High School and HCTC Receive $5,000 Grants
Article published November 29, 2007
ELLSWORTH — The High School and the Hancock County Technical Center (HCTC) are among 40 schools statewide that have received MELMAC (Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corp.) planning grants of $5,000.
Seventy-nine schools and technical centers around the state applied for the grant money, said High School Principal Bill Connors.
“What we’re going to be looking at is getting all of our students involved in looking at postsecondary life,” Connors said.
Connors said the money will be used to establish a plan for students in all grades at the high school to encourage them to investigate postsecondary education.
The planning stage is the first step of what could become a four-year grant of $14,000 each year. Next spring, a final plan prepared by both institutions will be presented to the educational foundation for approval to receive the grant money.
At HCTC, the money will be used to develop a plan for the three grades, sophomores through seniors, taught at the technical center.
Katrina Kane, HCTC director, said one simple activity they’ll be looking at that encourages students to pursue postsecondary education is trips to two- and four-year and technical college programs.
Another activity includes holding workshops on filling out college applications and financial forms, for both students and their parents.
To develop a plan, a committee for each school will work with a planning coach, provided by MELMAC, and hold conversations with representatives from area community colleges and career centers on different strategies those schools and centers use to make potential students feel comfortable.
Overall, the two committees have begun investigating “what the resources and tools are that motivate [students] so they feel” postsecondary school is a worthwhile endeavor, said Kane.
“We know students will have many different job opportunities and pursue many different careers,” she added. “We want students to engage in postsecondary opportunities because it expands their horizons and gives them more potential job careers.”