Clermont 20/20's college access program, Clermont Educational Opportunities, partnered with The University of Cincinnati-Clermont College to host College Goal Sunday 2009 for the first time on February 8th. College Goal Sunday is a free event offered throughout the nation on the Sunday after the Super Bowl that helps students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the form that is required to apply for federal financial aid for college. Other partners in this event included UC-Clermont Enrollment and Student Services, the UC-Clermont TRIO programs, high school guidance counselors and other community volunteers. Thirty-nine college-bound students and their families came to UC Clermont and participated in College Goal Sunday, and almost all were able to submit their FAFSA online from one of the college’s computers. UC-Clermont College hopes to make this an annual event. It helps students and families in the community complete their financial aid applications early, allowing them the chance to qualify for more financial aid.
 

Visiting colleges and universities is very worthwhile - but how many times have you asked your parents and they are too tired or busy? Now you and your parents can get all of your questions answered in ONE evening! Come to Clermont County’s annual college fair at Eastgate Mall on Wednesday, October 15 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Over 80 colleges and universities will there to give you information and answer your questions! This event is sponsored by the Clermont County High School Guidance Counselors Association.
 

After wrapping up in Williamsburg, the Clermont 20/20 GRASP (Garnering Resources for Access and Success Partnership) program has been invited to introduce the program’s resources into the school district and community of Clermont Northeastern.

“Educators and administrators are doing an incredible job of providing resources to CNE students and parents, and there is excitement in the community about education and the prospect of building a new high school,” said Becky Ploucha, GRASP Program Coordinator for Clermont 20/20, Inc. “Our goal is to compliment what the school district is already doing in regards to college access by providing resources. The Clermont 20/20 GRASP program is funded through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) and the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) so there is no cost to the school district or community.”

Andy McCreanor, executive director of Clermont 20/20, Inc. commented, “The motivation behind the partnership of GRASP is to help identify current best practices of the partners, develop new ones through a collaborative process, and provide better access, retention, and graduation services to high school and college students as well as adults in need. Clermont 20/20 is pleased to have been the lead organization in forming this partnership, as well as applying what we’ve learned from the success of the program in the pilot school district, Williamsburg, in Clermont Northeastern.”

Clermont 20/20 GRASP program partners include:

• Clermont 20/20 - Clermont Educational Opportunities (CEO) College Access Program
• Clermont County Educational Service Center
• Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development
• Ohio College Tech Prep Greater Cincinnati Consortium
• Southwest Ohio Educational Opportunity Center
• University of Cincinnati - Clermont College
• TRIO Educational Talent Search (ETS)
• TRIO Upward Bound

For more information about GRASP please contact Becky Ploucha at grasp@clermont2020.org or 513-753-9222. The GRASP website is located at clermont2020.org/grasp.