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The
Martin Luther King Jr. Earn as You Learn Scholarship
Family economics affect
how children learn. A powerful relationship has been found
between family income and educational attainment. Youth from
the highest family income levels have the greatest chance of
graduating from high school and going on to college whereas
those from the lowest income background have the least
chance. At the beginning of school year 2005-2006,
approximately 93% of Higher Ground Academy students
qualified for subsidized education benefits, which is a
measure of family economic status.
Financial
incentives make a difference. The Martin Luther King Jr.
Earn as You Learn Scholarship program is recognition of
this. The Scholarship program provides K-12 grade students
with strategic incentives to excel in school and to
incorporate the expectation of college in their self-image.
The Scholarship Program
All students at Higher Ground Academy, beginning
as early as kindergarten can earn up to $200 each year for a
maximum of 2,600 scholarship credits upon acceptance to a
post secondary education institution. The value of the
scholarship credits is determined by individual student’s
academic achievement and calculated on the basis of their
grade point average as Academy students. Students earn $200
each year for an average of A, $150 for an average of B and
$100 for an average of C. The scholarship credits are
awarded in the form of student certificates, which serves as
bond statements. The certificates or bonds can be redeemed
for college upon acceptance into a college.
Funding the Scholarship
Program
Area corporations, foundations and individual
philanthropist are encouraged to help create a revolving and
self-sustaining scholarship fund. Corporations and
foundations are encouraged to commit matching grants of
$25,000 and individual philanthropist are encouraged to
endow unrestricted scholarships for a child in the amount of
2,500. The scholarship program’s target is a $500,000 base
to be used as a revolving and self- sustaining fund.
Contributions can be sent to the Martin Luther King Jr. Earn
As You Learn Scholarship, Higher Ground Academy, 1381
Marshall Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104.
Managing the Scholarship Fund
The scholarship fund is managed by a three member
Board of Trustees, one of whom being a Higher Ground Academy
Board member and two outside members |
