First lady Michelle Obama announced two video contests for US students on Oct 30, the McClatchy Tribune reports.
For the first contest, Ms Obama noted that students, especially those in underserved communities, have great potential for success but don’t always get the encouragement or support they need to go to college. She calls on higher ed groups, from students to administrators, to open up their campuses to students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience college life.
“If you’re a student, can you go to a local high school and set up a mentoring group?” she asks. “Or, can you design a program to bring these students onto campus to see what college life is all about? … To attend a lecture, eat in the cafeteria, or just spend the night in a dorm?”
She wants anyone who develops such a program to tweet it, instagram it, or whatever, using the hashtag #ReachHigher. The prize would be a possible appearance by Ms Obama at the college’s commencement in the spring of 2015.
The second contest is looking for details showing US high schools helping students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Completion of the form is required if students want to qualify for federal grants, loans, and work-study programs. Students entering college in the fall of 2015 can start filling out the form as early as Jan 1.
“It’s quick, it’s free, and it can help you get thousands of dollars for your college tuition,” Ms Obama said about the importance of completing the FAFSA. The US Department of Education provides for more than $150 billion in aid to students via the FAFSA, she said.
She provided a similar prize for any winners: her possible appearance at their graduation in the spring. In the process, of course, students will complete their FAFSA, and that could also be worth something in terms of giving them the opportunity to go to college.