New Scholarship Expansion Of Wabash County Promise Program Announced

By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – A luncheon was held Monday afternoon in Legacy Hall of the Honeywell Center announcing a new scholarship initiative in the Wabash County Promise program which will help students in grades 4 – 8 save money for their post secondary education. The Michigan-based Mott Foundation has awarded a $430,000 grant to the Community Foundation of Wabash County to allow first-in-the-country cash scholarships for students that will go into their college savings accounts in three areas: academic accomplishment, post-secondary planning or activities and family savings.

Wabash County Promise, which has received national and international recognition, establishes college savings accounts for students in grades K – 3, because, as program developer Clint Kugler likes to say, it is never too early to start kids and their parents thinking about and preparing for college.

In a presentation by Julie Garber, Program Director of the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and VP of Promise Operations Phil Maurizi, Monday’s announcement targets the program to students in the age group who often start giving up on education and the idea of going to college. The expansion hopes to make kids stakeholders in their future education and further empower them to earn money for college by putting money into the college savings accounts. Maurizi said that the new scholarships will allow a minimum of $2,000 in savings per student by the time they reach their senior year.

According to Garber and Maurizi, the new expansion of the Promise program will help lift individuals from poverty to prosperity. Garber told the attendees that the scholarship program will not just target the superstars who will clearly go on to college. Instead, all kids can earn assets for their future education. Marketing and Communications Director for the Community Foundation of Wabash County, Reily Frankum.