Page A5
lune IO. 2009
Cascade
Connections Financial Aid Allowed Judge to Aim High
C,G atcwooo
As he seems inclined to do on a fairly
regular basis. President Barack Obama
once again made history recently when
he nominated the first Hispanic woman
- Judge Sonia Sotomayor - to the Su
preme Court of the United States. Judge
Sotomayor is eminently qualified to
serve on the high court, having amassed
numerous academic and professional accolades
during her distinguished career.
While we can all aim to achieve as much as
Judge Sotomayor has, few of us will actually go
on to reach such heights. But there’s one thing
that she has in common with many, many aspir
ing young students from every walk of life -
she used student financial aid to access the
kinds of educational opportunities that would
help her realize her full potential.
Growing up in the Bronx as the daughter of
poor Puerto Rican immigrants, Judge Sotomayor
had few opportunities as a child, particularly
after her father passed away when she was 9
years old. What she had, though, was a keen
mind and a love for the law and the Constitu
tion - which, along with $1.95, will get you a
cup of overpriced coffee.
For Judge Sotomayor to have the opportu
nity to grow, challenge, and develop
her form idable legal intellect, she
needed to go to college. And for that
to happen, she needed financial aid.
As valedictorian of her high school
class, she was able to win a scholar
ship to Princeton University - and the
rest, as they say, is history. She’s the
perfect example of our society making an in
vestment in a promising young person and prof
iting by it.
Financial aid is a critical ingredient for almost
anyone who wants to better themselves through
the pursuit of higher education. Whether you're
studying full-time or balancing work and school,
financial aid can make the difference between
going to school or missing out on higher edu
cation entirely. This is as true for people on
their way to Princeton, like Judge Sotomayor,
as it is for someone on their way a community
college,
And don’t let the hard economic times dis
suade you. There is an abundance of aid out
there for the taking, all the more so since the
passage of President Obama’s stimulus legisla
tion. Depending on need and eligibility, a whole
range of aid becomes available, including:
• Federal Pell Grants: The Pell Grant is one of the
best kinds of financial aid, because it doesn't
need to be repaid. As much as $5,350 per year can
be available to full-time students.
• Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(SEOG ): Like a Pell Grant, a SEOG doesn’ t need
to be repaid. The maximum amount available
each year varies by educational institution.
• Oregon Opportunity Grants (OOG): Another
grant that students don’t need to repay. The
maximum OOG amount available for the 2009-
2010 academic year has yet to be determined; it
was $2,600 in 2008-2009 for full-time students.
• Federal Work Study: Work study dollars al
low students to work a part-time, on-campus job
for pay, while helping tocover educational costs
at the same time. The maximum amount available
each year varies by educational institution.
• Federal Perkins and Stafford Loans: Low-
interest federal loans that students must repay
after leaving school. The maximum amount avail
able each year varies by educational institution.
In my personal opinion, however, 1 recommend
borrowing as little money as possible, and only
when necessary.
• Institutional or external aid: These are schol
arships and grants issued by a student’s college
or by an outside organization. A little research in
this area can really pay off - in many cases, a
student can find scholarships that are specifi
cally targeted toward his or her background or
educational goals.
The list doesn’t end there - aid from additional
sources is available. The best way to find out
what you might be eligible for is to make an ap
pointment with a financial aid adviser at a com
munity college or university campus near you
and talk about it. He or she can help you deter
mine which combination of grants, scholarships,
work study, and loans works best for you. While
you're there, take the time to visit an academic
adviser as well to learn which course of study will
best help you reach your goals.
As a community college campus president, 1
get to see people every day who are getting the
chance to fully realize their potential. And as
Judge Sotomayor’s life so clearly shows us,
great things happen when talent meets oppor
tunity. She provided the talent; student finan
cial aid helped provide the opportunity. And
the rest, as they say, is history.
Algie C. Gatewood, Ed.D., is president o f
Portland Community College’s Cascade Cam
pus.
Emergency Food Provider Reaches Out
M ounting a trophy fish has
new m eaning at Fish Em er
gency Service.
The social service organi
z a tio n re c e n tly m o u n ted a
new sign to better identify its
lo c a tio n at 1335 S.W .
H a w th o rn e B lv d . fo r th e
many fam ilies seeking food,
clothing, personal care items,
in fo rm atio n , advocacy and
referrals to other help agen
cies. T he b u ild in g is open
M ondays through Thursdays
from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Our old sign w ithered and
w eath ered aw ay," ex p lain s
E x e c u tiv e D ire c to r G lo ria
C olvin. "Som etim es people
would drive by without notic
ing where we are."
The new sign was provided
PHOTO BY L ee A n N GAUTHIER
>4 n ew sign p o in ts peo p le n eeding em ergency food su p p lies to th e Fish Em ergency Service building a t 1 3 3 5 S.E.
Hawthorne Blvd., th a n ks to help from ZB Chaberski (from left), ow ner o f Forum Painting, who don a ted the sign; Gloria
Colvin, Fish executive director; and J a m e s Arnold, Fish inventory m anager.
Long Time Volunteer Honored
Earns Gladys
McCoy award
P o rtla n d
re s id e n t
A ntoinette Edwards was re
cently named the 15th w in
ner o f the G lad y s M cCoy
Award for lifetime volunteer
achievem ent.
Edwards has spent her life
time engaged in community
activism.
“ M s. E d w ard s is a very
w o rth y r e c ip ie n t o f th e
Gladys McCoy Award,” said
Brad M cLean, chair o f the
M ultnom ah County Citizen
In v o lv e m e n t C o m m itte e ,
which makes the award each
year to an outstanding nom i
nee who has given exemplary
time and service to the com
munity.
A ntoinette Edwards
Edw ards is a tireless and
passionate w orker who has
sp e n t th e p a s t 20 y e a rs
reaching out to the most vul
n e ra b le p o p u la tio n s . She
typically has several projects
going at any one time. Active
is not a sufficient w ord to
describ e h er com m itm ent.
T enacious w ould be m ore
appropriate.
F or ex am p le, w hile sta
tioned at Colum bia Villa Re
source Center she managed
21 on-site community groups
a lig n in g and c o o rd in a tin g
services for low-income fami
lies.
She a lso d ev e lo p e d E n
glish as a second language
classes to meet the needs of
Russian, Asian, and Spanish
speaking residents.
Edwards has also worked
with the Jefferson Family Re
source Center, G irls Em pow
erm ent G roups, the “Sister,
I’m Sorry” discussion groups,
and num erous gran d p aren t
support groups to name a few.
She is currently the diver
sity director for the Oregon
Trail Chapter of the American
Red Cross and serves on nu
merous com m unity boards.
The Gladys McCoy Award
was estab lish ed in 1994 to
honor those who have given
o u tsta n d in g serv ice in the
area of community service and
citizen involvement.
by ZB C haberski, ow ner o f
Forum Painting, a P ortland
com pany that specializes in
exterior and interior decora
tive painting, cabinet and fur
niture refinishing and other
residential and com m ercial
restorations.
"The new signage makes it
easier to locate our building,"
Colvin said, adding, "we are
seeing more and more fam i
lies trying to find us. Now
they can."
Founded in 1967, Fish has
b e e n se rv in g e m e rg e n c y
needs of families for more than
40 years.
For more information about
Fish and its services, call the
agency at 503-233-5533 or
email fishserv@ teleport.com .
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I NEW S E A S O N S.
M A R K E T
Celebrate
Your Pregnancy Day
with ICTC!
N O W D E L IV E R IN G
Y o u r fa v o r ite n e ig h b o r h o o d g r o c e r y s to r e n o w d e liv e rs
g r o c e r ie s r ig h t to y o u r h o m e o r o ffic e .
Every Wednesday from 1 2 - 3 p.m. or by appt.
Learn to be healthy, meet a doula/birth companion,
have refreshments, baby clothes, resources and
referrals.
ICTC offers “Women Led Childbirth Preparation
Classes” every third Saturday from l()am-2pm.
2823 N Rosa Parks Way, 97217 (Bus *44 or #35)
For more information please call (503) 460-9320
or visit our website www.ictcmidwives.org.
More black babies die before age one or are bom
too early, ICTC helps to stop this problem through
training and services.
ICTC is a non-profit infant mortality prevention,
breast-feeding promotion and training organization,
established in 1991.
T
w w w .n e w s e a s o n s m a r k e t.c o m
you click, we deliver, (or pull up for pick up)
)