State to expand aid opportunities

The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill that now requires schools to assist underprivileged students in signing up for the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program.

The Twenty-first Century Scholars Program is need-based, but students are only allowed to sign up for the scholarship during junior high.

Typically, the program is available to all students in middle schools across the state. However, starting this year, after the state legislature passed House Bill 1389, it is “required of each school corporation to provide each student who applies for free or reduced lunches under the national school lunch program with an application for the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program.”

Rep. Phillip D. Hinkle, R-Indianapolis, who co-authored the bill, said the law will be an advantage in expanding the opportunity to all students who fill out the reduced lunch application by advising them on the program.

“The intent of the law is when a student applies for the reduced or free lunch, at the same time they will be instructed on the program in a very non-obtrusive way,” Hinkle said.

Hinkle said not everyone will take advantage of the program, but the state can only offer these opportunities in hopes that parents and students will apply.

“My guess is that when any student ventures out to college, they do not know of all the grants, scholarships and opportunities for financial support,” Hinkle said. “The law we passed, pretty much unanimously, is just another tool to help students get the most out of what they can receive in aid from the government.”

Leslie Cracraft, who works at Harmony School in Bloomington, said she is hopeful the program will lead to more students applying for the scholarship with the extra assistance they are offering now to both students and parents.

Chris Enstrom, director of the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program at IU, said he is very excited about the prospect of more students applying and qualifying.

“As long as you qualify in middle school, your parents can win the lottery later and you would still receive four years of tuition at any accredited state school,” Enstrom said.

Enstrom said when students apply for the scholarship, they pledge to graduate from high school, not use illegal drugs or alcohol apply for FAFSA and to an accredited Indiana college of their choice.

Enstrom also said there are many opportunities for Twenty-first Century Scholars once they come to IU, such as events to help students integrate with each other and the community. 

Enstrom said the program is mainly supported by the Lumina Foundation, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit organization that supports higher education for low-income students and minorities.

South Central Regional Coordinator of Twenty-first Century Scholars Jennifer Poe said she thinks the new bill will be helpful because some schools that might not have put much emphasis on the program will now have to support need-based students in filling out these forms.

“As far we know, costs will not be a problem at all. Schools will just have to look at their students’ future with a more serious target for higher education and lessening the chances of talents going to waste due to lack of financial assistance,” Poe added.

Poe said families interested in applying could do so online at www.scholars.in.gov or by calling 800-880-5213.

Enstrom said he loves working with Twenty-first Century Scholars and sees the potential they all bring.

“I believe because Twenty-first Century students receive so much, they just want to give back so much also,” Enstrom said. “Just look at all the campus and community services these students do.”