WHAT IS THE H.O.P.E. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM?
The H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program is an education initiative in cooperation with the Lansing School District, the City of Lansing , Lansing Community College, Michigan State University, the Lansing Police Department, and in cooperation with local businesses and private citizens.
The H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program offers Lansing School District youth an opportunity for a college education and a brighter future. Students are initiated into the program as sixth graders. Students promise to finish high school in exchange for two years of free tuition at Lansing Community College. The students are chosen by their school based on their ability to utilize the program.
The H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program was developed to assist Lansing School District youth in their commitment to graduate from high school and go onto college. When Chief Mark Alley was appointed by former Mayor David Hollister, he instructed his staff to develop youth crime prevention initiatives. Out of numerous ideas that were tabled, Chief Alley identified a program in the Jackson area currently in use called CARE (Concerned Adults Responding Early). Taking the concepts used in the CARE program and modifying the ideas to fit the City of Lansing, the team of Chief Mark Alley, former Mayor David C. Hollister, former Superintendent Dr. E. Sharon Banks of the Lansing School District, and former President Paula D. Cunningham of Lansing Community College formed this scholarship program in 2001.
Today this partnership continues with the leadership of Lansing School District Superintendent of Schools, Mayor Virgil Bernero, Lansing Dr. T.C. Wallace, Jr., Superintendent of Schools, Lansing Community College President, Dr. Brent Knight, and Chief Mark Alley. Everyone working together is what is needed to ensure the success of our H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program.
