HAVERHILL - More Whittier Tech graduates than ever are heading to college each year and Superintendent William DeRosa has made it a personal goal to secure more scholarships for them.
In 2001, only 40 percent of Whittier graduates went on to higher education. But that number has steadily increased and the Class of 2011 sent 70 percent of its graduates on to four-year, two-year and other post-secondary programs, a 30 percent jump in 10 years.
"The number of students who go on to higher education has increased, and the cost of that education has risen significantly," said DeRosa. "I'd like to be able to help them more by increasing the scholarship money."
DeRosa recently received $3,000 in new scholarships for the Class of 2012 from The Provident Bank and Haverhill Bank and plans to ask other area businesses and banks for their support. "I'd like to add at least $10,000 in scholarships this year," he said.
Whittier graduates received $20,000 in local scholarship money last year. That is money awarded annually by different civic groups, family memoriams and other organizations. It does not include individual scholarship awards from the colleges students attend.
In response to DeRosa's inquiries, The Provident Bank donated $1,000 and Haverhill Bank will issue two $1,000 scholarships. Haverhill Bank has a branch inside Whittier Tech, where students who study marketing are trained to work in the banking industry.
"I appreciate the partnership we have with Whittier and we are happy to help out in any way we can," said Haverhill Bank President Thomas Mortimer. He said he will continue to have conversations with DeRosa and Haverhill School Superintendent James Scully to help meet the challenges of graduating seniors.
Criteria has not yet been developed for the two scholarships, he said, and he is open to any gap the school wishes to fill for its students. As a member of Haverhill Kiwanas, he has been involved in supporting higher education for Whittier Tech's Key Club members for 12 years through scholarships, he said.
The Provident Community Foundation has provided over $3 million in grants to local community organizations since its inception in 1998. Their scholarship will be awarded to a student from a low- to moderate-income family who resides in one of the communities the bank serves in Massachusetts: Amesbury, Merrimac, Newburyport, Salisbury and West Newbury.
"Whittier Tech is committed to providing quality education and specialized training that prepare graduates to pursue their career goals," said Charlie Cullen, The Provident Bank president & CEO. "The Provident Bank is pleased to provide this scholarship to support the ambition of a local student wishing to further his or her education and maximize their future potential in the workplace."
In the past, there has been less need for scholarships for students attending vocational-technical schools, said Whittier's director of guidance Frank Janowicz, because the majority got jobs in their fields of study right out of high school. Today's increased specialization in technology and other areas demands most students go on for further study, he said.
"Even though they leave here with specific skills and expertise in their trade or technical area, there is still a need today for continuing education in all fields," he said. "Tuitions have risen and books are also very expensive."
A $1,000 scholarship would pay for a student's books at most colleges for a year, he said.
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