time, first in the spring before they graduate and the second after they start college in the fall. You will also communicate with them, and possibly their parents, every two weeks, approximately, via e-mail, phone or text.
Mentors work with 5-10 students each, but the time involved is minimal. Tennessee Achieves estimates that mentors will spend 10-15 hours assisting those students, but its website states that “mentors tell us they spend less than one hour per month serving as a resource.” Conversations may include stories about your own experiences or ideas about where they can fulfill their community service requirements.
Your primary role will be to provide encouragement for these students as they step into the unknown, which we all know can be a little scary. We also know that stepping into the unknown is necessary in order to reach our potential (or “promise”).
Tennessee Achieves has informed me that we need more mentors for the Class of 2016. A minimum of 69 are needed to help the 480 students projected to apply for the Tennessee Promise, and only 41 mentors have signed up for the privilege.
Helping these students today will not only make a difference in their lives, but in the future of Lawrence County. I’m proud to add my name to the list of Tennessee Promise mentors, and hope that you will, too.
