|
 Mount
Pulaski, IL – Mount Pulaski High School Principal, Heather Fricke,
is pleased to announce that three students from the MPHS graduating
class of 2025 have been designated as Illinois State Scholars.
Congratulations to: Tanner Bishop, Cecilia Davis, and Nathan Golden
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state’s
college access and financial aid agency, confers this important
recognition of academic achievement to exceptional Illinois high
school students annually. This year, more than 16,500 honorees join
the other outstanding students who have been honored since the
designation was first introduced in 1958.
“On behalf of ISAC, congratulations to all our Illinois State
Scholars for their hard work and persistence in achieving this
academic honor,” said ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. “The
efforts and engagement of these students can pay off not only as
they embark on their postsecondary journeys, but also later in their
approach to a job and career. As we recognize our honorees, we also
acknowledge the invaluable support of families, counselors,
teachers, principals, and communities in helping our students
succeed.”
Each State Scholar designee receives a congratulatory
letter from ISAC and can download an official Illinois State Scholar
badge to display on their online profiles and social media platforms,
as well as share with their high school counselors, colleges,
employers, family members, and others. The Illinois State Scholar
recognition does not include a monetary award. High schools receive
names of their respective State Scholars for their individual use
and ceremonies. In deference to the variability of policies among
high schools regarding publishing student information online, ISAC
will not post the names of the Illinois State Scholar finalists on
its website.
*Note that the Illinois State Scholar Program
designates honorees based on the year they would begin any
postsecondary education, not based on the year they graduate from
high school.
To help ensure that a student can receive all the financial
aid for postsecondary education for which they are eligible, high
school seniors and their parents should complete the 2025-26 Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), or in some cases the
Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative
Application) when the applications become available early this
December. The FAFSA is the application for federal and most state
and institutional financial aid for any type of postsecondary
education, including career and technical education, certificates,
and two- or four-year degree programs.
[to top of second column] |
Left to right: Tanner, Cecilia, Nathan - provided by Heather Fricke
ISAC provides free assistance
year-round to students and families, assisting them with the
college-going and financial aid process. Students and can attend
college application, financial aid, and financial aid application
completion workshops hosted by ISAC and/or our partners, or they
can get one-on-one assistance from an ISACorps™ member in their
community. The ISACorps are recent college graduates who are
trained to serve as near peer mentors to middle and high school
students and their families in Illinois, helping them navigate
the higher education planning and financial aid process. Students
can connect with their local ISACorps member at https://studentportal.isac.org/isacorps,
or attend a free workshop in their area, https://studentportal.isac.org/Events.
They can also make a one-on-one virtual appointment with an
ISACorps member to assist with postsecondary planning and financial
aid applications, by visiting isac.org/booking.
First generation college students who will be the first in their
families to earn a college degree can join ISAC’s First
Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from
ISAC, peers at their college, and through first generation
programs at colleges across the state. Students can join the
network at https://studentportal.isac.org/FirstGen, check out
our Going to College series and video tips for first-gen
students, and listen to our First Up podcast about the
experiences of Illinois first generation college students on
their journeys before, during, and after college.
Visit the ISAC Student Portal, https://studentportal.isac.org/
for applications for ISAC financial aid programs; free tools and
resources to help with college and scholarship search and career
exploration; to compare financial aid offers so you can make more
informed decisions about college; to get quick tips about
college planning and financial aid from our College Minute™
videos, and more.
Students can sign up for the ISAC College Q&A free text
messaging service and get answers to their college and financial
aid questions sent directly to their phones from ISAC experts.
ISAC also offers free assistance through Student Engagement and
Support Services, 800- 899-4722 (ISAC).
[Text from Heather Fricke]
|
