Bacone College has developed a program that seeks to assist former custody and tribal custody youth who are interested in obtaining a college education from an institution of Higher Education in Oklahoma.  This program is for students with high academic promise who lack the academic resources to attend school without traditional family resources. The program will be a year round program which will allow the student to have residency throughout the year as they complete their college education.

The Lorraine Bacone Learning Work Community Program (LB LWC) will assist accepted  students in obtaining their associates or bachelors degree while  providing them assistance in obtaining financial support, housing and opportunity for personal development.  Individuals enrolled in this program will be provided experiences to interact with business and professional leaders in the community as well as be actively involved in volunteering with education and service oriented groups in the community.  The intent of our program is to graduate students who are educationally and emotionally equipped to become leaders in their respective communities.  We desire to achieve a student body in this program of 51% Native American students.

The goal of the LB LWC is to retainall students who enter the program by assisting them in getting their college degree.  While they pursue their degree they will learn to function in the mainstream of society, without losing their culture and heritage.  We believe that their past experiences and the new ones at Bacone will mold them into a concerned and compassionate leader for tomorrow.

Upon graduation from Bacone each student should have:

acquired a degree

have had many life experiences in working with diverse community groups

been provided opportunities for leadership and growth

learned to live in a society committed to Christian values and principles.

Admissions:

Program Admissions

Prior to admission to the school each student must write an essay of their positive leadership experiences and career goals.  This essay will describe how getting an education from Bacone will assist the student in attaining these goals.

Admissions criteria for program eligibility into the program also includes:

Youth 16-21 years of age who are currently in state custody or tribal custody and in out-of-home placement

Youth who after age 16, leave foster care for kinship guardianship or adoption

Youth in state or tribal custody who elect to remain in voluntary care after 18 to complete their high school education or GED or until they area age 21 years – whichever comes first

Youth who were in state or tribal custody and in out-of-home placement for nine months between the ages of 16 and 18 and have not reached their 21^st birthday, and youth who exit state custody on their 18^th birthday.

Prospective students who have been in state custody and tribal custody youth in other states who meet this criteria are encouraged to apply.

School Admissions

All students accepted into the LB LWC program must meet the following admissions criteria for Bacone College:

High School Graduates:  Grade Point Average of 2.5 or higher, ACT composite of a 18 (SAT I =860, and a class rank of the top 50%.

Non-Traditional High School Graduates:  GED score = 50 (500 on new tests), ACT composite of 18 (SAT = 860)/  Students who are Home Schooled must have an ACT composite of 18 (SAT = 860)

College Transfer:  12 Earned Hours or more – 2.5 GPA Cumulative

To remain eligible for the program once the scholarship has been awarded, the recipient must:

Maintain an overall 2.5 GPA or higher to continue to receive tuition scholarship

Maintain enrollment in at least 12 units of course work

Fully participate in all components of the program (volunteering, meetings, community service, business experiences)

Student must be willing to maintain contacts with the Program Coordinator and/or assigned staff through duration of the scholarship

Bacone will provide the necessary staff to assist and support the program. Initially Bacone will accept 60 students into the LB LWC with the first 12 beginning in June of 2012, the next 24 in the fall of 2012 and another 24 in the Spring of 2013.

While attending school students will be approved to remain in their housing facility until they have graduated.  When needs warrant a change in housing, Bacone will advise the student and facilitate the housing change.

Bacone will accommodate students with disabilities under Title III of the ADA.

Financial Aid

Students will be awarded:  Up to 100% of Tuition, Room and Board after all Federal and State Aid is provided. Residency by the student is required. The student must be full Pell grant eligible. 

Students who apply timely and who meet the criteria listed previously are eligible for the the Education Training Voucher. The Education Training Voucher (ETV) program awards grants to current and former foster youth to help pay for college or specialized education. ETV grants are funded by the federal government and administered by the states. In most states, eligible students may receive grants of up to $5,000 per academic year.  The ETV will be utilized for books, fee and/or other miscellaneous expenses of the student.

Work Study (Federal Work Study – FWS):

The FWS program is a financial need based program that provides part-time jobs on or off campus to help students earn money to pay for school.  Students are paid $8.00 an hour and the financial aid office determines the yearly amount awarded to the student.

The FWS program encourages community service and helps students gain valuable work experience while paying for their education.  Programs designed for literacy have the highest priority for federal work study.

We are developing community work services which will allow the student to gain experiences in their chosen career interest.  If the student is interested in the arts then they might choose a work study at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.   A student choosing a career in education may want to consider completing a work study at Murrow Children’s Home or a local school.  Students with an interest in criminal justice could choose one of the local law enforcement agencies to gain a deeper insight into how law enforcement agencies work.

More sites are being developed.  An effective work study program is a key component of this program for students.

Program

All students will be expected to meet weekly with the Lorraine Bacone program staff and be involved in the personal development opportunities.  These opportunities will include volunteering  and working with non-profits, businesses and communities.  These activities will assist the students to learn and live in a diverse cultural community. Another goal of our program is to assist  every student in being academically and personally successful.

All students will be assigned a mentor within the first week of arriving on campus.  This mentor will work with the student through the first eight weeks.  A determination will be made at that time as to whether to continue with the mentoring program and services. 

Support Services

Bacone will provide support for students who apply and are accepted through for Federal TRIO Program.  The Federal TRIO programs  (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.   It offer support to students who have made application and been accepted.

 Academic Support Services

All Bacone College students are invited to strengthen their academic skills, to learn how to succeed academically, and to continue to graduation by using the services we provide.

 These services include:

Developmental courses in reading, writing, and mathematics—these courses take the student from where s/he is and move him/her toward college-level academic skills 

Tutorials—these individual sessions help students who don’t understand course-content or need help with assignments

 Group tutoring—this approach is available if students prefer working in groups

 Academic advising—this service helps students map out their college program

Workshops—these programs are designed to deal with a host of special topics, from test taking to personal budgeting to motivation and self-esteem.

Another resource which will be available to the LB LWC students will be Systems of Care.  Systems of Careis a comprehensive spectrum of mental health and other support services that are organized into coordinated networks to meet the multiple and changing needs of children, adolescents and their families with a serious emotional disturbance. It accomplishes this by providing community based, family driven, youth guided, and culturally competent services statewide. 

 Experiences

The success or failure of a residential student is often related to the activities in which they are involved  as well as those that they are not involved in.  The LB LWC is developing a wide and growing list of activities which we believe will benefit the student. 

 Each month there will be a minimum of one activity for the student outside the general campus life.  Some experiences will include volunteering, working and/or attending events and activities such as:

Habitat for Humanity                                            Womens Empowerment Expo

Mentoring Youth at local group homes  Women in Safe Homes (WISH)

Azalea Chili Festival                                               Special Olympics                                         

Monthly Speakers                                       Field Trips                                                    

Ambassadors for Bacone College             Annual Muskogee Christmas Parade                 

State Capitol excursions                             PAWS (Promoting Animal Welfare Society)

Tribal Pow Wows                                        Muskogee Regional Medical Center

VA Regional Hospital                                             River Rumba Regatta

Cherokee Heritage Center                         Muskogee Little Theater

All LB LWC participants will be expected to attend the weekly Bacone Hour and may be involved in other campus activities as they choose.

 Bacone College offers an opportunity for reflection upon how we, of all races and ethnic backgrounds, can live, study, work and worship together in order to strive not only for a meaningful educational experience, but for a society committed to Christian values and principles.

 For more information about the Lorraine Bacone Learning Work Community please contact any of the following:

Kindle Holderby
Holderbyk@bacone.edu918-360-0202

Terrence Roby
Robyt@bacone.edu918-360-6717

Mike Jackson
Jacksonmi@bacone.edu918-781-7392

2299 Old Bacone Road
Muskogee, Oklahoma 74403

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) is also known as Oklahoma’s Promise.  If a youth is in the custody of Oklahoma Department of Human Services or out of home placement anytime during the youth’s 8^th, 9^th, or 10^th grade year the placement provider should be given the opportunity to complete the OHLAP application.

OKDHS custody youth have the income eligibility criteria waived. If the youth was enrolled and then adopted the youth remains eligible. However, the adoptive family should discuss the youth’s eligibility with their child’s school counselor. Once enrolled in OHLAP, the youth will still need to meet the required courses for graduation as well as the behavioral clause. 

Please visit www.okpromise.org for details. 

Also, please note that OHLAP is subject to legislative changes.

Independent Student Status for purposes of a PELL grant was established by Public Law 110-84 which amends the definition of an independent student to include an individual who: “is an orphan, in foster care, or a ward of the court, at any time when the individual is 13 years of age or older.” 

Youth who were in foster care on or after their 13^th birthday, even if they were subsequently adopted, do not need to count parental income for determining their eligibility for college financial aid.  Youth will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and select the box indicating they were a Ward of the Court on or after age 13 years.

 The youth’s family will also need to provide proof of the youth’s age at time of adoption to the college financial aid office. Adoption documents should serve that purpose.  If these documents are not available or if the financial aid office requests additional verification of the youth being a Ward of the court, please call the Oklahoma Department of Human Services at (405) 521-6671 to request a Ward of the Court letter to verify custody. 

For more information please refer to the following website www.voice-for-adoption.org.  Also, please note the PELL grant is subject to legislative changes.

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program is a federal program, administered in Oklahoma by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Independent Living Program. ETV provides up to $5,000 annually towards a post-secondary program’s total cost of attendance.

Youth must have been in OKDHS custody, in another state’s custody, or in tribal custody on or after their 16th birthday. OKDHS adoptive families are usually notified of this program by mail once the adoption of a youth age 16 or above is finalized.

Please notice annual deadlines. The fall enrollment deadline is July 1st and the spring enrollment deadline is December 1st. There may be some additional program requirements that include providing copies of grades at the end of each semester, and reporting the application for other loans. Youth who are enrolled in post-secondary education and making satisfactory progress on their 21st birthday may continue to receive the ETV award until age 23.

To request an application, youth or parents can call the Yes I Can Network toll free number at 1-800-397-2945.

Oklahoma Foster Care Tuition Waiver was created by the Oklahoma Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.  The act specifies that tuition only is waived at some Oklahoma public colleges, universities and some career technology centers for any youth who was in the custody of  the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Tribal custody or in out-of-home placement for any nine month period after age 16. 

Youth who are adopted on or after age 16.9 are eligible for the waiver.  Adopted youth must call the Yes I Can toll free number 1-800-397-2945 to report that they graduated and request to be placed on the Tuition Waiver list which is provided to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.  The Regents then distribute the list to eligible state colleges and universities. 

Visit www.okcollegestart.org and select Financial Aid/Scholarships/State.

Citizens Caring for Children (CCC) is a non-profit organization receiving no government funding.  It is strictly through monetary donations and volunteer hours that the CCC resource center is provided.  At the resource center, children in foster care can come and “shop” for new clothes, back to school supplies, linens, backpacks and even stuffed animals all free of charge.

The resource center always welcomes new volunteers to help sort clothes, stock items or help foster children and their families shop. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please call (405) 753–4099 or email at general@citizenscaringforchildren.org.

In addition to the volunteer opportunities, Citizens Caring for Children also supports a mentoring program for foster children in need of a stable adult relationship. In return for the volunteers’ time, Citizens Caring for Children provides ongoing education, training and support as well as access to all CCC events.

For more information about how to utilize the resource center, make donations, or become a mentor please visit www.citizenscaringforchildren.org.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study that looked at data from 14 communities. Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times more common in boys than girls – with 1 in 54 boys identified.

CDC considers ASDs an important public health concern and is committed to providing essential data on ASDs, search for risk factors and causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASDs as early as possible.

The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and supports they need as early as possible

The “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign, has developed free, easy-to-use information and resources about:
• Developmental milestones;
• The importance of monitoring children’s development;
• Warning signs of developmental concern;
• Tips for talking to families about concerns; and
• The importance of acting early so children and families get the help they need.

Materials can be downloaded or ordered for free at www.cdc.gov/ActEarly, including resources developed specifically for parents and national, state and local providers that serve young children. Materials are available in English and Spanish and include growth charts, fact sheets, milestone checklists, positive parenting behaviors, and tips for talking to parents about a child’s development.
Two new products work especially well for providers of young children:
• Milestone Moments: a purse-sized booklet that includes milestone checklists for ages 2 months to 5 years, parenting tips, and developmental warning signs.
• Track Your Child’s Developmental Milestones: a tri-fold brochure with an appealing “game board” design that lists selected milestones for ages 6 months to 4 years.

All materials are research-based, easily accessible, free to all, and can be co-branded and customized with your contact information or that of other community providers in your area. CDC can help you co-brand these products with individual logos and contact information; request this by emailing ActEarly@cdc.gov.

CDC would welcome the opportunity to provide regional webinars and trainings about how to use the materials in creative ways. If you’re interested, contact Camille Smith at CDC directly by emailing CSmith@cdc.gov.

CDC’s program includes a component – the Act Early Initiative – to improve collaboration among early childhood state systems for early identification of children with developmental delay. The Act Early State Teams work together within their states to develop and implement plans to identify and overcome barriers to identifying children with developmental delay; some teams have broadened their efforts to address issues surrounding service provision for these children and their families

OK Foster Wishes is a volunteer organization. With the help of monetary donations and volunteer hours, OK Foster Wishes works to fulfill birthday and holiday wishes for children in foster care. They also provide support to families who have agreed to kinship placement. It is the goal of OK Foster Wishes to provide avenues for people in the community to help a foster child without the commitment of becoming a foster family. For more information about OK Foster Wishes, how to make a donation or how to get involved please visit them at www.okfosterwishes.com.

The Oklahoma Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) ACTION Committee is “a group of individuals dedicated to protecting children and strengthening families.” The committee also works to raise awareness on the issue of child abuse in Oklahoma.

The CAP ACTION Committee plans events and activities year round in order to increase awareness of child abuse prevention efforts. To become a part of the 2012 CAP ACTION Committee, please contact Sherie Trice at 405-271-7611 or by email at SherieT@health.ok.gov.

To learn more about the CAP ACTION Committee, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-Child-Abuse-Prevention/208673432513636#!/pages/Oklahoma-Child-Abuse-Prevention/208673432513636?sk=info.

Oklahoma Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) ACTION Committee. 2012. 23 Jan 2012. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-Child-Abuse-Prevention/208673432513636#!/pages/Oklahoma-Child-Abuse-Prevention/208673432513636?sk=info.

Oklahoma 211 is an excellent resource available to foster and adoptive families. A simple search on their website provides a direct link to important community services, resources and volunteer opportunities in your area. For more information about Oklahoma 211, please visit http://www.211oklahoma.org/ or contact them by phone at (877) 362-1606 (OKC) or (877) 836-2111 (Tulsa).