Lansing Sun

Lansing high school students will have more incentive to graduate as the City of Lansing, the Lansing School District and the Lansing Promise announced an initiative to help students graduate.  

Mayor Andy Schor announced he will submit a proposal to the City Council that would provide $400,000 over two years from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to establish the Student Graduation Success Program, a recent news release from the City of Lansing said. The Lansing Promise is also committing funds that will keep the program operating for an additional two years.

"Our children are our future, and Lansing School District students must have all the tools available to succeed," Schor said in the release. "Superintendent Shuldiner, Promise CEO Sheehan and I talk often and identified this need to help Lansing high school students graduate. I am excited that we can step up to forge this partnership, get this program started and have dedicated funding for many years in order to help our Lansing Schools students. ARPA federal dollars have many uses, and one is to be transformational. Helping our students through this partnership is a truly unique and transformational way to assist our city and community!"

The Lansing School District is expected to bring a graduation coordinator specialist on board who will engage and encourage students to remain on course in high school.

The graduation coordinator is vital to the program as they will provide ample opportunities for students to envision themselves with a better outlook that graduating high school can provide; Ben Shuldiner, Lansing School District superintendent, said in the release.

"At the Lansing Promise we believe in the inherent worth of every young person in this city," Justin Sheehan, executive director of the Lansing Promise, said in the release. "And we will always invest accordingly. Recognizing that none of us walk alone, but instead we have the opportunity and privilege to walk with our future leaders, colleagues and friends into their brighter futures. This strategic investment between the City of Lansing, the Lansing School District and the Lansing Promise is an important first step. But we're just warming up."

Students interested in applying for the Lansing Promise Scholarship should do so by the May 17 or Nov. 1 deadlines within within one year of their high school graduation.