A rural area such as ours has many great attributes - and also carries with it a few negative characteristics. Obviously, we know that Summers County's great qualities far outnumber its drawbacks (and people in most heavily populated areas can't say the same). As your representative, I'm doing what I can to eliminate the negatives. Supporting the state's Promise Scholarship Program is one way of doing just that.
Because growing up in a remote, not-so-wealthy area creates obstacles to reaching higher education, many of our families are just now seeing their first generation of college-goers. The Promise Program offers great potential to help rural students obtain their educational goals. Promise is a merit-based scholarship that awards a tuition and fee scholarship to a West Virginia public college or the dollar equivalent for independent colleges to all qualified students that earn a 3.00 GPA in their core and overall coursework and have a 21 on the ACT or a 1000 on the SAT.
Earlier this month, Gov. Bob Wise announced Promise-related news that affects Summers County. He said that the state's rural counties, including those with a declining high school population, saw an increase in the number of students eligible for a Promise scholarship. Statewide, a total of 3,726 students qualified for the scholarship in the second year of the program's operation. Approximately 300 additional students should qualify by May 1, 2003, once their Free Application for Financial Aid has been received, Wise said.
According to the Promise Scholarship Board, rural counties including Summers, Gilmer, Grant, Hardy, Lincoln, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monroe, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wirt and Wyoming will have more students eligible for Promise Scholarship.
The Governor said at least 40 percent more Summers County students will be receiving a Promise Scholarship this year. That's exciting news for all of us.
In addition, Wirt County more than doubled their number of Promise scholars over the previous year, with 21 students meeting eligibility requirements. Although Mingo County has experienced a large decline in student population, 15 more Mingo students qualified than at this time last year. Preston County, which has lost numerous school days this year to snow, will have 23 more students receiving a Promise scholarship than the year before.
In an extremely tight budget year, I am very pleased that the Legislature was able to maintain funding for Promise scholarships. Last year, the year the program was enacted, the Promise Program's budget totaled $10.1 million. This year, it has grown to about $17 million. In the fiscal year 2004-2005, it will cost nearly $27 million. While the economy has not yet improved and next year's budget will surely be a challenge, I'm hopeful that the Legislature will continue to follow through on its promise to students and maintain the program.
The state's willingness and ability to invest in the education of our youth is the most sound and positive measure we can take toward a brighter economic future.
Governor Wise said the message of Promise is: "Work hard, play by the rules, meet the qualifications and no matter where you live or who you are, West Virginia will reward you with a Promise scholarship." No one knows better about working hard and playing by the rules than a rural student. Now it's a matter of just taking advantage of what the state has to offer.
For more information regarding Promise scholarships, visit www.promisescholarships.org.
I welcome and appreciate your input on these issues, or any other legislative matter. Please call me at (304)340-3106 or write to Delegate Virginia Mahan, 215-E, Capitol Complex, Charleston, WV 25305.