Community Runs Against Rising Cost of Education

The cost of college continues to rise, but local students still have options to find some help paying for it. The three high schools in New Lenox have resources for students to find financial aid, and community members will run up a tab for scholarship money this weekend.

The New Lenox  is sponsoring its inaugural Mind Over Miles 8K Run and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk at 8 a.m. Saturday at . Proceeds will support the chamber's annual scholarship program, with funds awarded to graduating seniors who reside in New Lenox Township.

Chamber CEO Deb Hypke said the scholarships are typically $500. So far, 85 people have registered

"Traditionally we try to award a minimum of 3 or 4 (scholarships) but that can change from year to year. There have been some years we've given as many as 6," Chamber CEO Deb Hypke said. "We definitely see its potential in years to come."

Each high school in New Lenox — Lincoln-Way West, and — are college preparatory schools that try to help their students with the college process as soon as they enter the building.

"One of our main roles as a school is to open doors for our students," said Monica Schmitt, the principal at Lincoln-Way West.

The concern of rising education "speaks to our commitment" of assisting parents with help in funding their children's college cost, said Diane Campbell, senior college counselor at Providence Catholic.

At Lincoln-Way Central, more than 75 college representatives visited this fall to share information regarding scholarship opportunities within each four-year institution. Central's website provides a list of scholarships as they become available. These scholarships range from a national level, such as Coca-Cola or Best Buy scholarships, to much more local ones. Every year, by January, nearly 100 scholarships are up for grabs.

Central counselors and teachers encourage families to visit college campuses in addition to their admissions and financial aid offices.

"We want every student to have choices," said Janet Reis, a senior college counselor at Lincoln-Way Central. "College admission is about an academic fit, a personal fit and a financial fit."

Providence Catholic takes a similar approach and lists scholarships as announcements on its website and in monthly newsletters sent home. Scholarship information is also available in the college center within the institutions library. Providence students are offered exclusive scholarships, such as Albert J. Felman Trust Scholarship, Kristen Zastro Scholarship and The Berman and Sons Accounting Scholarship.

An annual Financial Aid Night is held for parents and students of all levels in high school to attend. This seminar offers a comprehensive overview of financial aid and planning process. Providence also annually updates and publishes a college preparatory handbook with several chapters regarding college costs.

"Planning for the cost of college is part of our families' long-term plan," Campbell said.

At Lincoln-Way West, a college counselor visits colleges and universities to find out what financial information benefits their students best. Scholarships awarded to students at West are sponsored by local organizations or exclusively awarded by school-related groups, such as West's newspaper organization or the Athletic Booster, which awards one scholarship per sport. Scholarships average $500 each, but vary from year to year. A Financial Aid Night is held in December that provides insight on the entire financial aid process.

"We are in tough economic times," Reis said. "Students need to seek out all forms of scholarships and aid. As frustrating as it is, we must deal with the current situation and figure out the parts of the equation we can control."

If you go:

• Register online at Active.com. 
• Registration is $30 and ends at midnight Friday, but participants may register Saturday for $35. Registration for the 1-mile walk/run is $10. Children younger than 8 may participate for free.  
• First- through third-place winners in each age group will receive medal prizes, and all participants will receive long-sleeve shirts.
• Show up before 8 a.m. Saturday at Lincoln-Way West High School