As we approach the Christmas holiday and the end of the year, I find myself looking forward to what this new year could bring for my family and children. For families of high school graduating seniors, this season brings an additional sense of anticipation and excitement at what the future may hold.
High school graduation marks a time when young men and women are able to truly spread their wings as young adults for the first time and begin discovering who they are, and what they want to make of their life. As a society, I believe that we have the responsibility to work toward making every opportunity available to our students so that they are free to pursue whatever their future dreams and aspirations may be. One of the most important opportunities that I believe all students should have access to, if they so desire, is the chance to pursue higher education following a high school degree.
In helping to make college a tangible reality for Lewisville students, I am pleased to bring to your attention the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation Scholarships available for graduating Lewisville ISD students.
The Lewisville ISD Education Foundation Scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors to help them in their continued educational journey. Over 1,700 scholarships have been awarded to date, amounting to an impressive $1,302,915 awarded to deserving students.
For this school year, over 100 different scholarships are available for Lewisville ISD graduating seniors with a wide range of qualifications. Criteria for each individual scholarship is established by donors, and can include qualifications such as financial need, academic achievement, student leadership, or even just being an older brother.
Although there are many specific scholarships available, the good news is that there is only one application to complete! The application and a list of qualifications needed to be eligible for consideration can be found at the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation website – www.lisdef.com/html/scholarships.php/. The deadline for completing and submitting the application is Monday, January 28, 2013.
I urge parents and students to consider this exceptional opportunity. As the importance of higher education increases, I believe we have a responsibility to give each and every child the ability to continue their education if they so desire. According to a policy report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, college costs are one of the primary reasons students choose not to enroll in a college, and a recent Gallop Poll found that 58 percent of Americans cited costs as a reason they were unlikely to, or not at all likely to pursue a college degree.
While college costs and the availability of aid can clearly be significant barriers to pursuing higher education, it is my hope that programs such as the Lewisville Education Foundation can help to make the dream of attending a college or university a reality for our youth.
As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Texas House of Representatives and I welcome your feedback on this and any other critical state issues. If you would like to share a thought with me, please feel free to contact me at my Capitol office at 512.463.0688 or by e-mail at [email protected].
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