Meetings Set to Explain Free College Scholarship Program

Meetings to explain the Give Something Back Foundation scholarship program, which is open to all Bolingbrook and Romeoville high school students for the first time this year, will be held Sept. 18 and 19.

The scholarships are awarded to students who are financially disadvantaged but want a college degree. Criteria to win a scholarship includes high character, academic achievement and eligibility for a full Pell Grant.

In April, the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Lewis University in Romeoville and Blackburn College in Carlinville were each awarded $1 million in scholarship funding through the Give Something Back program. And the rules were changed so that the program would be available to all Will County high school students.

Give Something Back was established in 2003 through a donation from Robert Carr, a Lockport Township High School alumnus. For the first 10 years, scholarship were awarded only to students from Carr's alma mater. 

A parent or guardian must attend one of the meetings in order for their student to be consider. The meetings will be held at:

• 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at Plainfield Central High School, 24120 Fort Beggs Drive, Plainfield.
• 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at Reed-Custer High School, 249 Comet Drive, Braidwood.
• 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at Lockport Township High School, 1333 E. 7th St., Lockport.
• 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Lincoln Way Central High School, 1801 E. Lincoln Highway, New Lenox.