News Article

United Way Awards $20,000 Grant to Edison State College's HOPE Project

Jul 13, 2009

United Way Awards $20,000 Grant to Edison State College’s HOPE Project

The United Way has awarded a $20,000.00 grant to the Project HOPE Scholarship  Program at Edison State College.

The United Way grant will be used in a variety of ways to finance the goals of Project HOPE. A portion of the money will be used to hire a staff assistant for the program. The bulk of the grant will be used to fund the many programs and ventures that Project Hope undertakes.

“This year when we applied for the grant, we were able to present actual accomplishments made possible by our previous grant”, explains Fred Morgan, faculty advisor to the HOPE Scholars, and the co-author of the grant. “We have targeted many goals to expand the program, and that made our application site review that much more exciting. The committee could actually see the results we have already achieved.”

Project HOPE will use the grant to expose more children to higher education,  increase knowledge of  the program to parents and students in the community, and provide academic assistance to students in both the program and the larger community.  Current Hope Scholars will promote the program to area High School students, a method that in the trial stage generated the largest number of applications in the history of the program. College Knowledge Workshops will be held in conjunction with partner agencies such as the Boys and Girls Club, AFCAM, and Quality Life Center.  Additionally, children from elementary school to high school will be invited to the Edison State Campuses.

Tutoring, mentoring, and leadership training are cornerstones of Project Hope. Recipients of the HOPE Scholarships are provided incredible support by the Project, and in turn provide similar services in the community.  For example, HOPE Scholars have committed to expanding the tutorial program that they began with a third grade class at Orange River Elementary last year by also providing similar assistance to a first grade class at Franklin Park Elementary School.  Tutoring for mandatory state testing is also being planned with preparatory courses for FCAT, PSAT, and SAT offered to the Hope Readiness participants. 

Academic assistance is only a part of the Project HOPE Scholarship Program. The grant enables participants to explore career possibilities via educational field trips, Career Development Days, and special guest programs featuring business and academic leaders.

Field trips include excursions to the Kennedy Space Center, as well as the Fort Myers City Hall, where students will be able to tour the building and meet with city leaders.

Community involvement is also stressed. Incoming HOPE Scholars at Edison State are asked to work together to determine a community need and a possible solution to the problem. As a group they will decide which projects to pursue. Many of the scholars become active in other community programs- a recent presentation by local agencies culminated in thirty-nine HOPE Scholars volunteering to be a Big Brother or Big Sister  in the community.

“The HOPE Scholars’ Program at Edison State offers so much to students who otherwise may not follow the college path. The United Way grant will be extremely instrumental in helping us reach those students, and will help achieve our goals of serving them even better.” Reports Morgan. “The kids get so involved… I love it! It’s all so rewarding.”

ABOUT PROJECT HOPE (Help One Person Excel)

Since 1993, Edison State College’s Project HOPE (Help One Person Excel) has contributed to student success in Southwest Florida by providing graduation incentives to students who are at risk for not continuing their education due to financial or family reasons. Project Hope is a dual level program, targeting middle schoolers with the Hope Readiness program and college age students with the Hope Scholars program

The Project HOPE Readiness Program targets 8th grade students who are recommended by school principals and counselors. Participants attend a series of college preparatory workshops and support activities, and those successfully completing the program may apply for a Project HOPE scholarship in their senior year.

The Project HOPE Scholarship Program awards full tuition and book scholarships to first generation in college students and provides a campus support system to bolster their success. HOPE Scholars must be U.S. Citizens, enroll in 12 credit hours, maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, complete the College Success Skills class, and participate in social, educational and community services activities.

Last Updated: July 13, 2009