Leaders tout enrollment growth in scholarship program

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Graduate high school, get a college education for free. It's the kind of program you'd think would be filled to capacity. But up until last year fewer than half the eligible students in Marion County joined.

The program, 21st Century Scholars, is simple and straight forward. Meet income guidelines, make good grades, stay out of trouble, and get free college tuition at any public university in the state.

But it took an extra push to push the number of enrolled students in Marion County to a respectable level. Brian Payne, CEO of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, was behind the effort to get more students to enroll.

"This very important program. Enrollment was 38 percent in Marion County students two years ago," Payne said.

Barely a third of Marion County students who met the income guidelines to get free tution were enrolling in 21st Century Scholars. So city leaders and local nonprofits headed by the Central Indiana Community Foundation vowed to change the numbers.

Working with city leaders, schools and guidance counselors, enrollment of eligible eighth-graders went up to 75 percent this year. That means an additional 1,300 eighth-graders were enrolled in the program. Eighth grade is the last year for enrollment in the program.

It's just the helping hand students need to take the next step.

"I just want a good education so I can get a good job. And have support for my family if I have a family," said Zoe Gowens, an IPS eighth-grader.

Dairon Durham, another eighth-grader, said: "It means a lot to me. It's helping me with my future and what I want to be later in life."

And while students get free tutition, they don't get a free ride, said Payne.

"First of all, they have to pledge that they'll stay out of trouble, that they'll be drug free, and that they'll get at least a 2.5 grade-point average and graduate from high school."

The 21st Century Scholars program is funded by the state. It was founded in 1990. Lawmakers this year changed eligibility guidelines for the program , under budget pressure.