Over the past five years, the Promise Zone has supported nearly 2,000 students from 25 schools. Grand Rapids Public School graduates who enroll in Grand Rapids Community College attend tuition-free, fees, and textbooks.
“This idea really came from Teresa Weatherall Neal.”
Grand Rapids Promise Zone Director Ashlee Mishler credits the former GRPS Superintendent with the idea.
“But it really came to fruition in 2020, where our first class of students came to GRCC in the fall of that year.”
That year, 245 students enrolled in the program. This year, that number has increased to 700.
Mishler says the program has expanded and evolved over the years.
“We’ve been able to implement some tutoring support services in one of our high schools, so yeah, it’s been a really great opportunity for us to reflect on the needs of our students and be able to support them in a very agile way.”
Mishler says the Promise Zone looks forward to providing tuition-free higher education to future Grand Rapids students.
Grand Rapids is one of 13 Promise Zone communities currently offering scholarships across the state.
