December 15, 2006

Granholm tells students education after high school critical, within their reach

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced a letter will be sent next week to the first group of students receiving the Michigan Promise scholarship, explaining how they can receive the $4,000 scholarship.
 
"To succeed in today's economy, your education cannot end at high school," Granholm said.  "The Michigan Promise scholarship opens the doors to education to all our students."
 
This week, the Legislature gave final approval to Granholm's scholarship plan to help make college more affordable for Michigan families.  This year's high school seniors, and all students that follow them, can now receive $4,000 to help pay the cost of college or technical training.
 
Granholm said the Michigan Promise scholarship is a critical step for Michigan's economy, as the states with the highest number of college graduates have the lowest unemployment rates and the fastest-growing economies.  Coupled with the rigorous high school curriculum standards Granholm fought for and signed into law, the Michigan Promise scholarship will position Michigan as the state that will lead the nation in educational achievement and economic growth.
 
The Michigan Promise was first proposed by Governor Granholm in her 2005 State of the State address.  Beginning with today's high school seniors, every student who attends college will receive a $4,000 scholarship - $1,500 more than the current program.  Students can use the money to attend any two or four-year school in Michigan, public or private, or a wide array of technical training programs.
 
Students who score well on the high school assessment will receive $1,000 during each of their freshman and sophomore years and earn the remaining $2,000 after successfully completing two years.  Students who do not receive qualifying scores can earn the entire $4,000 scholarship by successfully completing two years of post-secondary education.
 
"$4,000 to help every child go to college - what an amazing holiday gift for Michigan families," Granholm said.

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state through an affiliation with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.  The address will also be available on the Governor's website on Mondays as a podcast for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.

Broadcasters Note: Governor Granholm's radio address can be accessed through Sunday evening exclusively through the Members Only page of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters website. 

Publishers Note: The text of today's address is attached.