My youngest child is graduating from high school this year, so I am particularly mindful of all the students receiving scholarships from East Texas Communities Foundation this Spring. Members of our staff, myself included, are privileged to attend awards ceremonies at various high schools to recognize students receiving scholarships. In fact, we held an ETCF ceremony this past week and met face to face with over 80 students from 45 East Texas area high schools receiving scholarships this year. When you consider renewable scholarships, the foundation will end up awarding scholarships valued at $1.1 million to area students this year from over 100 unique scholarship funds.
This is an amazing testament to the high value East Texans place on education, and not just high school education, but encouraging students to pursue advanced education such as associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and advanced career certifications. In addition to the scholarships entrusted to ETCF, local clubs, businesses, families and foundations in every school district make investments each year to support thousands of post-high school scholarships for local students. It is clear that people see the value of voluntarily investing in the academic success of our local students.
Scholarship funds at ETCF are established for a wide variety of reasons. Some scholarships are created to encourage students to pursue a specific career or discipline such as geology, medicine, ministry or automotive technology. Other scholarships are established to invest in students from a donor’s hometown or a community where they spent their career or raised a family. Still other scholarships are established to memorialize a loved one for a life well-lived, such as a beloved educator or family member. Quite often scholarships are established to remember a classmate or family member whose life was cut tragically short. At local senior awards ceremonies the heartfelt emotion expressed when such memorial scholarships are presented serves as a reminder for students and others in attendance, that life is precious and we must all use our time wisely.
As I have shared in this column on previous occasions, high school graduation is the first step in the sequence of success that is critical to staying out of poverty. Numerous studies have proven that young adults who graduate from high school, get a full-time job and get married before having children are highly likely to avoid poverty. In fact, Wendy Wang and Brad Wilcox in their 2017 study entitled The Millennial Success Sequence, reported that “97% of Millennials who follow what has been called the “success sequence”…are not poor by the time they reach their prime adult years (ages 28-34).” High school graduation is a major milestone and is justifiably celebrated by our entire community. We are all counting on these students to continue on their path to success.
For those who slip out of the “success sequence”, there are also very important organizations in our community which support students who are trying to get back on track. PAVE East Texas is an organization that fans the spark for adult learners to learn English or complete their high school education by passing the test for General Educational Development (GED). It is not easy for adults to find their way back to their educational path if it was disrupted by any number of life circumstances. PAVE East Texas helps these individuals reach important educational milestones, and often ignites an internal desire to complete multiple levels of educational achievement. The Christian Women’s Job Corps is another example of a charity which provides vital education for women in our community. CWJC builds the faith, self-confidence and resilience of local women while teaching practical computer skills that are transferrable to many careers. Both PAVE and CWJC serve as vital community resources to support adults who may think their educational goals are out of reach. As you review the graduation announcements and invitations that are steadily arriving in your mailbox, or see news stories about remarkable educational achievements this time of year, give some thought to how you can support these local educational institutions. Perhaps setting up a scholarship fund to honor a loved one, making a gift to support a local school, or supporting a charity helping people get back on track with their education is your next best opportunity to Give Well.
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