Scholarship America's Blog

Inspired by a community leader a decade ago, the folks at Ankeny (IA) Community Education and Ankeny Dollars for Scholars have created one of the more unique fundraising traditions among all of our Dollars for Scholars chapters. Every year, the "Dive Team" in Ankeny collects empty glass bottles from the beer garden at the city's annual SummerFest, and returns them to raise funds for the chapter, one hard-earned nickel at a time—and, so far, they've raised $400,000 doing so.

Two of the instrumental figures in the chapter's founding and current success were honored by their community this week, and the Des Moines Register has the story:

"There's a common thread between the two individuals receiving Ankeny's Community Education recognition this year - they both have dived into Dumpsters to retrieve beer bottles.

"Ronee Wagener was awarded the Community Educator of the Year. Rusty Faulkner was posthumously awarded Friend of Community Education. Rusty died last April.

"Both served on a variety of committees and on the ComEd advisory board. Both were instrumental in creating and developing the Dollars for Scholars program in Ankeny.

"Rusty was a member of the Dollars for Scholars board for 20 years, of which he served as president for 10 years.

"He was responsible for the computerized screening of applicants for Dollars for Scholars awards, leveling the selection process.

"It was his brainchild to begin collecting bottles from the SummerFest beer garden each evening and returning them to fund Dollars for Scholars. His kids and grandchildren were enlisted to help, after the beer garden had closed each evening."

Head over to the Register Web site to read more.

Ohio's Marion Star newspaper featured an excellent guest article last week from Lee Harrell, the assistant vice president of admissions and financial aid at Ohio Wesleyan University. Harrell breaks down the general content of the financial aid award letters that many students are just now receiving from their colleges of choice, and, in simple terms, tells you exactly what they mean, and what you should be looking for to find the best package.

He addresses quite a few basic but easy-to-overlook steps to take when comparing aid packages from different schools, such as: clarifying exactly what the total cost of the college is (including books, room and board, supplies and the like); analyzing how much aid is coming from grants and scholarships; looking at subsidized, unsubsidized and PLUS loans; and much more. It's a quick read, and well worth bookmarking for anyone sifting through assistance letters and preparing to head off to school.

Read 'How to analyze college financial aid award letters' at MarionStar.com.

Scholarship America is partnering with the National Association of Student Financial Aid, Lumina Foundation for Education, and a number of organizations across the country to host College Goal Sunday events this February.

College Goal Sunday offers an opportunity for students and parents to learn more about the world of financial aid, and each event has trained experts on hand to help you and your family fill out the Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) and ensure that you know about, and are prepared to apply for, all of the postsecondary education help you're eligible for.

Check out the College Goal Sunday Web site at CollegeGoalSundayUSA.org to find a location near you.

"I'm good enough to go to my dream school, but I can't pay for it." That is the lament of one of the six students profiled recently on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, as they take their 'Faces of the New Economy' series to Fairfax High School in northern Virginia. The students, in their own words, discuss the challenges of both finding and paying for college—one has a parent with three jobs (which puts food on the table, but also puts her over the financial aid limit for many schools); one hoped to receive a swimming scholarship and found the competition tougher than expected; one is pondering the military as a way of paying for school without taking out loans.

It's a brief piece, but a worthwhile listen for anyone who's looking at higher education for themselves or their children. You can check out the episode here.