STEVENS POINT – Governor Jim Doyle today called on eighth graders to sign the Wisconsin Covenant and ensure a spot for themselves in a Wisconsin college or university, provided they work hard during high school and meet certain requirements. Governor Doyle was joined at Wisconsin Covenant Days at University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point by students signing the pledge from Adams-Friendship, Mosinee, Luxemburg-Casco, New London, and Montello Middle Schools.
“The Wisconsin Covenant encourages students to start thinking about the grades they need, the classes they need to take, and the role they need to play in their community starting on day one of high school,” Governor Doyle said. “The Covenant is a promise that if students work hard and live up to their end of the bargain, I’ll make sure that the state does our part. We’ll make sure students have a place in higher education, and a financial aid package based on their families’ financial needs.”
At the event, Governor Doyle also announced $2.4 Million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for the Stevens Point Area School District. The funds will be used for special education and for schools with a high percentage of low-income students. The Stevens Point allocation is included in the $366 million funding for Wisconsin school districts that Governor Doyle and State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced yesterday. More information on local funding allocations for IDEA, Part B, and Title I, Part A, is viewable at: http://dpi.wi.gov/recovery/xls/titleone-idea.xls.
Wisconsin Covenant Days are an opportunity for eighth grade students to get an idea of what life is like on a college campus. At the event, students met with UW-Stevens Point faculty to learn about campus programs, ate lunch on campus, and participated in a campus tour.
Eighth grade students who choose to participate in the Wisconsin Covenant will sign a pledge affirming that they will earn a high school diploma, participate in their community, take a high school curriculum that prepares them for higher education, maintain at least a B average in high school, and apply in a timely manner for state and federal financial aid. Students have until September 30 of their freshman year to join the program.
In return for keeping the Covenant pledge, each of the Wisconsin Covenant Scholars will earn a spot in either the University of Wisconsin system, the Wisconsin Technical Colleges, or at one of the state’s 20 private, nonprofit and independent colleges. As students enter college, they may receive a mix of loans, grants, and work study opportunities based on their family’s financial needs.
Currently, 35,000 students have signed the pledge, representing all 72 Wisconsin counties. The first class of Wisconsin Covenant Scholars will graduate in 2011.
Governor Doyle was joined at today’s event by Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and George Koonce, former linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and current Athletic Director at the UW-Milwaukee, who are Friends of the Wisconsin Covenant.
Detailed information on the terms of the Wisconsin Covenant, including text of the pledge, is available by visiting, www.wisconsincovenant.wi.gov.
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