Promise Zone
About the Hazel Park Promise Zone
The Hazel Park Promise Zone is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the HazelPark community by building a skilled, educated workforce and ensuring the city is an attractive destination for families. We do this by offering college and career planning and success services to ALL Hazel Park School District students, their families, and alumni. We are proud to be one of thirteen Promise Zones in Michigan.
As a Promise Zone, we are most well-known for offering a tuition-free path to an associate's degree at Oakland Community College to resident graduates of Hazel Park Schools. We also offer scholarships for graduates who attend other Michigan trade schools, colleges, and universities that accept federal financial aid. Students can also obtain reimbursement for mandatory textbooks and materials for their college courses or career programs. We also provide many other services to support the educational and career journeys of our Vikings.
Promise Zone Services
College Advisers and Navigators - Our team of college advisers and navigators works hard to assist each and every Hazel Park School District senior through career exploration, college admissions, and financial aid processes. The Hazel Park Promise Zone is thrilled to be able to provide this service to students and encourages students of all ages and their parents to reach out to these individuals at their respective high schools to begin planning for life after graduation.
Postsecondary Success Coaching - We provide individualized academic, financial, and personal guidance to Hazel Park alumni currently enrolled in, or those planning to pursue, postsecondary education. This service was pioneered in Hazel Park and has gone on to shape similar programs across the state, and has proved to be instrumental in ensuring our alumni achieve their educational and career goals!
Near-Peer Mentoring Program - Our near-peer mentoring program pairs graduating high school seniors with enrolled college mentors to provide resources and encouragement through the first year of college. Recruitment of high school seniors to serve as mentors and college students to serve as mentors occurs each spring.
Promise Zone Scholarships and Funding
Our Promise Zone is funded through foundation grants and tax revenue capture in alignment with The Michigan Promise Zone Authority Act (Act 549 of 2008). Due to these reasons, our scholarship dollars that pay for tuition, housing, and applicable fees are limited to Michigan community colleges, trade schools, colleges, or universities that take federal financial aid.
Eligibility - There are a number of requirements students must meet in order to obtain funding from us:
● Register with the Promise Zone: https://www.tfaforms.com/4848809● Graduate from a Hazel Park School District high school
● Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year:https://www.fafsa.gov,
● Enroll at a Michigan postsecondary institution that takes federal financial aid,
○ If enrolling at OCC, complete an Authorization to Release form
● Apply for the specific scholarship every semester via our website:https://www.hazelparkpromise.org/scholarships.html
● Maintain a 2.0 GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Oakland Community College Scholarship - Resident graduates of the Hazel Park SchoolDistrict* can obtain a last-dollar scholarship to obtain a license, certificate, or Associate's degree(up to 60 credits total) at Oakland Community College. Students can obtain this scholarship within six years of high school graduation.
University Scholarship - Resident graduates of the Hazel Park School District* can obtain a last-dollar scholarship** for their first two years to obtain a license, certificate, Associate's, orBachelor's degree at any Michigan community college, trade school, college, or university. We do our best to fund up to the cost of attendance. Students can obtain this scholarship within six years of high school graduation.
Junior/Senior Year Scholarship - All Hazel Park School District graduates may obtain up to $500for the fall semester and $500 for the winter/spring semester during both their junior and senior years of college. The maximum dollar amount any student can receive is $2,000.
Summer Scholarship - All Hazel Park School District graduates are welcome to take up to 6credits at Oakland Community College or 4 credits at their in-district community college or university.
Books and Materials Reimbursement - All enrolled Hazel Park School District graduates can apply for reimbursement for their mandatory books, technology, apparel, and supplies needed for their courses. Available funding is capped at $500 per semester.
Alumni Gift Cards - All enrolled Hazel Park School District graduates can obtain gift cards for persisting through their programs and keeping in contact with our Zone.
* The Michigan Promise Zone Authority Act (Act 549 of 2008) imposes a residency requirement for publicly funded scholarships.
** A last-dollar scholarship is a form of student financial aid in which a student draws from other funding sources before being awarded the last-dollar scholarship.
