June 30 deadline approaching for 21st Century Scholars enrollment

Indiana seventh- and eighth-grade students can still apply for the 21st Century Scholars program, but the June 30 deadline is quickly approaching.

Led by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, 21st Century Scholars is the state’s early college promise program that provides up to four years of undergraduate tuition and fees for eligible low-income students at Indiana colleges and universities.

In Putnam County, becoming part of the 21st Century Scholars program also means utilizing EDGE 21, a multigenerational coaching program for eligible 21st Century Scholars to embolden them through middle and high school into a post-secondary education. The desired outcome is to empower each student to be self-sufficient adults and to be servant leaders in their communities.

To qualify, students must apply during their seventh- or eighth-grade year. Most students who qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch guidelines will qualify for the 21st Century Scholars program – but students can only take advantage if they apply before the June 30 deadline.

“To achieve economic security and mobility in today’s economy, education beyond high school is vital,” Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers said. “The 21st Century Scholars program not only makes college affordable, but when accompanied with the Scholars Success Program, it keeps students on track for college and career success.”

Community partners like the EDGE 21 are essential to spreading awareness of the 21st Century Scholars program.

EDGE 21 has created weekly Huddles made up of a success coach and four to five students. Through these Huddles, EDGE 21 provides mentoring to scholars in life skills by sharing authentic personal experiences, values, and beliefs to build student character, post-secondary educational readiness, and successful engagement in their career. It also supports teachers and counselors.

EDGE 21 mobilizes individuals in the Putnam County community to invest in intergenerational relationships that engage, connect and encourage commitments that ripple back into the family, school and community.

EDGE 21 emboldens the character of students and 21st Century Scholars through mentoring, counseling and growing spiritually. In an age of growing isolation through transactional and digital relationships, of a growing number of unfunded school mandates and of more absent parents, EDGE 21 is standing in the gap, building bridges across generations to see every generation living a life of purpose, boldness and impact.

Additionally, EDGE 21 is in need of more success coaches to help the scholars realize their goals. To learn more, visit edge21.org.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education 2021 College Readiness Report shows that 88 percent of 21st Century Scholars who meet the program’s requirements are enrolling in college, compared to the statewide college-going average of 59 percent. The program has also been shown to close the race and ethnicity equity gap for low-income students.