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WHAT THE GREAT LAKES EMPOWERED SCHOLARS FOUNDATION OFFERS:
- Mentorship from the Founders
- Networking
- Financial Support
- Career Planning
- Personal Development
Compiled of all Oakridge graduates, the foundation has deep ties to the community. Our founders recognize the systemic challenges graduates face when pursuing higher education. This includes limited access to extracurriculars, college credit courses, test prep, and essential resources.
As students who have embarked on the college route, the foundation brings firsthand experiences and guidance to help current students navigate their own journeys. By fostering a strong support system, the foundation ensures that students not only have a financial gain, but are empowered with the knowledge, confidence, and connections they need to thrive in higher education and beyond. The foundation aims to ensure recipients receive both financial assistance and guidance as they navigate their academic journeys.
COLLEGE COSTS IN MICHIGAN:
- 4-year universities in Michigan cost 17.70% more than the national average
- Average total cost of attendance of a 4-year university in Michigan is $26,352
- Cost of tuition increased 4.30% from the 2021-2022 academic year to 2022-2023.
OAKRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TITLE I STATUS:
- Oakridge Public Schools currently receives Title I funding
- “Schools in which children from low-income families make up at least 40 percent of enrollment are eligible to use Title I funds to operate schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school in order to raise the achievement of the lowest-achieving students.”
WHAT DOES “DISADVANTAGED” MEAN?:
- Students qualify as “disadvantaged” if they meet at least two of seven criteria
- Students from Oakridge automatically qualify based on the following two criteria; receive Free & Reduced Lunch (Criterion #3) and reside in a low-income area (Criterion #7b), the 49442-zip code
OAKRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ENROLLED IN A 4-YEAR UNIVERSITY:
WORK CITED:
- ERA NIH. (n.d.). Disadvantaged background definition. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.era.nih.gov/commons/disadvantaged_def.htm
- MI School Data. (n.d.). College enrollment by high school. Michigan Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www.mischooldata.org/college-enrollment-by-hs/
- Oakridge Schools. (n.d.). Title I. Oakridge Public Schools. Retrieved from https://oakridgeschools.org/our-district/academics/title-i/
- U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Improving basic programs operated by local educational agencies (ESEA Title I, Part A). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/formula-grants/school-improvement/improving-basic-programs-operated-by-local-educational-agencies-esea-title-i-part-a
Great Lakes Empowered Scholars champions disadvantaged students by providing resources and opportunities to inspire and increase post-secondary enrollment. 