On January 16th, two members of Promise Corps went to the Whitman Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia in South Philadelphia to give a presentation about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. We were invited to do so after one of the librarians, who is familiar with the mission of Promise Corps, discovered that many patrons of the library had expressed apprehension about completing the FAFSA.

Equipped with a Powerpoint presentation and two dozen donuts, Sydney Spott and Drew Schaub addressed a small, yet diverse group of people. The group of attendees was comprised of five high school students, one freshman at Temple, three parents, and one adult looking to go back to school. Sydney and Drew were shocked to discover that all five of the high school students were only juniors. It was truly uplifting to see these young scholars so invested in their future that they wanted to get a head start and be as prepared as possible. The presentation started with an overview of FAFSA, stressed its importance, and then reviewed the materials necessary to complete it, discussed what the actual application process looks like and dispelled some common myths about the FAFSA. When the presentation was over, the students and parents had several questions about the FAFSA, as well as other topics relating to college.

There was a great discussion about preparing for the SATs, finding scholarships, and deciding which school is the right fit. It was delightful to get to know the students, hear about their plans, and talk to them about what the college experience is like. Though the group was not from the Promise Zone, and therefore not technically part of the focus of Promise Corps, it was a great experience to get involved in a different community and to help assuage everyone’s concerns.

Promise Corps is excited to continue providing college access resources across the city of Philadelphia!