Local News
Kretz urges middle school students to apply for scholarships
By NCBI
May 7, 2008, 13:22

Middle school students who sign a pledge promising to graduate from high school and demonstrate good citizenship may be eligible for four-year scholarships. Rep. Joel Kretz encourages low-income and foster youth in 7th and 8th grade to apply for the College Bound scholarships by June 1.

College Bound is a new scholarship program funded by the Legislature last year. Students who receive free or reduced-price lunches and foster youth are eligible to apply. Current eighth-graders must apply by June 1. This year's seventh-graders have until June 1, 2009. An estimated 56,000 students are currently eligible to apply for the scholarship.

To qualify for a scholarship award, family income must remain at 65 percent or less of the state’s median income by the time of high school graduation. Qualifying students will receive four-year college scholarships that cover the costs for fees, books and tuition.

"With the rising cost of a college education, programs like College Bound allow students to set and reach important academic goals that will benefit them the rest of their lives. It is important for all students, regardless of how much their families make, to know that higher education opportunities await them if they work hard," said Kretz, R-Wauconda. "This is an investment in our youth that I wholly support."

Kretz added that students who need assistance finding or filling out the forms can contact his district office in Omak at (509) 826-7203, or find more information on the College Bound Scholarship at www.hecb.wa.gov/collegebound.

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