Sen. Roller delivers $10K to Citizens for Progress

Warren County’s Citizens for Progress Scholarship program received a major boost in its 2008-09 fundraising efforts with a check for $10,000. The check was presented by state Sen. Steve Roller to school system director of instruction Bobby Cox.

Roller said the money was provided by the state.

‘It was part of the grants from last year that were left over,’ Roller said. ‘Riley C. Darnell, the secretary of state, was kind enough to offer that money and I was happy to accept it, especially for a great program like this scholarship fund.’

Citizens for Progress scholarships allow Warren County High School graduates who qualify to attend a two-year course of study tuition free at either Motlow State Community College or Tennessee Technology Center.

The program is the brainchild of Cox and professional and community development coordinator Bonnie Collier, who is also on the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. The program is based on a similar program in Sevier County called Partners for Progress.

‘We’re getting ready to kick off our funding drive and this is a great start, just what we need,’ said Cox. ‘We’re getting ready to go out into the community again and to the organizations that we approached last year and the business community to try to keep the funding going. This will do wonders in beginning our funding drive this year.’

Citizens for Progress is a last-dollar-type scholarship program. Students must first apply for all other local, state and federal financial aid before applying for the scholarship. Once those funds are obtained, the Citizens for Progress scholarship will cover the balance of tuition, allowing students to attend the two-year program of their choice tuition free.

Funding comes through a combination of donations from individuals, business and industry, along with support from local and state government, all of which have embraced the program with enthusiasm.

Accu-Router owner and Business Roundtable Action Committee chairman Todd Herzog has become a staunch supporter of the program because he says it encourages high school graduates to continue their education.

‘If you listen to the kids, and I have,’ Herzog said, ‘they say this makes a world of difference. In many cases they claim this makes the difference in going and not going.’

For families on a tight budget, the Citizens for Progress scholarship can save a significant amount of money, Herzog said.

‘If you had a child going those first two years of college here in the state, let’s say at UT, Tennessee Tech or MTSU, you’re out of pocket expense for tuition is about $9,000 per year. So you could say this scholarship program represents a total savings, over two years, of about $18,000. It really can make the difference on whether the student can afford to go to college or not.’

Cox says everyone involved in the program is thrilled with the support it has received.

‘We hope to double the number of students we have in our program this year,’ Cox said. ‘We really appreciate the support from Sen. Roller, the county and the city and local industry and businesses. It truly has been a community effort, and the beneficiary of that effort is going to be our students and our community in the long run.’

For more information on the program, or to become a sponsor, contact Cox or Bonnie Collier at 668-4022, or Herzog at Accu-Router at 668-7127.