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HAZEL PARK — For more than a decade now, a program called the Hazel Park Promise Zone has been helping students in the Hazel Park Public Schools continue onto college. In some cases, they are the first in their family to do so.
The program began with the class of 2012, and has continued every year since. The promise is this: If you live within the school district — which includes all of Hazel Park and parts of Ferndale — and graduate from Hazel Park High, Advantage Alternative Program or INVEST Roosevelt High, you will receive a tuition-free pathway to Oakland Community College, the program’s partner school.
You can also choose to put the scholarship toward a community college, a two-year or four-year university, or an eligible trade school in the state of Michigan, in which case the scholarship pays for the equivalent of what the Promise Zone would owe OCC per semester.
In other words, the scholarship covers up to an associate’s degree, or about 62 credits. If a student decides to not attend college right away, they still have up to six years to use the scholarship.
And that’s just the start of the program. The Promise Zone also provides college access education and support, college success coaching, a mentorship program, SAT tutoring, job and internship search assistance, junior and senior year scholarships, summer scholarships, and textbook stipends and reimbursements.
“The Promise Zone’s commitment extends far beyond covering tuition,” said Monica Rattee, who works for the Promise Zone and also serves as a trustee on the Hazel Park Board of Education. “Our promise is to stand by our students through every challenge and triumph. Over the past 12 years, it has been a blessing to see students return and express their gratitude for the life-changing support they received.”
Fernando Monge is the program’s executive director. He joined two years ago as the program director and was then promoted to his current role. He has worked in different departments at public and private universities around the country for nearly as long as the Promise Zone has existed.
“When I came across this opportunity to work for a college access education nonprofit, I thought it was the perfect avenue to use my experience working with college students, and to help high school students attain their post-secondary goals,” Monge said in an email.
He explained that the Promise Zone is primarily funded through tax capture from the city of Hazel Park, such as taxes from businesses and home sales. That money funds the scholarships, staff, and some smaller miscellaneous expenses.
Other services offered by the program are funded by charitable entities such as the Ballmer Foundation, the Jamie and Denise Jacob Family Foundation, the Sutar Sutaruk Meyer Foundation, and the Tony A. Wisney Foundation. The Michigan College Access Network also contributes, as do individuals in the city and across the state.
Additional partners on the program include Michigan State University’s College Advising Corp and Oakland80, which assist with support services.
Monge said that on average, about 60-80 graduating seniors are eligible for the scholarship each year, plus an additional 60-70 currently enrolled in higher education institutions.
“It is difficult to give a number of how many students have received their scholarship since its inception. However, we do know per National Clearing House data that over 1,400 students have been eligible to use Promise Zone services since 2012,” Monge said.
He said it’s been very rewarding to be a part of the effort.
“I love working here because of the difference we are making in this community,” Monge said. “I care about these students and their families, and I want to do everything in my power to help them achieve their goals post-high school, as debt-free as possible. Over the last 12 years, the Promise Zone has been working hard to develop a strong, college-going culture in Hazel Park, and we have seen the difference in how many more students apply to and attend college every year.”
If you would like to donate to the Promise Zone, visit hazelparkpromise.org, or send checks addressed to Hazel Park Promise Zone, C/O Executive Director Fernando Monge, PO Box 514, Hazel Park, MI 48030.
Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.
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