Columbia Falls High School is receiving a $3,250 grant to support college enrollment and readiness among graduates.
Denise Juneau, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, and Kelly Cresswell, vice president of Foundation Activities at Student Assistance Foundation (SAF), announced the 12 Graduation Matters communities that will be receiving $50,000 in grants from the Graduation Matters Montana Student Assistance Foundation College Readiness Fund.
Grant awards ranged from $2,000 to $5,000. Graduation Matters Columbia Falls will receive $3,250 for its successful proposal to increase the percentage of students who complete the financial aid application for college, increase the percentage of students completing a college application and increase the percentage of students who go on to college.
“It is exciting to see Graduation Matters communities like Columbia Falls setting high goals to reach out to and engage students and families as they prepare for life after high school,” said Juneau. “These efforts are going to have a significant impact on the students and families in their community.”
Schools are setting their sights on increasing the number of students in their schools who complete financial aid applications by participating in programs such as College Goal Montana. If schools are successful in meeting their goals, it is estimated Montana students and their families would receive $3.9 million in grant awards for their college education, according to the state’s Office of Public Instruction. The majority of grantee schools will also participate in the upcoming College Application Week, an effort to increase the number of Montana students who apply for college.