Governor Raimondo Visits Tolman High School
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GINA RAIMONDO
PAWTUCKET, RI ??? Mayor Donald Grebien and Superintendent Patricia DiCenso welcomed Governor Gina Raimondo to Tolman High School to address students on the importance of postsecondary education and training, including the State’s efforts to provide training programs and college scholarships for Rhode Island students.??
???As an urban community, we continue to make strategic investments in our schools to ensure that our students are prepared for life after high school,??? said Mayor Grebien. ???The Rhode Island Promise Scholarship will create a seamless pathway for students and position our economy for the future. I thank the Governor and the General Assembly for their continued investment in education.???
“When I was a teenager most jobs in Rhode Island required only a high school degree, but that???s just not the case anymore,??? ??Governor Raimondo said. ???Today, a college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class. If we want our kids to have a shot in the economy of the future, we need to make higher education more affordable for students like the ones I met today at Tolman. My free college tuition proposal will let these kids take charge of their own future, by offering them the opportunity to compete for the good jobs we???re creating here.???
???Thank you to Governor Raimondo for visiting with our students and recognizing Pawtucket public schools,??? said School Committee Chair Gerard Charbonneau. ???I am grateful to our educators, students and community members who work hard every day to ensure that our students are prepared for college and careers.???
???We are honored to have Governor Raimondo visit our school,??? said Superintendent DiCenso. ???It is so important for our students to hear from leaders about the value of their education and the options available to them after high school.???
Governor Gina M. Raimondo spoke to students about training programs in high-need areas, such as advanced manufacturing and healthcare, and Rhode Island???s Promise Scholarship. The Governor was joined on stage by a group of seniors at Tolman who would be eligible for the proposed scholarship.
The Rhode Island Promise Scholarship guarantees students who qualify for in-state tuition and enroll full-time, right after high school (or after earning a GED) two years of free college beginning with high school seniors who graduate this spring. The Governor introduced the initiative as part of her FY 2018 budget, which is now under consideration by the Rhode Island General Assembly. Mayors from six Rhode Island cities (Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Cumberland, and Johnston) also recently announced their support for Rhode Island???s Promise Scholarship.