We love the HHHH forum so much....

[hotcouponmama]

Seriously - that forum has been amazing - I am beyond astounded at how people have come together to help others.

So, Heidi and I are going to extend the HHHH forum, rather, convert it into something else.

While we're not a charity, I do like the idea of helping people and setting dollars aside to do it.

That forum raised about $500 between PP and what people clicked on and earned through our affiliates. Plus what people mailed me!!! And I still have a bit of PP trickling in from people tonight.

Education is near and dear to my heart, so in January, we're going to announce a HCW scholarship fund based on the same principal we did the HHHH forum. It will however be for a HCW member who is enrolled in school (and which can be verified) and while we're not sure how much it will raise, I'd like to do a minimum of $500 award this september.

If you can think of some good criteria, feel free to post it here. I have some thoughts, but I'd like to see what others have in mind. Maybe length of time as a member, etc. I wouldn't do post count cause that can just get nutty, but quality of contributions, etc. And then I'd like a few mods to help Heidi and I when the time comes, kind of a "committee" thing.

But, our board mission is about helping others, and there's nothing more empowering then seeing someone finish school.

So, if you think of anything, feel free to post it. I am going to craft the forum after Christmas, and put a teaser in the next newsletter!!!

[Shadowchasy]

I think its a great idea...I would love to be able to finish my college education.

I would be willing to help out on the committee...Just let me know.

Sandy

[mshopper]

I think that length of time as a member would be important.

Also, don't give it to Billy, 'cause he'll just spend it on his new car.

[VJWilson27]

I think length of time would be a major deciding factor.

I also think that maybe reputation should play a very small roll. Is there any way to seperate Mod given reps from regular reps? I think mod reps should have more weight... as we aren't so "free" with our reps KWIM?

I would be interested in helping out the committee if needed too.

[arose304]

Wonderful idea! I know you all will make this great!

[skimo]

Excellent idea! Certainly, length of time as a member, contributions to the board would all be criteria to consider.

[ladywaterwind]

I love that idea!

Length of time on the board is a good factor. What have they contributed to the board. If they've been here since day one but all their posts are only thanks or something that doesn't really make someone a member to me, kwim.

I'm not sure how it is in other states, but when I was getting set up in OH nurses and teachers, bam, their education was paid for through many types of funding. So maybe if that's something similar in other states we could include an exclusion and give someone who wouldn't get as much funding a chance. But I don't know how that would be in other states and if that was just OHs thing.

Certain gpa, definitely. If they can't do well in high school there's a higher chance they won't in college as well and then it would be a waste to give it to that person when someone else could have used it.

Our members tend to be in their middle 20s or so, generally the time after college. So maybe include it to 1. reward it to someone after degree completion to help pay off a student loan and 2. open it to member's children

A lot of different aid asks for extra curricular activities, and that might be something we should look into, if the applicant is in high school and such.


I'm not sure what information you have HCM but you might want to call up a local college and ask what you need to do for this. Or at least who to talk to so you can get all the information you need. Are there fees to set up a fund, do you have to have the money already set up before you take application for it, if the recipient is another state how does that affect anything if at all, blah blah blah. All of my financial aid had to first go through the college and that affected later what I could or could not get for aid and loans.So that would be some research there.

I'll probably think of more things when I'm awake.

[pennywatcher]

You'll need to define "enrolled in school". Do they have to be in a four-year degree program at an accredited college/university? Does a vocational school count? Does taking a local class on computers or ESL in order to get a better job count?

[Cin42382]

Oh I would so love to be involved in this. I recently graduated myself (finally at 25). It took so long because I was working full time and going to school full time at night, and I know how hard it is to pay for education. Even with government loans there were semesters I just had no idea how I was going to pay my end of it.

Great idea

[hotcouponmama]

Ok, here's the deal based on some of your comments....

Length of time as a member - a definite must! 6 months of active membership. Active includes:

Posts, trades, positve reps, helping along newbies, upholding HCW rules. That said, I do get where people who have had a warning or something or a usernote and some of them are old - we'll take time of those into consideration.

Enrolled in an accredited program that would eligible for federal funds (so some fly by night thing won't work - they have to have a FAFSA code to qualify as a legit program. And they need to get us something from the program that states they are enrolled.

Since we're not doing this as a foundation, I'm not worried about starting a foundation this go around, although we might do that at a later date....I have some other thoughts about that for another time...

Letter to use about why they are wanting to go back to school.

GPA - I am 6 one way, half dozen the other on that - my GPA in HS sucked, and my first few years of college wasn't much better. If they are academically in good standing, then I'm ok with that.

Financial need, although this won't be need based, but it will be condsidered.

A letter of reference from someone in their outside community, and two HCWers (one mod/one non-mod) to vouch for them.

Then when the time comes, we can go to committee and go through the materials as a group and then I can do a check to the school on their behalf at the beginning of the term.

This is going to be for fall 2008 which gives me lots of time to post deals that will work for this, info on how to get back into school, fafsa info, etc.

I really hope this can help someone out. I'll be writing about this and posting it for general board membership soon!