High Five Gratitude and Happenings January 2025
Dear Friends of HDCC:
In taking stock of HDCC’s five-year evolution in building a network of ten school districts and four educational partnerships with the primary purpose “to inspire the youth of rural Idaho to pursue educational opportunities beyond high school,” I want to thank each of you for your interest and engagement. I am forever grateful for your willingness to support student aspirations in rural communities that many of you do not know. It is truly inspiring and provides hope and assurance to the middle schoolers with whom we work that their lives matter and their future can be brighter.
We are presently conducting the second half of our aspirational workshops across our collaborative membership. As an outside educator, I am grateful to the school administrators and teachers who allow me the privilege of talking to students about how they can be more active participants in their education and introducing them to the myriad educational opportunities after high school under the broad concept of college. One of our most important messages is that college has many sizes, shapes and platforms across a broad wingspan of technical certifications, associate and bachelor degrees. Our mantra is that every middle schooler is capable of college aspirations with sustained hard work, effort, and a plan during high school. Cheerleading students will always be a big part of what we do!
I look forward to staying in touch with you in the early spring when we will be in the scholarship application and selection process. Until then, thanks again for being a part of HDCC’s mission and vision.
Best always,
Bags Brokaw
Founder
Field Day: Bliss Middle Schoolers Visit College of Southern Idaho (CSI)
On December 3rd, HDCC and Bliss School traveled to CSI with the entire middle school – twenty-three students – to experience and view the vast educational opportunities that CSI offers. The middle schoolers were treated to an admissions overview from CSI and visited Certificate and Associate Degree programs in automotive applied science, welding and metal technology, wind turbine technology, agricultural sciences, health science opportunities in nursing and dentistry, and the Liberal Arts. Additionally, the students were hosted by the esteemed men’s basketball team for lunch with Gilbert, the Eagle mascot, while the team shared table conversations about being a student-athlete and how they had each followed their dreams to college. It was a very special day, further validated by an email from Tyler Jessup, middle and high school teacher at Bliss School, a week later:
“Bags, I need the recipe for your magic sauce. Ever since the college tour at CSI, my eighth graders have found new drive and motivation for school and their futures. One in particular who has always challenged the idea that school is necessary now has the goal of graduating high school with an Associate’s degree. Thank you! I can’t express enough how beneficial your work has been with these students who seem to constantly be at a critical point in their education.”
Bliss Middle School Students at College of Southern Idaho
Finally Seniors! The Class of 2025
This year at Hagerman and Bliss School Districts, our first set of eighth graders, who participated in our inaugural workshops and received HDCC scholarships in 2021, will finally be high school seniors. As these seniors pursue their post-secondary plans, we are excited to see what this pioneering cohort of HDCC seniors choose to do and how each of them will use their scholarship funds.
HDCC conducted a questionnaire with these seniors to receive feedback and comments on the degree to which they viewed HDCC as a valuable and worthwhile addition to building a stronger “go on” culture within their schools.
“HDCC influenced me to take a high school class that was related to my interest.”
“The 8th grade scholarship made me excited to use it in high school to help further my aspirations.”
“HDCC is very worthwhile and a great addition to help students.”
“Students get excited about HDCC since they are able to get scholarship awards and feel accomplished.”
“HDCC gets many younger kids ready for their future and excited about what they want to do in life.”
Hagerman 8th Grade recipients (top row) in 2021 who are now high school seniors
Two New High School Scholarships Established
With the inspiration of financial supporters in the fall, HDCC helped establish two new high school scholarship opportunities that will be available in six collaborative schools this spring.
First, a new high school senior scholarship of $2500 is being offered at Wendell and at Bliss for a student who is pursuing a two or four year degree after high school. This is an amazing renewable scholarship for two to four years if academic criteria is met during college. As Tim Perrigot, superintendent at Wendell, stated, “This is an extraordinary opportunity for a Wendell senior and represents one of our largest scholarships.”
Second, four scholarships of $1250 are being offered to support high school students (grades 9-12) at Hagerman, Shoshone, Camas County and Glenns Ferry to attend summer program opportunities. The donors believe that providing funds for high school students to explore interests beyond the school year is essential.
Both of these scholarships will be funded outside of our customary middle school scholarships of $125. To date, HDCC has awarded 661 scholarships over four years and has earmarked 250 scholarships ($31,250) for this spring’s “High Five” cycle.
HDCC and our collaborative schools are very grateful for these new high school scholarship opportunities in supporting student aspirations and we look forward to reviewing the applications, selecting recipients, and honoring them at year end assemblies this spring.
A Boost from Idaho College Savings Program (IDeal)
“We feel like you have been such a great supporter of us that we would like to figure out a way to help a little more.” (Dawn Hall, Executive Director of IDeal)
Since its inception, HDCC encourages award recipients to use their $125 scholarship to open a tax-advantaged 529 Education Savings Plan while in middle school. To date, over twenty families have used their child’s award for this purpose. In recognition of HDCC’s efforts to promote a college savings culture, IDeal will offer an additional $25 on top of HDCC’s $125 award to the first 30 students/families to enroll in IDeal during this coming spring’s scholarship cycle. This is a terrific gesture from IDeal to our future HDCC scholarship winners, and we look forward to helping advance this added bonus and incentive. As Dawn Hall states, “Research shows that children with an education savings plan are seven (7) times more likely to pursue and complete postsecondary education. Plus 529 plans are flexible and can be used not only for traditional college but K-12 tuition, apprenticeships, technical schools, and more in and out of the State of Idaho.”
Bridging the Rural-College Divide
Heather Williams, who is presently Associate Executive Director of Idaho Association of School Administrators and Director of the Idaho Rural Schools Association, and has been a wonderful supporter, wrote the following note this fall on behalf of HCCC’s impact in the state.
“Many rural students face a cultural divide between their roots and life after high school, often leading to feelings of isolation and concerns about academic performance and costs. That’s where High Desert College Collaborative and its various partnerships step in.
The Idaho Rural Schools Association (IRSA) proudly supports these efforts by fostering connections between rural educational leaders, their communities, and post-secondary opportunities, ensuring rural students feel empowered and ready to succeed!
Together, we’re working with school districts in Elmore, Camas, Lincoln, and Gooding counties, engaging students in grades 5-8 to explore career options and pathways to success. These workshops also provide early field placement hours for education majors to experience rural settings, encouraging future rural teaching placements. Undergraduate students from regional colleges and universities are giving back to their communities by sharing their experiences and inspiring younger students to pursue higher education and training. This initiative not only builds college-going capacity for middle school students but also helps college students reflect on their own journeys and develop as future professionals and community leaders.”
#HighDesertCollaborative #IdahoEducation #IRSA #RuralStudents #CommunityEngagement
Tenth Collaborative Member: Welcome Gooding School District
We are thrilled to welcome the Gooding Senators into the collaborative, representing our tenth member. Gooding was one of the original four schools invited into the collaborative back in 2020, but for various reasons did not join at the time. Now with a new superintendent David Carson, Gooding gladly accepted the invitation in October when Bags and David met at a Gooding boy’s soccer game against Sun Valley Community School. HDCC conducted its first aspirational workshops in the 6th grade and looks forward to including the 7th grade next year. Welcome Senators!
Be Well and Thank You Again
Finally, I wish to leave you with these kind words from a departing administrator at Dietrich last June.
“I hope things continue to go well for HDCC. Getting to see the reactions from students and families the last few years when we presented those scholarships provided some of the best days!”
