13th Year Promise Scholarship expanding to Rainier Beach High School

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City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/20/2013

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell

13th Year Promise Scholarship expanding to
Rainier Beach High School

SEATTLESouth Seattle Community College announced today the expansion of the 13th Year Promise Scholarship to Rainier Beach High School. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship guarantees that every graduate can attend South Seattle Community College tuition-free in their first year. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program started with Cleveland High School in 2008 and expanded to Chief Sealth International High School in 2011.  Nearly one-third of all graduates from these two schools have attended college thanks to the program.

The special announcement was made earlier today as a surprise to high school seniors at Rainier Beach. South Seattle Community College President Gary Oertli, South Foundation Chair Gene Colin, and Rainier Beach High School Principal Dwane Chapelle were joined by Councilmember Bruce Harrell and Council President Sally J. Clark in the announcement.

"Every child in Seattle should be provided the opportunity to go to college after high school," said Councilmember Harrell. "I want our youth to be empowered to see opportunity beyond high school, have the confidence to obtain higher education and earn living wage jobs."

"The 13th Year Promise Scholarship inspires high school students who might have given up on the idea of going to college to think again," said Council President Clark. "The program has made a difference in the lives of scores of students from Cleveland and Chief Sealth high schools. I’m excited the program is expanding to Rainier Beach."

By 2020, 75 percent of living wage jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, whether at two and four-year colleges, trade or technical schools. More than a quarter of Seattle’s high school graduates don’t go on to college in the year after they graduate. Fifty-percent of 13th Year students said they would not have attended college if not for the 13th Year Promise Scholarship. At Cleveland High School, the on-time graduation rate has increased from 44.5% in 2007-2008 to 76% in 2012.

The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program is funded from the South Seattle Community College Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), through a combination of financial aid and private philanthropic donations.

[View in Council Newsroom]