The Ludington Area School District was awarded $139,000 from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), as reported by the school this month.
This grant supports students looking at post-secondary opportunities including college, technical training, military, and other opportunities.
The grant was coordinated by Ludington Area Schools Post Secondary Advisor, Trista Budzynski, who came to Ludington Area Schools through funding from Mason County Promise, explained what the award was for.
“It’s an award from the state, for those school districts who have chosen to make the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA), a graduation requirement,” said Budzinski. “And so the state had a program that schools could compete or enter into, to say we would like to make the FAFSA a graduation requirement, and in return, the state then awarded those school districts with funding that would help create programming that leads to that FAFSA completion or that graduation requirement completion.
Budzynski explained in an email that the award is going to be used to grow Ludington Area Schools post-secondary programming to include:
- Expanding the Orioles Bound to Soar Program: And an incentives based program that rewards Seniors with completing the FAFSA and other post-secondary activities and enters them into a raffle to win a laptop (Last year’s recipients in the attached photo).
- Resourcing college visits by providing transportation and lunch to students and their families.
- Connect with community members to establish career exploration opportunities for our freshman, sophomore and juniors.
According to a Facebook post from the state of Michigan, 70% of Michigan jobs require postsecondary education.
Ludington High School counselors, Laura Powers and Kristina Sutton have helped put in work and spearhead the program within Ludington Area Schools.
Powers talked about how the award will impact student opportunities in the future.
“That whole scope of learning beyond a high school diploma, that’s been our goal, and we understand that the gateway document for those opportunities, to be funded and supported. It is really made possible with the free application for federal student aid that FAFSA is really the door that opens not only opportunities to support their tuition but also many scholarships,” said Powers “So for us this was a perfect alignment. The state appropriated monies to us to support our goal of helping kids access their post secondary planning in the most successful way.”
Powers explained that the department’s long-standing goal has been to help students plan for life after high school by broadening their understanding of post-secondary options beyond the traditional four-year college path. They actively promote alternatives such as two-year degrees, certificate programs, and associate degrees as valuable opportunities for students.
Sutton, shared her thoughts and about helping students.
“I think it feels great. It’s gonna be wonderful when you see a student, who you know will need that extra training, whether it’s going into welding or a medical program, or anything, the FAFSA, if we can help them get there, then that relief falls off their shoulders, and you can just see it,” said Sutton. “And it’s great. It’s great to know you’re a part of that, part of their next journey, which is what it is right? You want to see the next. What is next? What does that look like for you? And everyone is different.”
Ludington High School will be hosting an event on Tuesday Feb. 2 where students will receive extra help with filling out FAFSA
“Kids can come in and get faster help to get it completed,” Sutton said. ”We’re also going to help them with any award letters or information that they have,and help them apply for the Mason County Community Foundation Scholarship, which is huge.
The Mason County Foundation Scholarship is due Feb. 12.