Scholars program built on rewarding the straight and narrow

Omar Diaz, a Morton High School and Purdue University graduate, had a few teachers who pushed him along the way to success. He also found inspiration in his father’s struggle to balance college and support his family.

“My father attended Purdue Calumet for about a semester for computer engineering,” said Diaz. “He didn’t finish his bachelor’s and went to work in the mills. I remember seeing that and knowing that I need to continue and finish.”

Diaz, now a graduate student at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, was able to achieve his goal with the assistance of Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars, a state college tuition program.

Now in its 25th year, the program provides four years of full-time tuition and fees at an Indiana college or university to eligible students.

There’s just one catch: Eligible students must enroll no later than June 30 of their eighth grade year.

All seventh and eighth grade students in public, charter or other accredited schools who receive free and reduced lunch can enroll in the 21st Century Scholars Program, which is funded by the state. In 2016, the Legislature earmarked $174 million for the program. For 2017, the funding is $159.6 million, according to the Commission on Higher Learning.

“Indiana has made a huge investment,” said Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education.

Once the students throw open the door to the scholarship opportunity at the middle school level, they make a pledge to complete specific goals at each grade level. The tasks are designed to help them plan, prepare and pay for college. They also pledge to graduate with a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average and a Core 40 diploma from a state-accredited high school. They promise they will not use drugs, commit a crime or delinquent acts or drink underage.

Among the goal-oriented tasks: freshmen must create a graduation plan and participate in extra-curricular or service activities; sophomores must do a career assessment, gain some work experience and complete a college-cost estimator; juniors must visit a college campus and take the PSAT, SAT or ACT.

Seniors who will graduate in May 2016 also take a final pledge — called “the affirmation,” which confirms they have adhered to the pledge they made in eighth grade.

The affirmation may be done online, but there are three public affirmation programs set to take place on Oct. 6 at Lowell High School, Oct. 7 at Ivy Tech Valparaiso in the auditorium and on Oct. 22 at Purdue Calumet. Any 21st Century Scholar may attend any of the programs, or fulfill the affirmation online.

Diaz recalled the affirmation process.

“I remember going to Crown Point and having a judge walk us through the affirmation. I knew then that I needed to go to college and I wanted to go to college. It was always the voice in the back of my head to (tell me to) do the right thing,” said Diaz. “One mistake can cost you thousands of dollars in tuition. I wasn’t a bad kid by any means, but it was good to have that additional reinforcement.”

For Jones, the affirmation session is about outreach.

“The advantage of coming to the affirmation meeting is that I pass out all the documentation and talk to them very seriously,” said Dr. Verleaish Jones, 21st Century Scholars Outreach Coordinator for the Indiana Commission on Higher Education. “I answer questions. Parents (attend and) can ask questions and that helps out a lot. There will be students talking about life on campus. Financial aid people will be there.”

According to Lubbers, Lake County is second only to Marion County in terms of the numbers of 21st Century Scholars. She estimated that there are currently more than 100,000 students enrolled in the program across the state.

“I think you have a high penetration of the eligible market in Lake County,” Lubbers said. “I’m sure they haven’t captured 100 percent.”

But the statistics show making it through the program isn’t easy.

The Indiana Commission on Higher Education estimates that 30,000 Indiana students have earned a college degree through the 21st Century Scholars program. That estimate is based on college completion numbers going back to 2001.

There were 3,021 seventh grade students eligible for free and reduced lunch in 2014-15 in Lake County public schools, 1,089 in Porter County public schools and 458 in Lake County charter schools, according to data from the Indiana Department of Education’s Compass.

An estimated 1,024 seniors enrolled as 21st Century Scholars are expected to graduate in 2016 from Lake County public, private and charter schools and 329 from Porter County schools, according to data from the Commission on Higher Education.

In May 2015, the commission said Lake County had 1,191 graduating seniors enrolled as 21st Century Scholars and Porter County counted 336.

However, in Lake County alone, the free and reduced lunch count for 2014-15 public school seniors was nearly double the number of those who left high school as 21st Century scholars: about 2,294. Charter schools added another 270.

“What we don’t know is whether they were eligible for free and reduced lunch in seventh or eighth grade,” said Jones. “It could be they didn’t qualify and then as time passed, their financial situation changed. Even if their income changes they (can’t sign up after eighth grade). But let’s say some of them did qualify but did not sign up — we want to know why.”

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Jones works with middle school guidance counselors throughout nine northern Indiana counties and visits schools to speak with the seventh and eighth graders. She doesn’t just call for the students in free and reduced lunch when she makes presentations.

“I’m meeting with all the seventh and eighth graders. I don’t need to know who is on free and reduced lunches and there may be people who are not, that still qualify,” Jones said.

Jones said the word is getting out to families about the 21st Century Scholars program.

Diaz, who majored in interdisciplinary sciences with a physics concentration at Purdue is now a graduate student and considering a doctorate in counseling and development. He has come full circle with the 21st Century Scholars and is the program coordinator, a paid staff position on the Purdue Calumet campus.

“Part of my position is to help students when they get on campus to make sure they know it is their campus and this is a place where they can succeed and have support,” Diaz said.

He spends time with students and helps them review their priorities. He also connects them with tutoring services.

Scholars are required to take a minimum of 30 credit hours per school year in college, or risk losing their scholarship.

“The push is to make sure the student finishes in four years,” Diaz said. “It is easy to get down on oneself when you know you have a lot riding on it. That’s where I try come in and help someone stay calm.”

Nancy Coltun Webster is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.