Ferguson Achievement Award Recipients Announced
--235 students receive a minimum of $1000 each for higher education pursuits--
(Dover, De.) Delaware's Department of Education (DOE) and the Delaware Higher Education Commission (DHEC) are pleased to announce the awarding of 272 Michael C. Ferguson scholarships of $1,000 each to 235 students statewide who have attained high scores in reading, mathematics and writing on the March 2009 Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) in grades eight and ten.
The scholarship program, named in memory of Michael Ferguson, former Deputy Superintendent and Acting Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction and former state Budget Director, was included in the Educational Accountability Act of 1998 and is funded by Delaware's General Assembly. The program is authorized a maximum of 300 scholarships annually ($1,000 each) to be awarded to eighth and tenth graders who attained the highest scores on the DSTP in the content areas of reading, writing and mathematics.
Since this program began ten years ago, nearly 4,400 public school students have been awarded more than $5 million in scholarships.
This year, three eighth grade students earned three scholarships; 14 students earned two scholarships; and 102 earned one scholarship. In the tenth grade, 2 students earned three scholarships; 18 earned two scholarships; and 96 earned one scholarship.
The law states that up to 150 of the Ferguson scholarships will be awarded to students
who participate in the free and reduced lunch (FRL) program. Of the maximum 150 scholarships awarded in both the FRL program and the 150 not in FRL, up to 75 scholarships will be awarded to eighth graders and 75 awarded to tenth graders. Furthermore, the law specifies that the number of awards in each content area shall be as close to twenty-five as possible, and that any unassigned awards shall be allocated in the priority of reading, mathematics and writing.
Students can use their scholarship once they begin their postsecondary education; however, they must enroll at an institution within five calendar years of high school graduation or the scholarship will be forfeited. The award can only be used at regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institutions or at Delaware or other state-approved private business and trade schools in the United States. The award cannot exceed direct educational costs.
DHEC will contact each recipient with instructions for setting up an online account where they can keep track of their scholarship funds, update contact information as needed and identify what college they plan to attend. Recipients can use the same account to access other DHEC-administered financial aid programs online.
A complete list of this year's Michael C. Ferguson Achievement Award recipients can be found on the Higher Education Commission's website at www.doe.k12.de.us/dhec.
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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