ScholarCHIPS (for Children of Incarcerated Parents)

Vital Stats

Yasmine A

Washington, DC
  • people helped100
  • People Doing It 10

The Problem

ScholarCHIPS seeks to financial undergird three high school graduating seniors with $10,000 each. They all have to be affected by having an incarcerated parent or immediate family member. They can be U.S. Citizens or non citizens, have children, live on their own, or plan to attend a community college, post secondary school or vocational college. For the first year, applicants must be residents living in the District of Colombia. This scholarship program does not discriminate on the basis of race, family background, education, or religion. We seek to lower the rate of high school dropouts, and juvenile detention admittance levels by giving urban youth mentorship and financial support.

Plan of Action

My plan is to make ScholarCHIPS an official registered 501c3. I plan to continue fundraising to meet our goal of $30,000 by May 2012 through a celebrity auction, a "letter writing campaign" and the recruitment of ScholarCHIPS runners. We will find an organization or several organizations willing to either sponsor a runner or match the total that all the runners raise! We will give out the scholarships in June of 2012 in a ceremony. Each year we will increase the number of scholarships avaiable and create focus groups with the selectees. Thus far we have inspired many people to volunteer, mentor, apply, and spread the word!