Supporting Our Promise Scholars

Newaygo County Area Promise Zone receives GLE Grant

The Newaygo County Area Promise Zone has received a $5,000 grant from the Great Lakes Energy People Fund.  The grant dollars will be used to directly support student tuition.

The Newaygo County Area Promise Zone provides high school graduates with a tuition-free path to an associate degree from at least one institution or an approved apprenticeship.  The Promise Zone believes that every student, regardless of financial means, should have the opportunity to earn post-secondary credentials.

By helping to remove the financial barrier that so many students face, the Promise Zone is helping to remove a cultural stigma that college is too expensive. By providing a tuition-free pathway to Muskegon Community College, the post-secondary partner, many students are starting to believe that higher education is within their reach and taking the steps to plan for their future.

“We are very grateful to have Great Lakes Energy and their People Fund Program join us in supporting our Promise Scholars,” said Holly Moon, Promise Zone Fundraising Chair.  “Their gift will impact our students and ultimately the greater community by increasing the level of education and training for students as well as provide a more highly trained workforce for our employers.”

Since beginning in 2017, the Promise Zone has awarded over $1.3 million in tuition payments in support of over 500 eligible Newaygo County students pursuing opportunities to earn post-secondary credentials.  

Members of Great Lakes Energy support the People Fund by voluntarily rounding up their bills to the next highest dollar. The rounded-up amount is distributed to non-profit organizations and charitable activities that benefit people in the communities served by the cooperative. For more information about the People Fund, contact Great Lakes Energy at 888-485-2537 or visit www.gtlakes.com.

The 2021-2022 Promise Scholarship application window for first year applicants will open on January 4, 2021.  For more information about the Newaygo County Area Promise Zone visit www.promise.zone.