What is the Champion City Scholars Program?

The Clark State Foundation and the Springfield City Schools have teamed up to annually identify 50 low-income middle school students who will become the first in their families to earn a college degree. These young people will be academically prepared for college, with full scholarship guarantees to Clark State upon their high school graduation. Volunteer mentors encourage them from eighth grade through the second year of college. Enrichment experiences include career exploration, cultural appreciation, and cultivating a sense of responsibility to give back to the community.

 

Contributors to the Champion City Scholars, and other such scholarship programs provide life-changing educational opportunities with far-reaching impact.

 

How are the Scholars Selected?

All seventh grade students in Springfield City Schools receive a letter informing them of the program. Students who qualify for the program pick up an application from the Guidance Counselor at their school. To qualify for the program, the student must qualify for free or reduced lunch, have at least a 1.67 grade point average and his/her parents can not have graduated from college. In the application, the students are asked to write a personal statement and submit two recommendation letters from an adult in their school and an adult outside the school community. The school also provides a copy of their grade card and their attendance record. Students are then interviewed and evaluated by a team consisting of Clark State representatives, Clark State Foundation Board members, and Springfield City Schools representatives. The top candidates are selected from each of the four middle schools.

 

What are the Expectations of the Scholars?

Upon selection to the program, all Scholars must sign a contract. The contract is also signed by the parent/guardian of the Scholar. It states that Scholars must attend school regularly, exhibit good citizenship, demonstrate satisfactory progress in classes, stay enrolled in Springfield City Schools, and participate in special Champion City Scholars programs in and out of school including some Saturdays and summer. Specifically, the Scholar must have at least a 1.67 grade point average by the end of eighth grade and a 2.0 grade point average in high school.

 

For more information, contact Karen Hunt at huntk@clarkstate.edu or call 937-399-3582.

 

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