THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 6, 1994 TAG: 9409060069
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Without assistance from one of Tidewater Scholarship Foundation's financial advisers, Sandra L. Dales says, she probably never would have attended college.
``I wanted to go, but I had no money,'' said Dales, a Booker T. Washington High School honor student. ``I really didn't know where to begin looking for financial aid.''
But when she graduated in 1989, Dales got her chance for college. In the process, she became one of the first seniors given a helping hand by the foundation, also called ACCESS.
The ACCESS adviser stationed in her high school helped Dales find a variety of financial-aid sources, including state and federal education grants, and helped her fill out the tedious paperwork.
Last December, Dales graduated from Old Dominion University with a degree in speech communications. Each year while at ODU, the ACCESS adviser helped Dales find money. As a result, the aid paid for her college education - about $27,000 worth.
Now 23, Dales has paid ACCESS the ultimate compliment. She began work this year at Norview High as one of the foundation's financial advisers.
Dales will work 30 hours a week while attending Norfolk State University to earn a master's degree in mass communications. She is one of eight advisers on ACCESS's payroll who work at one of the five high schools in Norfolk and the three in Portsmouth.
In the six years since the foundation was formed, hundreds of students in the two cities have had similar stories to tell.
As an incoming Norfolk ninth-grader in 1990, Rosalynn King signed a contract with ACCESS that guaranteed her a chance for college - if she maintained at least a C-plus average, attended school regularly and participated in the ACCESS program.
King upheld her end of the bargain, making her eligible for a $1,000 ``last dollar'' award from ACCESS. When she enters Morgan State University in Baltimore this fall to study math, the money will help her pay for books and other expenses not covered by the financial aid package ACCESS helped her put together.
In addition, ACCESS paid King's fees to take the SAT and the cost to file college admissions applications and financial aid forms.
King encouraged students in this year's ninth-grade classes to sign the ACCESS contract if they want to go to college.
``They don't have anything to lose, just a lot to gain,'' King said. ``The advisers take you step-by-step to make sure you achieve your goals.''
The nonprofit organization was founded in 1988 by Frank Batten Sr., chairman of Landmark Communications Inc., and Joshua P. Darden Jr., president of Darden Properties Inc. Initially, the program was offered only to Norfolk high school students, but it later expanded to Portsmouth, whose urban, inner-city demographics are similar.
While ACCESS is available to any student, regardless of income, many of the students come from low-income families. Inner-city African-American youths have benefited most.
From 1988 through 1993, two-thirds of the 1,824 high school seniors who were ``completely packaged'' - or had enough aid to pay for their first year of college - were black. African-American females made up the largest group: 840, or nearly half, of those students.
Overall, ACCESS officials said, about 4,500 students have received assistance in their quest to get into college and financial aid totaling $22 million during the foundation's six years.
With contributions from donors, the foundation also has provided 770 students with $857,000 in ``last dollar'' awards, money to fill the gap when all other avenues for financial aid are exhausted. ILLUSTRATION: THE FOUNDATION
Location: 10th floor of Norfolk Public Schools administration
building at 800 E. City Hall Ave.
Telephone: 441-2867
Advisers: The foundation employs eight financial aid advisers who
work at Norfolk's five high schools and Portsmouth's three high
schools.
Recruitment: The foundation's services are available to all
students, regardless of family income. Ninth-grade students who sign
a contract pledging to maintain good grades, attendance and
discipline are guaranteed a chance to attend college if they uphold
their end of the deal.
KEYWORDS: TUITION SCHOLARSHIP COLLEGE ACCESS by CNB