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Panel set to work on Promise Zone scholarship effort

Lansing grads could qualify for two years' tuition

Kathleen Lavey • klavey@lsj.com • August 7, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal

 The Lansing School District's Promise Zone advisory board is ready to get down to business: Creating a framework to provide two years of free college tuition for future high school graduates.


"I believe we'll be able to set some goals, meet the goals and serve the children that we need to serve," said board member Linda Lee Tarver, sworn in Thursday with nine others. "This is a wonderful opportunity."

 The board now needs to:

• Set criteria for awarding the scholarships, which, at least initially, will be a two-year ride at Lansing Community College.
• Choose which upcoming graduating class will be first to get the scholarships.
• Raise money to match tax dollars that eventually will go into the effort.

Lansing Superintendent T.C. Wallace Jr. said he has no doubt that the board is up to the task, despite the tough economy.

"We have a group of people committed to education," he said. "We have a very diverse group, a group that has made significant contributions to the school district, students and city of Lansing."

Besides Tarver, board members are Mark Alley, Deborah Canja, Melanie Rogers, Joel Ferguson, Kellie Dean, Joseph Graves, Martha Gutierrez, Barbara Roberts Mason and Judith Brown Clarke.

An 11th board member will be named later this month.