2008 Woodie Awards
Last-minute grant rejection baffles scholarship-granting organization
Caitlin Wolters
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: News
Last November, the U.S. Department of Education rejected a $300,000 annual grant for Choice Thru Education, an organization that pays for students with financial needs to attend college. The Department of Education received Choice Thru Education's application receipt 46 minutes after the deadline due to a technological glitch and rejected the request due to lateness.
Sue Clark, director of the organization, said since finding out the grant was rejected, communication with the Department of Education has been difficult. Department officials do not return e-mails, letters or calls from Choice Thru Education, despite numerous attempts.
In June, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. Mike Capuano, D-Mass., collaborated on a letter sent to the Department of Education on behalf of Choice Thru Education, Clark said. The Congressmen received no response.
"Senator Kennedy wrote his own letter at the end of May," she said. "Last week, he received an e-mail in response to June 1 just saying we were late. There was no response. No one could get through to the Department of Education."
Clark said Choice Thru Education has sent approximately 3,000 students to colleges in the past 41 years through full-tuition scholarships. Recipients have attended four-year private schools, state universities and community colleges across the country. Approximately 60 different schools have utilized the program.
She said all of the students are from low-income families that have never had a close relative attend college. Choice Thru Education is based in Chelsea, Mass., a city which traditionally had the state's highest high school drop-out rate.
Clark said Choice Thru Education's grant rejection came as a shock and could not believe such a successful organization could be denied money from the government after helping so many people attend college.
"The grant expired with no additional money," Clark said. "When is there some recognition of reality? They had the problem. We're the ones being victimized.
Sue Clark, director of the organization, said since finding out the grant was rejected, communication with the Department of Education has been difficult. Department officials do not return e-mails, letters or calls from Choice Thru Education, despite numerous attempts.
In June, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. Mike Capuano, D-Mass., collaborated on a letter sent to the Department of Education on behalf of Choice Thru Education, Clark said. The Congressmen received no response.
"Senator Kennedy wrote his own letter at the end of May," she said. "Last week, he received an e-mail in response to June 1 just saying we were late. There was no response. No one could get through to the Department of Education."
Clark said Choice Thru Education has sent approximately 3,000 students to colleges in the past 41 years through full-tuition scholarships. Recipients have attended four-year private schools, state universities and community colleges across the country. Approximately 60 different schools have utilized the program.
She said all of the students are from low-income families that have never had a close relative attend college. Choice Thru Education is based in Chelsea, Mass., a city which traditionally had the state's highest high school drop-out rate.
Clark said Choice Thru Education's grant rejection came as a shock and could not believe such a successful organization could be denied money from the government after helping so many people attend college.
"The grant expired with no additional money," Clark said. "When is there some recognition of reality? They had the problem. We're the ones being victimized.
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