Scholarships for Preschoolers

Last week a group of preschoolers from Camden, New Jersey had their graduation ceremony at Rutgers University's Camden campus. There they were, the high school class of 2029, all resplendent in their white caps and gowns, receiving their “diplomas” with beaming parents in the audience. But this group of graduates received a gift that they cannot possibly comprehend at this time. Any of these students who graduate from the Camden Leap Academy High School with a GPA of 3.5 or higher will receive a full scholarship to Rutgers University. This program would be funded without taxpayer money, yet gain the essence of what Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been campaigning about for the last year.

American education standards compared to other industrialized nations have been declining in recent years. Couple that with the increased importance of a college education and the spiraling cost of tuition and we can visualize the need for alternative means of funding these costs.

If we could get other colleges and universities to institute similar programs or if we could encourage philanthropic organizations to do the same, then we perhaps we could break down the economic barriers to a college education. In Southwest Florida, an organization called Champions for Learning, offers many programs that offer scholarships to worth high school students. Programs like there are being replicated across the United States. In a country where creativity counts, we should be able to develop the means for anyone who qualifies for college admission should be able to attend.

c.2016 J. Margolis