New program helps students with financial aid, colleges

By: Bob Stuart | News Virginian
Published: October 08, 2010

VERONA --

A new program targeting nine area high schools will do more than offer students help landing money for college and technical schools, officials said.

Great Aspirations Scholarship Program, or GRASP, also can offer valuable mentoring about training students may not believe is available, officials said. It serves high schools in Waynesboro and Staunton and Augusta, Nelson and Highland counties.

“It is about telling students there is a place for you in a college or a technical school,” said Bettsy Heggie, executive director of the Richmond-based program that now serves 55 Virginia schools.

Offering five hours a week of counseling to seniors and other classes at nine area high schools, the program was funded this year through donations to the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.

The program’s start was celebrated Thursday at the Augusta County Government Center.

Becky Kohler, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, said all but a few thousand dollars of the $45,000 needed to sustain the program this year have been raised.

“We will try to sustain through donations and corporate sponsorships,” said Kohler, who added that area companies should have an interest in a program which will help better train the area workforce.

Kohler called the program a partnership between the schools and the organization’s staff “to do what is right for kids.”

GRASP was started in 1983 by career educator Ray Garguilo and Sen. Walter Stosch, R-Henrico. The program last year helped raise $37 million in financial aid.

Stosch said he recognized the needs of young students. His parents were unable to afford college, but Stosch graduated from the University of Richmond and became a certified public accountant after serving in the Army for three years.

Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Robin Crowder said the presence of GRASP in the city schools will augment other resources.

He said the GRASP counselor will work directly with Waynesboro High’s career coach to identify students needing the services.

Crowder said it is important for all students to know about the resources beyond high school whether that means community college, a four-year college or “mechanics school or Harley-Davidson school.”