Endeavor scholarships can be used for sports, dance, music or
art lessons
Organized sports can be expensive. Ditto piano, dance and art
lessons. And the cost of supplies and equipment adds to that. For
families who need a little help, Hollister School District staff
are starting the Endeavor scholarship Program as a way to offer
more opportunities to students whose families are low-income.
Endeavor scholarships can be used for sports, dance, music or art lessons
Organized sports can be expensive. Ditto piano, dance and art lessons. And the cost of supplies and equipment adds to that. For families who need a little help, Hollister School District staff are starting the Endeavor scholarship Program as a way to offer more opportunities to students whose families are low-income.
“There’s been a lot of talk in the last few years about the rising gang problem,” said Angela Hagins, the liaison for the students in transition program and the coordinator of the scholarship. “There have been cuts in police, the gang task force.”
The new program is an opportunity to redirect students who are at risk for joining gangs, Hagins said, and she and others started formulating their program last spring.
Hagins and others around the community came up with the idea of offering scholarships to children in K-8 to particpate in after-school activities such as sports, music, dance or art.
“We don’t want to piegonhole anyone,” Hagins said. “The plan is to partner with private and public agenices.”
Students who qualify for the free-lunch program will be eligible for the scholarships. They will need to submit an application and teacher recommendation. Students will choose which activity in the community they want to particpate in and options include anything from Pop Waner Football, Hollister Heat Softball, YMCA or private karate or dance studios. Hagins is still working out the logistics of some activities children may select.
“Piano lessons should be easy because we can use equipment at the schools,” she said. “But for guitar lessons it might be harder to get access to an instrument.”
Hagins is still working on fund-raising, but hopes that the first scholarships will be available March 1. Students will get up to $300 to cover tuition and equipment.
“It would cover equipment, if they need shoes or leotards and tights,” she said.
She also plans to have some equipment for check-out for students who are first trying out an activity so they can see if they like it. Donations of like-new sports, art or other equipment are being accepted by Hagins.
While the first scholarship will be based on the application and recommendations, students applying for additional scholarships would receive them based on attendance and participation.
“It will be easier to get the first scholarship than repeating ones,” Hagins said. “We will use attendance and they will need to go, add to the team and learn responsibility.”
That means if they need transportation to their activity, students will need to talk to Hagins rather than just missing a lesson or practice. Hagins will make arrangements for county transit vouchers for older students who need rides.
In addition, Hagins asked that families think ahead about the activities in which their child would like to participate. For instance, if they want to play a sport, they should apply for the scholarship well in advance of tryouts.
A fund-raiser is planned at Cedar House on Tuesday, Jan. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 and the full price of the ticket will go toward the scholarships. The dinner will include a silent auction, and donations for the auction are still being accepted.
“Once we felt we had a lot of answers to questions, we started working on the event,” Hagins said.
With monetary donations that have already come in, Hagins said she hopes to raise $10,000 from the community. With that in hand, she will apply for a variety of matching fund opportunities.
“We are applying for a W. K. Kellogg grant to ask them to match, and we are applying to other foundations that might match funds,” Hagins said. “The more the community gives, the more it shows the commitment to youth, and it is easier to ask outside agencies for help.”
