Scholarship tax-credit bill advances
The Senate gave preliminary approval yesterday to a bill that would allow businesses to receive $5 million in tax credits for sponsoring scholarships at private schools.
In about 30 minutes of often-contentious debate on the chamber floor, lawmakers struck down multiple attempts to water down or limit the bill, which opponents say amounts to a public subsidy of private schools.
Calling the bill a “sham” that will “chip away at public education in Maryland,” Sen. Delores G. Kelley, a Baltimore County Democrat, urged her colleagues to defeat the measure.
But Baltimore Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden, a Democrat, said the proposal would benefit working-class parents who struggle to send their children to religious and other nonpublic schools. “If you call that a sham, I’m shamming for children today,” he said.
Under the bill, businesses would receive an income tax credit for 75 percent of their contributions to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to students and teachers at private secondary schools.
The tax credit, which would be capped at $5 million a year, would also apply to donations made to certain public school programs, such as those that subsidize teachers’ graduate schooling.
A final vote on the measure could come as early as this week.
The House of Delegates has not voted on the bill.
Scholarship funds available for police training
10th Annual Cliff Dicker Memorial Scholarship Golf Classic
Monday, May 12, at Draper Valley Golf Club
Rain date: Wednesday, May 21
Info: 223-6000 or 223-6005
By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff
Several factors influenced Jeremiah Musser to pursue a career in law enforcement. His high school resource officer, his mother and the Cliff Dicker Memorial Scholarship led to a decision he has never regretted.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” recalled Musser, now the resource officer at Fort Chiswell High School through the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office. “Jeff Freeman was the resource officer at Rural Retreat High School my senior year and he talked to me about law enforcement. He went to Bluefield College and he told me about the program there. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement.”
During his senior at Rural Retreat High School, Musser applied for the scholarship established by the Sheriff’s Office in memory of Deputy Dicker who was murdered in the line of duty on Dec. 6, 1994. He was required to write an essay as part of the application process.
“My Mom encouraged me to do it,” Musser noted. “When I realized Mr. Dicker lost his life in the line of duty, it inspired me to write the essay. I had to write about what his life as a deputy meant to me as a young person wanting to go into law enforcement.”
He was selected as the scholarship recipient for Rural Retreat High School in 2000. Scholarships also are awarded at Fort Chiswell High School and George Wythe High School as directed by the guidelines established 10 years ago.
After graduation, Musser enrolled in the criminal justice curriculum at Bluefield College. He earned his bachelor of science degree in 2004.
“It’s a great program,” Musser stated. “The last semester I had the option to go to the police academy as pre-employment and to be certified. I was hired out of the academy by the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.”
He began as a DARE officer and was certified to teach DARE classes in 2006. In January 2007, Musser became the resource officer at Fort Chiswell High School.
“I enjoy my job,” he commented. “People are more accepting of the resource officers now. They see the need. I talk to the kids when they need to talk and I answer their legal questions. I think I give them a sense of security.”
Musser coaches eighth-grade boys’ basketball, too. He works most of the sporting events and other school-related activities.
His wife, the former Sarah Howell of Richmond, whom he met at Bluefield State College, teaches first grade at Fancy Gap Elementary School in Carroll County. They reside on Major Graham’s Road and attend Graham’s Forge United Methodist Church.
Musser’s mom, Chesley Musser, is secretary at Rural Retreat High School, a job she’s held for more than 40 years. His dad, Gerald Musser, is water treatment plant operator for the town of Rural Retreat.
Musser’s brother, Keith Musser, is co-operator of Rural Retreat Mills with their uncle, Kenny Tibbs.
Fishing and golfing are listed by Musser as his hobbies. He is a member of the Mt. Airy Masonic Lodge 226 in Rural Retreat.
“I could fish the rest of my life,” he stated, “to make it where Jeff Freeman made it. He went to the super bowl of fishing. That’s every fisherman’s dream. Jeff’s always been my idol.”
Musser is a regular player in the Cliff Dicker Memorial Scholarship Golf Club Classic having played the last five years. He plans to be on a team for the 10th annual event on Monday, May 12, at the Draper Valley Golf Club.
Usually, Musser plays on the team with Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan, Mike Blevins of Lindsey Funeral Home in Rural Retreat and Chris Bailey of Klockner Pentaplast of America. They were tournament winners one year.
“It’s a great tournament,” said Musser. “It raises money for a great cause. I attend the memorial service for Cliff every year and I feel proud I won the scholarship. I’m glad my mom made me take the time to apply. It means more to me now being in the same line of work.”
Dunagan added, “The Cliff Dicker scholarships are now the biggest non-educationally sponsored scholarships in the community.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenb@wythenews.com.
Raising scholarship funds
The College of the Siskiyous Foundation invites all Siskiyou County residents to its annual Scholarship Fund Raising Dinner on Saturday, April 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Sons of Italy Hall, 155 Clay Street in Weed.
Tickets are $20.
This evening opens with a Mardi Gras dinner catered by Lilys Restaurant and desserts prepared by local residents that will be auctioned by Mount Shasta’s Roger Emerson.
The highlight of the evening is the auctioning of the Coat of Many Colors, with a tradition of a local individual being selected to wear the coat publicly to meetings and events. The tradition has been on-going since the 1980s.
All proceeds from the Scholarship Dinner are dedicated to the Siskiyou Scholar Program Fund for an annual $3,000 scholarship designed to pay all tuition fees, textbooks and material costs, and transportation. The two-year scholarship is renewable for the second year. Upon graduation the student will be recognized at the annual commencement exercises as a Siskiyous Scholar.
For the past 24 years, the Scholarship Dinner has successfully raised funds for Siskiyou County students and has provided Siskiyou County students with thousands of dollars in scholarships ranging from $250 to $3,000.
The COS Scholarships are now available to all students planning to enroll for the fall of 2008 and continuing students.
Students interested in applying may download a scholarship from online at www.siskiyous.edu/pio.
For additional information call the Weed Campus Foundation Office at 938-5373.
Cochise Credit Union offers scholarship
The Cochise Credit Union is offering one $750 scholarship for college, technical, or trade school enrollment after June 30, 2008 and before Dec. 31, 2008. The scholarship will be awarded primarily on the basis of merit, not financial need.
All of the following criteria must be met to be considered a qualifying applicant:
� Applicant must have a share (savings) account with his/her name as the Primary Member at Cochise Credit Union
� Applicant is not related to a CCU employee, volunteer, or official
� Applicant must be a 2008 graduating high school senior
� Essay is typed on white 8.5″x11″ paper
� Essay is longer than two (2) pages
� Essay is double-spaced
� Front is 12 point Times New Roman
� Title page includes: Essay title, student’s name, address, phone number, the high school applicant is currently attending, the name of the accredited school the applicant will be attending
The essay topic is: What impact will the financial decisions you make today have on the rest of your life? And how can a credit union help you with these decisions?
The essay will be judged based on the following criteria: Content, neatness, spelling, grammar and punctuation
The applicant must complete and submit the following: Attached application; Typed essay; A brief description of your school and community based honors, awards and activities; and a written personal statement describing your educational and career goals, and an explanation of why you want or need a scholarship.
These items must be returned to the scholarship committee no later than 4 p.m., Monday, April 21, at the following address: Cochise Credit Union, P.O. Box 1154, Willcox, Ariz. 85644.
Lawmakers mull phasing in retention plan for lottery scholarship
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Members of the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday discussed compromise legislation that would phase in a plan to lower the cumulative grade point average needed to maintain a lottery scholarship.
The measure would be part of a bill proposed by Republican Education Chairwoman Jamie Woodson of Knoxville.
Under current rules, a student must be enrolled full time in college, have a GPA of at least 2.75 after their freshman year and a cumulative 3.0 GPA for subsequent years to keep the scholarship.
An education subcommittee had previously proposed lowering the retention GPA to 2.75 through a student’s junior year, then bumping it back up to 3.0 the senior year.
But Sen. Joe Haynes was among some on the committee on Wednesday who want the GPA to stay at 2.75.
“I’ve come to think … that a 3.0 in high school is really equivalent to a 2.75 at the college level,” the Goodlettsville Democrat said. “For that reason, I think we’re penalizing our students.”
Sen. Bill Ketron, who is an education subcommittee member, says the phase-in proposal is better because of tight budget projections. He said the state has about $23 million in recurring lottery money to work with and permanently reducing the retention GPA would cost roughly $17 million.
“We only have so many dollars,” said the Murfreesboro Republican on Wednesday.
The Senate Education Committee is expected to take up Woodson’s bill again next week, and Haynes said at that time he will recommend making the 2.75 retention GPA permanent.
Many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as Gov. Phil Bredesen, believe reducing the GPA would allow more students to keep the scholarships.
But opponents have said dropping it would lower education standards and reflect badly on a state that perennially ranks in the lower percentile when it comes to education.
Figures released earlier this year by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission helped change some minds. THEC reported that 50 percent of students lost their lottery HOPE scholarships after their first year in college and 68 percent by their fourth year.
Even though the subcommittee proposal doesn’t include a student’s senior year, Ketron believes it would still make a difference.
“Usually by your senior year, you know how to study, you know what you’re going to do and where you’re going,” he said. “And hopefully those courses are a little bit easier than they were your sophomore and junior years.”
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Read the full text of SB0611 on the General Assembly’s Web site at: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us
KB expands outreach of scholarship programme
PESHAWAR: Khushhali Bank (KB) in collaboration with the United State Agency for International Development (USID) has expanded the outreach of the KB-USID scholarship programme in Pakistan, as a result of which 34 additional scholarships worth Rs6.4 million are being offered to students pursuing professional degrees at the Institute of Management Science, University of Peshawar.
USAIDs support to Khushhali Bank for the scholarship programme is a part of the $1.5 billion in aid the US government pledged to Pakistan over a five year period to improve economic growth, education, health, governance and reconstruction of earthquake affected areas.
To commemorate the occasion an Awards Distribution Ceremony was held at the University faculty.Speaking on the occasion Ghalib Nishtar, President KB appreciated the support extended by USAID in facilitating such an initiative. “Our aim is to not only improve the quality of education offered in the remotest areas of the country but also to expand the outreach of our scholarship programme to benefit under-privileged communities,” he said.
Dr. Muhammad Javed Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Peshawar thanked USAID and Khushhali Bank and said these scholarships to deserving students provides them with an opportunity to fulfil their ambition of pursuing a higher education.
DeMeo fund kicks off with $15K from cards
Bolton - Frankie DeMeo was a quiet kid, say friends and family, more of a doer than a talker something he personified on the wrestling mat, where he excelled as a co-captain of Nashoba Regional High School’s wrestling team.
After his death in early February at age 19 from a car accident, a group of parents and Nashoba administrators, including high school principal Jeremy Roche, felt compelled to do something to honor Frankie’s memory — something that would characterize his way of living through actions, not just words.
Last Friday, about 25 people met to discuss a way to form an organization in honor of Frankie, said Stow resident Vinnie Sestito, who led the meeting. Sestito has coached the DeMeos’ son, Robby, in baseball and his wife worked with the DeMeos’ daughter, Andrea, in school plays.
For most of his life, Frankie struggled with an autism-spectrum disorder called non-verbal learning disability. His parents were told he’d never make it through high school, let alone college, but wrestling gave Frankie the confidence to overcome his disability and thrive at Nashoba.
Sestito said the organization, which has the tentative name of Frankie DeMeo Memorial Scholarship Fund, would help children such as Frankie, who struggle with learning or other disabilities. The DeMeo family, who Sestito called “one of the most amazing families I’ve ever met,” has expressed a desire to help kids like their son.
Frankie touched many people, said Sestito, something many were not aware of until after his death. Cards from all over have poured into Nashoba, many from former wrestling buddies and challengers, all praising Frankie’s abilities, on and off the mat. Tucked inside some of the cards were money — up to about $15,000 for the scholarship fund.
“This kid’s reach was so powerful… no one knew,” he said. Frankie had a “yes I can” type of attitude — “We need to do something that carries it forward,” said Sestito.
The group eventually plans to have Nashoba students helping out, with a class dedicated to the project. Students would earn class credit for helping out and would learn valuable volunteering and organizational skills, said Sestito.
“This is something that is an opportunity of good that will take a tremendous amount of hard work,” said Sestito. It’s a nice way to say to the rest of the world that some “sleepy little towns” did something good, he said.
With the theme of “Just tell ’em Frankie sent ya,” the group is planning a series of fundraisers and events to support the scholarship fund. The whole thing kicks off with a concert by a cappella group The Persuasions on Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m., at Nashoba Regional High School. Tickets are $25 each.
Donations can be sent to Frankie DeMeo Memorial Scholarship Fund, care of Nashoba Regional High School, 12 Green Road, Bolton, MA 01740. For more information about the fund or upcoming events, Vinnie Sestito can be reached at vinsestito@comcast.net or 978-562-8577.
Millennium scholarships make a difference
We all know how important a post-secondary education is to compete in today’s job market. A college or university education can significantly assist our youth in obtaining the invaluable skills and tools needed to make a difference in our community and our country.
Unfortunately, the costs associated with a post-secondary education can often be too great for many students and their families. However, the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation has been making post-secondary education a reality for students across Canada and right here in Dufferin-Caledon since 1999.
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation was created by the federal government in 1998, to provide a range of bursaries, awards, and scholarships to improve access to Canadian post-secondary education by reducing student debt.
These financial offerings are not loans and will not have to be repaid. Since its formation, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.6 billion in funding to more than half a million students across Canada.
The Foundation aims to improve access to post-secondary education for all Canadians, especially those facing economic or social barriers; to encourage a high level of student achievement and engagement in Canadian society; and to build a national alliance of organizations and individuals around a shared post-secondary agenda.
The Millennium Excellence Awards continue to recognize thousands of high achieving and engaged students whose dedication to their community is an inspiration to all Canadians.
The Foundation has been able to make this possible through its many partnerships and volunteers all across Canada.
There are three types of scholarships offered by the Foundation: the Millennium Bursary Programme, the Millennium Excellence Award Programme, and World Petroleum Congresses Millennium Scholarship Programme.
The financial support of the Millennium Scholarships has significantly touched youth in Dufferin-Caledon. For example, in 2007, 379 students from Dufferin-Caledon received awards valued at $970,289.
Our constituency has benefited from the scholarship programme in previous years as well.
Between 1999 and 2006, a total of 1,881 awards were given for a total value of $5,416,077, which has made post-secondary education far more accessible to many youth here in Dufferin-Caledon, who have given so much to our community.
For those interested in learning more or to access application information, visit the foundation website at www.millenniumscholarships.ca.
Scholarship available for nursing student
A St. Cloud Hospital nursing alumni scholarship is being offered to a graduate or a family member of a graduate of St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing.
Applicants need to be enrolled in an undergraduate or technical program for nursing, have a grade-point average of at least 3.0 and be involved in their school or community.
Applicants should send in an application form available at www.centracare.com/hospitals/sch/scholarships.html, an updated transcript, two letters of reference and a typed essay outlining their career goals.
The application deadline is May 16. For details, call 240-2810.
Goldfish, games help 4-H raise scholarship funds
Lots of children left The Ranch on Saturday afternoon with goldfish in plastic baggies.
They were the victors of pingpong tosses.
Classic carnival games filled the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch to the brim Saturday afternoon for the Larimer County 4-H Foundation’s annual 4-H Carnival.
“It’s the only fundraising that happens for the 4-H Foundation,” said Everett VanCampen, a foundation trustee. “All the money that we raise goes to scholarships for youth.”
The Larimer County 4-H Foundation gives 13 scholarships for college to young people involved in 4-H and also offers help for teams and individuals who qualify for 4-H competitions.
“It’s all put back into 4-H,” VanCampen said. “Basically this is the only moneymaker we have.”
Last year the carnival raised about $28,000, VanCampen said.
Four-H teams from all over Larimer County set up the carnival Saturday.
Participants tested their strength with a hammer throw; they tossed pingpong balls and threw baseballs at stacked bottles. At the Livermore Wranglers booth, the color of jelly beans in filled balloons corresponded with prizes for contestants.
“This is more like a way to interact with the other clubs,” said Marnie Bellmyer, a 17-year-old Livermore Wrangler.
And don’t forget the competition with the other clubs.
The club that brings in the most tickets — visitors to the carnival buy tickets to use for food and games — wins.
The Berthoud Sagebrush Riders hosted one of the goldfish games, a pingpong-ball toss.
“It’s always been a big success,” said Paige Lockard, 16, a junior at Berthoud High School. “The children really like to win fish; it’s a big joy.”
And the Sagebrush Riders nearly always place or win with their event. This year they’re fundraising for a horse show the club puts on before the Larimer County Fair, Lockard said.
The Loveland Desperados had a goal for their fish toss, as well.
They’re fundraising to build a playground at The Ranch.
“We’re trying to create an area where people can safely take their children (during the fair),” said Kaylin Schimpf, a sophomore at Mountain View High School.
But fundraising aside, these 4-H’ers mix and mingle, play the games of the other groups and try to bring more people into the 4-H fold.
“There’s a lot of fun stuff,” said 12-year-old Sarah Wilson, a Desperado. “This is a big way to get people interested.”
